The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1899-11-04
WHAT WE ARE FIGHTING FOR

The press OF the country that backs
up the war in the Philippines and ad-
yocates the retention of the islands,
have generally argued that it will be
beneficial to the United States to hol1
the group for commercial reasons,
because it will open up a vast market
for our products and offer to the ven-
turesome American an opportunity to
branch out and develop new countries
and create new resources. However
in advancing this argument they do
not stop to consider the wants or needs
of tho people inhabiting the islands or
their capability of producing every
thing they require, nor do they take
into consideration the fact that the
islands are already densly populated,
and can offer but little room for the
American driven out of our ''oyer-
crowded" sections to expand.
The Oregonian, one of the most ar
dent, though inconsistent advocates
of expansion, has gathered some stat
istics concerning the population and
products of the archipelago, and we
quote the following from its editorial
columns:
1--WE haYe in the Philippine islands
an archipelago that parallels and COM
mands the coast of China for 800 miles;
composed of 200 to 1,4OO islands; in
habited by 1000, 900 to 9. 900, 900 people,
of whom 100000 are nominal Chris
tians, in density of population nearly
SO per cent greater than that of Illinois
or Indiana, one half as great as that
of France, and one-third as great as
that of Japan and China, in bulk
greater than the entire population in
habiting the United States west of
Texas and the Dakotas."
And this is the kind of a country we
are fighting for. This is the country
which the Oregonian says is suscept-
able of "great Development and will
offer opportunities for "thrifty Ameri-
cans to develop" If one will stop to
consider the extent of the territory
and the number of people already there.
he will wonder if the country is not
already pretty we'll developed, and will
inquire where the opportunities for
thrifty Americans to expand" are.
ALI of the 1,200 islands are not so great
in area as Oregon and California, yet
there is population there of 1000, 900
to 5000, 900, a population, the Oregon
ian says, greater in bulk than that oc.
cupying the states west of Texas and
the Dakotas, embracing the states of
Washington, Oregon, California, Idaho,
Nevada. Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and
Montana, aud Indian territory, Arizona
and New Mexico. Imagina from
1000, 900 to 100000 people occupying
Oregon and California, would there be
much more room for development?
Would there be much room for
"thrifty Americans" to expand?
Would not the resources be pretty we'll
absorbed? The Oregonian further
says this wonderful country is "yield-
ing revenue of $17,OOO,OO0 a year."
This is less than two dollars a head
for the 1900, 900 inhabitants. What
wonderful country it must bel That it
is productive certainly cannot be
denied, it must be to support so many
people. But whereis the room for any
more? What opportunity will there
be for Americans to operate in a
country 30 crowded and where the
natives can subsist on four cents day
and think they are we'll paid when re.
ceiving 25 cents for 10 hours work?
La it good business sense to expend
BLOC, ,000, 900 a year fighting to possess
, country containing 100000 people
who yield an annual revenue of $7,OO0,-
300? We are fighting for something
that will cost US many more dollars
han we can ever get out of it.