The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-24
WH|1E[AN REIO'S VIEWS.
WHY THE PHILIPPINES WILL BE
RETAINED.
The Puerto Ricnn Tariff BiII, Its Eff
feet and the Manner in Which 1t
Is Misrepresented-Fu Trade
of Asia Open TO the Country.

BERKELEY. Cal. March 2s-Ths new
gymnasium Q: the University Of California
was hlled this morning with collegians
ana friends or the university to witness
the charter day exercises.
President Wheeler made an Introductory
speech, saying in part:
I'VE are today assembled here in recog-
milton OF the public causes which made
this university"
DR.. Wheeler then INTRODUCED Hon. White
law Reid Of New York. the speaker Of the
day. who spoke on "The Nations Prob
LENS"
In part he said:
The new territories In the West Indies
and the East are ours to have and to hold
by the supreme law OF the land and by a
title which the whole civilized world rec
ognizes and respects We shall not speed
lily get rid OF them whoever may desire
II. The American people are in no mood
TO give them back to Spain or to sell them
or to abandon them. We have all the
power We need to govern them.
''rhe American people have made up
their minds; they know that they are pro-
ceeding 10 do just what Jefferson ala in
the vast region we bought from France,
the sovereign or the Inhabitants. They
knew that they were following in tho
exact path OF all the constructive states
men OF the republic. from the days OF the
man who wrote the Declaration OF fnde-
pendence and of those who made the con-
sutution down 10 the days OF the men who
came to California bought Alaska and
denied the right OF self-government TO
Jefferson Davis. They simply do not be-
lieve that a new light has been given 20
the present apostles OF a little America
greater and purer than was given 10 WASH
ington or TO Jefferson or to Lincoln.
Thus far the path has been dictated
we are
"our total annual trade with China now
with this people whom the friendly ocean
s9o.ceoo1o. Even the spanish trade with
the Philippines was $50 10000 They are
merely our stepping stone but would
wise man Kick the stepping stone away?
The islands VIII not be thrown away.
Wen, then, how shall the islands be
treated2 Are they to be our wards Oh
jects OF our duty and care, or are they
10 bo our fun partners7 We may as well
look that question straight in the face.
Because they are helpless and needy and
on our hands, must We take them into
partnership? Because We are going 20
help them are we bound 10 marry them?
Partly through mere inadvertenre, but
partly. also, through crafty design. tho
wave OF general sympathy for the suffering
little island of Puerto Rico, which has
been sweeping over the country, has come
very near being perverted into the means
Tor turning aWry the general policy Of
great nation To relieve the temporary
distress by recognizing the Puerto Ricans
as citizens and by an extension Of the
ter OF constitutional rights foreclosed the
whole question. Tho very men who de-
nounce a protective tarin as a Chinese
wall are the men who demand its appltca-
ton. They say. Give Puerto Rico free
trade bat what their proposal means Is
Deprive Puerto Rico of free trade and pu-
her within the barbar0us Chinese wall.
"Their words sound like offering her
the liberty Of free trade with all the world
but mean forbiddug her TO trade with any
body but the United States.
WHO believes that We con admit this
little half Spanish. half negro waif from
the midAtlnntlc. a third OF the way over
10 Africa, and then reject nearer and more
valuable islands when they como Behind
Puerto Rico II cuba and behind Cuba are
oil tho other West Indies and the famous
political law OF gravitation which John
Quincy Adams propheticaNy announced
three-quarters ~ century agO vii then
be acting on them with ever-increasing
force And behind them. not ahead OF
them, abreast with Puerto Rico itself
stand tho Philippines
surely 10 an audience OF scholars and
patriots hkc this, not one word need he
added as q Summons % he Nigh lFsolvo
that you viii neither shame tho republic
hv Sinking the duties WhicA Its own vie.
tory entaicd nor desppN che republic by
abandoning Us rlEhtful possessions nor de-
grade the Tcpuhlc by admitting an ut ~
element IN It's union; bat that you Viii
honor A., enrich 70. ounohlc u hN doing your
utmost 20 make the administration = these
pasasas.0ns worthy o. the nation that
Washington founded ana liucoln prcserv-
II