Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-29
THE Philip me QUESTION AND
TRADE.

The most absurdly untenable of all
the specious and false arguments put
form 10 bols,er up the imperial policy
is that offered TO the trade spirit of
the country, especially in the South,
that the administration policy means
more trade and larger markets in the
Philippines and the Orient and that
the Democratic pCiicy is to cut us
off from such increased trade and ex-
tended markets. Administration
agents and organs are industrially dis
seminating this totally false state
ment of the difference between the
policies of the two parties, especially
as we have said, in the South, where
it is hoped by this insidious means
to create dissentiOn in the Democratic
parry Oh this question and thus di-
vide and weaken the opposition to i'm
perialism.
TO show what a brazen misrepre-
sentatlon this is of the position of the
Democrats it is only necessary to
QuCse the provisions of the resolutions
introduced on the Democratic side of
the House and Senate on the sub
iect OF the disposition and future gov
eminent of the Philippines. One of
these resolutions introduced by Mr..
Williams, Of Mississippi, and said to
&c the outcome Of a consultation of
he Democratic leaders of the House,
providing for a ten-year American pro-
tectorate, declares that it has always
been the purpose of the United States
10 recognize the inalienable right of
tie fil-pinos to self-g government and
national independence, and that for
nal recognition of those rights will be
made upon The establishment Of peace
aid the inauguration of a constitution
al government or governments by the
people of the islands, or any of them,
provided such government or govern
ments will agree to refund the $4,000
000 paid by the United States to Spain,
and to give the United States in fee
simple, with right of sovereignty, A
PLACE SUITABLE FOR A NAVAL
STATION AND OTHER PLACES
SUITABLE FOR COALING STATIONS,
AND TO GRANT THE AMERICAN
PEOPLE IN PERPETUITY THE
RIGHT OF FREE ACCESS TO
ALL THEIR PORTS FOR GOODS,
MERCHANDISE OR PERSONS
BENT ON PEACEFUL OR MIS-
SIONARY PURSUITS. In addition.
promise is made of friendly
assistance and counsel in the work of
inaugurating such a movement. An
other resolution introduced in the Sen
ate declares that in receiving the ces-
sion of the Philippines it is not the in
tention of the United States to main
tain permanent dominion over them or
to incorporate the inhabitants thereof
as citizens of the United States, or to
hold such inhabitants as vassals, and
that after the restoration of peace and
order the United States will retire from
the islands, EXCEPT SUCH HAIR
BORIS AND COALING STATIONS AS
MAY BE RESERVED. Another reso-
luton declares that under the Consti-
tuition the federal government has no
power to rule over colonial dependen-
cies, and so on.
All of the resolutions introduced on
the Democratic side-and that side
alone has been heard from-are so
much alike that the support of all can
unite on the one favored by the major
ity of the party. 1t will be observed
that contrary to the assertion of adj
ministration agents and organs, the
Democratic policy, thus outlined, pro-
poses to go as far as the most rabid
imperialism could possibly go in ex-
tending American trade In the Phil
ippines and in the Orient. The only