Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-28

Z MAKES TO THE QUESTION
DANGERS OF IMPERIALISM,
AND THE FRIGHTFUL EXPENSE
+ ATTACHED TO THE ADMINS
TRATION'S POLTCY-TALKING
ABOUT DEFENSES ALREADY
MISLEADING TATEMEN rs
CONCERNING THE PHILIPPINE
TRADEAHoW RICHMOND GOT A
SHIP YARD.
Special Washington Correspondence.
WASHINGTON, October 27.-What
shall we do with the Philippines is the
great problem with which Congress will
be confronted on converting in Decem-
Der. Upon the answer to this question
will depend our future national policy
regarding outlying territorial posses
Bions; whether we shall enter upon ex-
pansion into lands where Americans
cannot live without altering very con-
siderably their personal habits ana
modes of industry; whether we shall
reverse our own traditional policy OF
the last century and adopt that OF
Great Britain. No more momentous
question has come up since the days OF
slavery. If it shall be settled on ad-
ADMINISTRATION lines there can be no
doubt that the federal constitution Will
then have been fundamentally altered
by the dubious method of COMPRESSION
al and executive construction.
There is talk of bringing the problem
before Congress at an early day by the
introduction of resolution resembling
the Teller resolution regarding Cuba,
declaring that the natives of the Phil
ippines should be given independence
as soon as possible. There is nothing
inherently impossible about this policy.
In the government of the Federated Ma
day States, England has furnished
precedent aptly fitting the Philippine
problem In those States the natives
conduct their own affairs under the
tutelage of a few British officials, VINO
have been highly successful In guiding
native talent into the ways of peaceful
and efficient government What Eng
aishmen have done with Malays Amer
deans
OUGHT TO BE ABLE TO DO
with the same race in the Philippines.
Such q government would cost us moth
ing, though it would entail upon US
full responsibility before the world for
the government of the archipelago But
the assumption of this responsibility is
the one thing that everybody appears
Ito be agreed on, SO that the debate Will
rage only about the extent to which
American sovereignty will be asserted
and exercised.
That the able Mckinley will contrib
ute weightily to the solution OF the i'm
pending problem is very much to DC
doubted. Tt must be threshed out and
determined in Congress before the bar
Of public opinion. Herein is one Of the
greatest evils of colonial policy. II
must hang upon domestic opinion. The
fate of millions on the other side of the
globe must depend upon the exigencies
of party politics. An election here set
ties purely local problems there. That
is why Aguinaldo watches the course
of events in this country so closely. He
and his successors will continue to dc
so as long as this country assumes to
govern the Philippines at long range.
Secretary Wilson, of the Agricultu-
rial Department, is one of the most ram
pant expansionists. In recent in
terview he spoke OF the growth OF trade
in agricultural products toward the
Orient and as the Philippines as a
home for our merchant marine. Our
Oriental trade is increasing, of course
and our farmers are sharing to some
extent in it, but the Oriental trade
is NOT WITH OUR POSSESSIONS
1t may be we'll to examine the figures
of trade with the Philippines for the
month OF August and see what we are
selling to the archipelago. For that
month we exported to the Philippines
products valued at $1S0,023, against ex-
ports for the corresponding month in
1898 valued at $5,S64. The largest item
of export for the month was 500 horses
valued at $4,000. The other contribu-
tons of the farm were as follows:
Breadstuffs, $9,611; preserved fruits
\ $9,377; hay, $4,S44; provisions. $5,5OS;
Vegetables, $S,144. And not one dol
mrs worth of the entire exports for the
Month was carried in an American
cam vessel, and but 81, 450 in Ameri-
all these figures, in the face of the
ansionist brag about the value Of
Philippines as a market, is very
ng. It may be said that this
Twill grow; so it will; so it would
", if we had chosen to cultivate
st what tremendous cost are we
he way for the sale of a few
or a few million dollars
Agoods in an Oriental market
stars and stripes! There Is
Cthing to brag about in the
rade as yet.
IASANT REMINDER
expansion comes in the
chief of engineers of the
rmy, who says that con-
has been given during
10 the subject of coast
nsllar possessions, re-
pmpletion of scheme
harbors of San Juan
Id of Pearl Harbor.
u asked for money
>fy these places In
4 defenses, according
" programme, will
"A at various poipt<