The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-04-25

many small islands. 1t then remains
for the United States. with Its army
and increasing navy. to do this Tor
them
Thornton Alexander, the second
speaker for Boston University, took up
the second step OF the argument for
the affirmative The United States. by
keeping the islands, he said. Will not
gain enough to offset the moral duty
which they owe TO the Filipinos. our
trade in Asia Is In prosperous condi-
tion, and is not threatened In any way.
SO the question Of commercial advan-
tage TO the United States then narrows
itself down 10 one OF advantage to US
in the Philippines alone. After the
Philippines have been civilized. unless
the United States shall bar out the
trade OF the rest OF the world by pro-
create a monopoly for her own goods.
she will obtain only her fair share or
the market. We cannot place wall
OF prohibitive tariffs around the ISL
ands. and thus bar out foreign goods.
Charles B. Fernald of Brown Univer-
sity, in taking up the second speech
for the negative. said, in part: The
Philippines under the American flag
offer us certain definite commercial ad-
vantages, which we should lose by
making the islands absolutely inde-
pendent. These advantages are, first,
the investment of American capital;
second. the Philippine trade; and. third.
the trade OF Asia. American capital
will be more freely invested in a land
which is part OF our own country than
in an independent Malay state. Again,
nowhere is trade so free, direct and
natural for the citizens OF any na5ion
as with that nations own possessions.
II we hold the Philippines. we will have
an open way TO China's markets. with
her population OF 400, 100000
The last speaker for the law school
was Fred s. Hewitt. who suggested
the danger of continuous warfare in
duced by the retention OF the archipel-
ago. showing the tendency OF the ma
tives to struggle for Independence, and
also the fact that such desire would be
strengthened by the fact that their well
fare demands such independence. He
showed also the liability OF our being
involved I'm complications with China.
Mr.. A. L. Scott sumed up for Brown,
saying in part: II wish TO bring to
your attention the fact that the United
States owed a political duty to it's own
citizens, whereby IL Mas obliged to re-
tain the Philippines at the time con-
templated. In brief. the islands are
strategically situated. and by their re-
tention we will firmly establish our
selves in the east. The English Ian
guage will become the language of the
country, and enterprises of all sorts will
receive a new impetus. Manila and
American capital in the east will be
recognized matter of Importance with
foreign powers. and our establishment
will not only have weight with all Eu-
rope, but the people of the orient will
be greatly improved by the show.
Then. again. there is coaling station
and base OF supplies for our fleet. and
we will be able TO back future demands
with some show OF force. which is by
no means as effective 5000 miles away.
Aside from all this. there are the ad-
vantages TO be derived from the settle
ment OF the Chinese question and the
ability to protect newly acquired rights.
as shown by the Hay treaty. All these
will be lost IL we decide to give up the
islands.