The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-11-17
CHINESE IN THE PHILIPPINES.

The question of the exclusion of the
Chinese from the Philippines promises to
develop into one of vast political sig
nifcance. Should the United States de-
eide to exclude that people from the ISL
ands, as they are excluded from the sew
commerce with China are not unlikely to
follow How far it will affect our diplo-
matic position with reference to events
now eliminating in the Chinese empire it
might, for some little time to come, be
premature to assume.
The Chinaman is the laborer of the
Philippines. For continuous industry he
is the only permanent resident outside
of the representatives Of American and
European peoples that can be at all re-
lied on. His exclusion is an undertaking
which, on it's face, is neither just nor
wise
Can it be that those members of the
Philippine commission who are repre-
scented as being in favor of the exclusion
of the Chinese from the islands, includ-
ing Gen Otis, believe that any number
of sane Americans or foreigners of the
Caucasian race are going into the Philip
pines to seek a market for their laborT
1t is incredible that any such idea can
have taken possession Of these gentle
men. Do they suppose, on the other
hand, that reliance can be placed on ma
tive labor to conduct prof1tably the va
rious enterprises which it might seem de-
sirable to found on the productive re-
sources Of the islands? This seems as
improbable as the other.
The Chinaman is the only one Of the
Eastern races who has the capacity for
sustained labor in every cline and under
all conceivable conditions. His industri-
Gus habits are the marvel Of the world.
His powers Of endurance are simply I'M
paralleled among the races. The Philip
pines offer to him the opportunity which
they hold out to no other man whose ca
pacity for labor is his only capital He
is and will remain to the labor Of the
Philippines all and more than all that
the negro has been to the industries Of
the gulf states. 1t Is his complete
utilization alone, so far as the conditions
in the Philippines are now understood,
upon which must rest any hope that ex-
this people. can be utilized without a
continuing loss to the revenues of the
country, or with any profit to individual
Americans seeking investment of their
capital In that country.
In the light Of all existing knowledge it
would be even foolhardy to insist on
driving John Chinaman from the archipel-
ago. For the past thirty years we have
been engaged in doing everything in our
power to secure the enmity of the Chinese
empire. Our exclusion from the game of
trade and territorial grab now being car
ried on by European nations in China
has alone been sufficient thus far to over
come the i'll will we have in the past so
sedulously cultivated. AS the result Of
In China we have Won a standing among
the Chinese which the representative Of
no other nation shares with US. An this
we run serious risk of throwing over our
shoulders If the policy of Chinese exclu-
sion be adopted, as will probably be sug-
gested by the Philippine commission.
Besides aid this if Our Doliticians at
Washington are waiting for good op-
portunity to mix their country up with
England or some other European nation
In the pending International struggle in
the Orient, they must see that they have
that opportunity right at their hand by
concurring at this time In Chinese excIu-
sion from the Philippine archipelago.