Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-12
COMMENT ON FoRAkER,s SPEECH.
London Morning Papers Discuss the
Situation in the Philippines.

LONDON, January 12.-Most of the morn
Ing papers comment today upon the situa-
ton in the Philippines. drawing the in
ference that Senator Foraker's remarks
in the Senate chamber yesterday wers
made by him as the spokesman of the
President, and expressing disappointment
and their disapproval of possible re-
linquishment of the Philippines by the
United States.
The Times says that the senator ap-
pears to leave the subject in unpleas-
antly ambiguous state. 1t is in the Phil
ppines that the new system of govern
ment will he brought to a test, and no
resolutions passed in the Senate can solve
the problem. The claims of the insur-
gents to national recognition can hardly
hold water, but there is no power in the
world that would be so much embarrassed
by the raising of a question of this sort
as the United States. To announce that
the occupation of the Philippines is only
temporary would be scarcely prudent.
Although some precedents are furnish
ed in our own policy during the last twen-
ty years, thu results are. unsatisfactory.
All the governments of the continent have
acquiesced. willingly or unwillingly, in the
fact that the islands. with all their advan-
tages and responsibilities, are American ac-
QUESTIONS, and they are bound to hold
aloof except in the inconceivable event of
the failure of the American government.
d
ling to find The liberators of Cuba engaged
in suppressing a youthful republic which
claims the sacred right of self-government.
Yet to withdraw would create another Cuba
off the coast of Asia, for which naval ma
lions would scramble
The Daily Chronicle says: I'VE believe
that SO soon as it can safely be done the
United States will give the Filipnos vir-
tual home rule under responsible govern
ment."
The Daily News, in referring to Senator
Forakers speech in the Senate, says: After
this the whole truth cannot long be delay
ed, and it will be awaited with great in
terest on both sides of the Atlantic"
The Daily Mail publishes the following
dispatch from Hong Kong: THE Americans
who are arriving here from Manila COM
plain bitterly of the inaction of Maj. Gen.
Otis, particularly in leaving the Manila
water supply at the mercy of the rebels.
They say collision between the Ameri
cans and insurgents is inevitable. Aguin-
aldo's dispatches to the Filipino junta here
have been stopped
The Berlin correspondent of the STAN
dard says that Prof. Blumentritt, Aguin-
aldo's representative there, writes to the
Tageblatt as follows:
THE Americans, being addicted to drink.
are less able to fight in the tropics than
the sober Spaniards. A guerrilla war could
be kept up for six eight years, during
which the inevitable conflict between the
powers in eastern Asia would afford the
Filipinos a chance.
liberty: only the other orders have been
kept prisoners. The former are now pro-
American, because American rule offers
the only hope of retrieving their fortunes.
Ill-treatment of prisoners is severely pun
ished, while nuns are not molested, most
of them being natives. The Americans
imagine they can buy the nsurgent army
for 100000, but the Filipnos anticipate
that an American party, inspired by Wash
ington's spirit, will yet come into power
and grant them independence"
The Madrid correspondent of the Times
says:
1T is not 10 the advantage of Spain that
settlement in the Philippines is delayed.
The fact is fully realized that Spanish ship
ping is suffering from the uncertainty as
well as the interests of the religious orders
whose property is at stake and many of
whose members are prisoners.
at is not true that the Spanish COM
manders have been ordered to give the
Americans trouble. Spain desires to bury
the Ratchet. A scheme is being seriously
discussed for the government of the Philip
pines by an International company or by
three companies, like the British South
Africa Company, which would be more ac-
ceptable to the natives than the rule of the
United States, and would enable Spanish
investments without the loss of markets in
the archipelago