The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-04-29
Senator Frye's Idea
Rbout Philippines.
From His Recent Speech in New York.

From His Recent Speech in New York.
n0nHLLE all the nations OF Europe
NjNH are our commercial foes; while
WUVI just now they fear us more than
(J(J ever before, and, as China wit
nesses, are lining up to stop
our advance we have abundant cause for
courage and hope The unexpected has
happened, increasing our confidence in
the future tenfold Humanity and de-
cent sclf-resnect forced US to a declara'
tion of war against Spain. The conflict
was short sharp and decisive. In few
months that proud kingdom became a
Suppliant for peace. Commissioners were
appointed by the president to settle its
terms; a treaty was signed, has been rati-
fled and proclaimed. Under its terms
Cuba is commercially ours; for, while
We refused to accept sovereignty there,
and intend to yield all claim to authority
whenever a stable government is formed,
that government will owe It's life to us;
its people cannot fail TO remember that
their freedom from oppression, from ,X-
acting and most burdensome taxation,
from hunger and starvation, is gift
from us. Gratitude and Contiguity will
surely give us the trade. When peace
abides there, and good government as
sures protection to life and property,
commerce will enormously increase. Porto
|
more promising than the requirement of
many such islands is the acquisition by
us, under the terms of the same treaty,
of the Philippine archipelago, undoubted-
| ly the most fertile and productive uneX-
plored land under the sun.
To-
| For 600 years, under Spanish dominion,
more oppressive and cruel than known
| elsewhere in the world; treated as IA nero
| sponge to be squeezed by the hand of the
| OppresSor; burdened by taxation the most
| ingenious and intolerabe; without rail-
! roads or highways, without any labor
| saving machinery; Il third Of its product
| rottng Ola the ground for want of trans
| portation to the sea; its revenues plum
| dered by Spanish officials; yet in 1897,
with rebellion rife, according to United
States Commissioner Harden, the exports
| were $il, 900, the imports $l13i3OUO; q
balance in favor. S23,99900O. Give the
| islands a good government, protection to
life and property, an advancing civiliZa-
| tion, increasing int olligeLce fair wages,
| honest collection of revenues, railroads
and highways, improved agricultural i'm
plements, cable communication with our
| country and telegraphic lines between
| them, and who doubts that commerce
| will, in a few years, be quadrupled? The
| bulk of it will be ours, even with the
| open door, for we shall have the advan-
tage of England Germany aud France in
distance and in freight rates. Under
present conditions these rates have been,
since 1871, from Manila TO the United
States, a little less on the average than
| half these from Manila to England
| and 10 per cent. less from cur country to
| Manila than from England. The Islands
are mlrvellously rich and productive; not
more than one quarter of the tillable land
is under cultivation. They produce the
| hon l. 1n her iG limit
to the demand for it, sugar copra indi-
go, tobacco, rice, fruits and vegetables of
all kinds. They are rich in minerals,
gold, copper, lead, iron, pure metal. There
is an abundance of coal in nearly all of
the islands We have paid for coal for
Dewey's fleet from $l2 to $50 a ton. On
tho island OF Ccbu it is found in enor-
nous quantities. of quality superior to
the Japanese lump, practically inaCcessi-
BILE now, for it Is fifteen miles from the
port of Cebu. a railroad for that dis
tance will land IL at this port for live shil-
lings IA ton. The forests of best mcr-
chantable woods, are boundless. Under
such Il government as this republic would
establish, inviting capital and affordinS
security to 1t, the possibilities of the ar
chpeago are amazing.
| %
But the value TO us OF the domestic
| trade of these possessions is insignificant
compared to that regarded from COM
mercial-strategic point of view. They
front the entire China Sea, are only two
days sail from Hong Kong; they intro
ducc ts to the Orient with its seven oI
eight hundred millions of people, with i'm
ports now exceeding 81, 800 100000 annually
which advancing civilization will double
in few years. They give us, for the
first time, a tremendous moral force, q
most potent voice for the preservation
of the open door in China. Who can es
innate the value in the future of such g
commanding position to our foreign com
merce? Are we to fold our hands anC
/ allow this harvest TO be gathered by oul
rivals? We have treaties with China
, guaranteeing to us commercial rights
and privileges equal to those of the mos
: favored nations. Are we to sit silently
by and see our treaty rights invaded, tn
doors closed against us? The nations o
the earth are today near neighbors, The!
all heard the thunder of Deweys guns
1 and recognized this republic, for the frs
time, as one of the great powers OF tn
, | world, Are we alone of these all TO ig
, | more the stupendOus fact?
1 -:O:-
| What shall we do with the Philippine