The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-05

PortuIllIy TO secure our position on it.
The visible presence of great power is
necessary for us to get our share of the
trade of China. Therefore we must
nave the Philippines" Well, the China
trade is worth having, although for a
time out of sight the Atlantic ocean
VIII be an infinitely more important
Dattleheld of commerce than the Pa
enc, and one European customer is
worth more than twenty or thirty Ash
atlcs. But does the trade of China real
ly require that we should have the
Philippines and a great display of
power to get our share? Read the con-
sular reports, and you will find that in
many places in China our trade is rap
idly gaining, while in some British
trade is declining, and this while Great
Britain had on hand the greatest dis
play of power imaginable and we had
none.
And in order to increase our trade
there, our consuls advise us to improve
our commercial methods, saying moth
ing of the necessity of establishing a
| base of naval operations, and of our
appearing there with warships and
heavy guns. Trade is developed not
by the biggest guns, but by the best
merchants. But why do other nations
prepare to fight for the Chinese trade ?
Other nations have done many foolish
IIllhSS WHICH we nave Deen, and ! hope
will remain, wise enough not to initiate.
If it should come to fighting for Chin
csc customers, the powers engaged in
that fight are not unlikely to find out
that they pay too high a price for what
can be gained, and that at last the
peaceful neutral will have the best
bargain. AT any rate, to launch into
all the ENVIRONMENTS of an imperialistic
pollcy by anneXing the Philippines in
order to snatch something more of the
Chinese trade would be for us the fool
ishest game of all.
The Philippines may, as Belgium and
switzerland are in Europe, be covered
by a guarantee of neutrality. on the
part Of the powers most interested in
that region-an agreement which the
diplomacy of the United States should
not find it difficult to obtain. This
would secure them against foreign ag-
gression. As to the Independent repub-
lies of Porto Rico and Cuba, our gov
eminent might lend it's good offices to
unite them with San Domingo and
Hayti in confederacy of the Antilles.
to give them more respectable inter
national standing. Stipulations should
be agreed upon with them as to open
ports and the freedom of business en-
terprise within their borders, affording
all possible commercial facilities Mis-
SlVidly CAoIl III the largest sense, as
to the development of poular educa-
ton and of other civilizing agencies, as
we'll as abundant charity In sase of
need, will on our part not be wanting
and all this will help to mitigate their
disorderly tendencies and to steady
their governments.
Thus we shall be their best friends
without being their foreign rulers. We
shall have done our duty to them, to
Ca1Hr 10 =
imperfect their governments may still
remain, they will at least be their own,
and they will not with their disorders
and corruptions contaminate our insti-
tutionS, the integrity of which is not
only to ourselves. but to liberty loving
mankind, the most important concerns
of all. We may then await the result
with generous patience-with the same
patience with which for many years
we witnessed the revolutionary disor-
ders of Mexico on our very borders,
without any thought of taking her gov
eminent into our own hands.
ASK yourselves whether a policy like
this will not raise the American people
to level of moral greatness never be-
fore attained! If this democracy after
all the intoXication of triumph in war,
consclentiously remembers it's profess
ions and pledges and soberly reflects
on its duties to itself and others, and
then deliberately resists the temptation
of conquest, it will achieve the grandest
triumph of the democratic idea that
history knows of. 1t will give the gov
eminent of, for and by the people
prestige it never before possessed. 1t
VIII render the cause of civilization
throughout the world a service without
parallel. 1t win put its detraotors to
shame, and its voice will be heard in
the council of nations with more sin
cere respect and more Difference than
ever. The American people, having
given proof of their strength and also
or their honesty and wisdom, will stand
INFINITELY mfghtier before the world
than any number of subjugated vassals
could make them. Are not here our best
interests moral and material? Is not
this genuine glory? Is not this true
patriotism?
1 call upon all who so believe never
TO lost heart in the struggle for this
great cause, whatever odds may seem
to be against US. Let there by no pusil-
Luminous yielding while the final decis-
ion is still In the balance. Let us relax
no effort In this, the greatest crisis the
republic has ever seen. Let us never
cease to invoke the good sense, the hon
esty, and the patriotic pride of the
people. Let us raise high the flag of our
counlIy-not as an emblem of reckless
adventure and greedy conquest of be-
trayed professions and broken pledges
OF criminal aggression and ar$n,trarv
rule over subject populations-buT
old, the true flag, the flag of George
Washington and Abraham Lincoln: the
flag of the government of, for. and nv
the people; the flag of national faith
held sacred and of national honor I'M
suilied; the flag of human rights and oP
good example to all nations; the flag
of true civilization, peace and good will
to all men. Under it let us stand to the
last, whatever betide.