The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-04-06
NAY EXCHANGE
THE PHILIPPINES
Proposition Originated With Inhabitants
Of st. Kits,
IN THE LEEWARD ISLANDS
And Has Aroused Immense Interest In
Washington.
REGARDED AS THE BEST METHOD
Yet Presented of Solving the Difficult
Problem = Thought That Great
Britain Might Object to
the Exchange.

New York, April 5-A special to the
Herald from Washington says: Much
interest is felt here in the proposition orig
mating with the inhabitants of st. Kits
in the Leeward islands, for the exchange of
the Philippines for the British West IN
dies.
There are strong arguments in favor Of
such exchange If Great Britain can be in
duced to part with her West India colonies,
and there is little doubt that If the people
of the United States had an opportunity to
choose between the Philippines and the
English possessions in the caribbean sea,
they would prefer the latter This is par
ticularly true of the residents in the east
ern states
Would Develop Commerce
THE possession of the British West In
dies would be of great Importance to the
United States from a military point of view
as 1t would make the caribbean sea practi-
cally an American lake, and would enable
this country to dominate completely all ap-
proaches to any future isthmian canal
from the Atlantic side. 1t would also bring
the United States into closer relations with
Central and South America, and would
tons south of Mexico.
Representative Meyer of Louisiana,
who, as member of the house committee
on naval affairs has given close attention
to the new possessions of the United
States, said: AS long we are in the
business of buying and selling and trading
in soyereignties l should prefer, other
things being equal, to hold possessions near
the United States rather than at dis
lance.
1T would seem to me to be better to
undertake the government of the island
and inhabitants of which understand and
are in sympathy with our system of gov
eminent and who want to come to us
rather than islands the inhabitants of
system and who are not willing to come
under our government
Doubt as to Great Britain
Whether Great Britain would consent
to such an exchange as is proposed, how
ever, Is, think, a question of grave doubt
Representative Livingston, of Georgia.
is heartily in favor of getting rid of the
Philippines at any price, and regards the
proposition to make an exchange with
Great Britain as the best solution of tho
difficult problem yet offered.
:" L do not doubt he said, that IL the
matter is properly handled Great Britain
would entertain the proposition She Is am
bilious to extend her commercial interests
in the east and would doubtless consider
the possession of the Philippines would give
her much greater strength than she now
has in that part of the world. All that the
United States need for the Philippines Is a
coaling station and a place for repairing
ships attached to the Asiatic squadron.
United States Might Exchange
TT seems to me that at an exchange
might be effected whereby the United
States would consent to make the trade
with the understanding that we were to re-
tain a naval base in the Philippines in con-
sideration of a similar privilege granted to
Great Britain in her present West Indian
possessions.
No one can deny our right to dispose
of the Philippines to Great Britain or any
other power. Germany would probably
throw all the obstacles she could In the
way of the trade being made with Great
Britain, but that is not our affair Eng
land once in possession of the Philippines
we would need to have no fear of Ger
many's protest. "