Mexico Missouri message., 1900-08-23

the TIupiuOS, seven tnOuSdHu IniiCS
away. The Filipinos have also made
like glorious fight against Spain for
freedom. Cuba, only ninety miles
from our shores, is to have liberty,
while the Philippine archipelago, in a
remote part of the globe, is to be gov
erned as a colonial dependency, I'M
less the American people at the COM
ing election shall reassert the opin
ions expressed in the declaration up
on which this country went to war
with Spain. | may be pardoned for
quoting in this connection an extract
| from a speech made by me in the
house of representatives on the 3Oth
of January, 1899, in opposition to the
| annexation of the Philippine islands.
The views / then expressed have been
strengthened by the course of events.
l then said:
And now. Mr.. Chairman | desire to ad.
vert for a moment only to the proposed
annexation of the Philippine islands. 1t
: is not my purpose to enter upon an elab-
crate discussion of this great question.
| but. in my opinion, the annexation of
| these remote tropical islands will inau-
| gurate a policy of colonial empire repug-
Il
detrimental to our own people and to the
| Filipinos.
The hot blood of revolution will he II
| constant danger to stable government. re-
quiring large permanent increase of the
| regular army.
! The proposed annexation can not be
| justified by commercial reasons, inasmuch
as the increased expenditure on account
| of the standing army and the augmented
| der will exceed the value of the entire
commerce of the archipelago, including
both imports and exports.
The contemplated annexation can not
therefore be urged upon the grounds of
| trade expansion: neither can il be fairly
| claimed as essential to the national de-
| Tense.
naval station affording a commodious
| harbor and ample docking privileges for
| the repair of our great war and merchant
| ships would meet all the requirements in
| cident to the growth of our commerce and
| to a proper increase of the navy.
Territorial ACKNOWLEDGEMENT in these far
| distant islands will prove to be an annex
| alton of trouble-an inheritance of woe.
If IL was proper to declare that the peo-
| pie of Cuba are and of right ought to be
free and independent, why does not that
| same exalted privilege for the F'ilipinOs,
who have been struggling for freedom
| too?
II a war of conquest against Spain in
Cuba would have heen reprehensible, and
| so disclaimed by congress, why Is a poll
| 900 miles from our shores?
Mr.. Chairman 'fie permanent annexa-
| ton OF these islands will not only add
| greatly to the tax burdens of the people.
but IL will at the same time practically
nul!ify the spirit of the Monroe Doctrine.
Moreover,a colonial policy will impcril the
interests of American labor by the com
| petition of cheap Asiatic labor. and Will
| enormously increase taxation. without
adding anything of great value 10 the
commerce of our country.
Sir, / prefer the expansion of commerce
| rather than the expansion of far-away
undesirable islands. | prefer homogene-
Gus people devoted to our free institu-
our citizenship of semibarbaric alien
races l prefer the peaceful conquests of
commerce rather than the stirring
| triumphs of armies and navies.
Mr.. Chairman, / would establish COM
mercial empire on the seas which shall
give to this republic the control of the
| empire of mere force. even though our
| glorious navy should be without a rival
among the great nations OF the earth.
Sir, let us maintain the principles of
| free government. which will ultimately
| dedicate the entire western continent to
freedom. while avoiding entangling alli-
ances with European and Asiatic pow
erS."
| THE COST OF COLONIES.
But, my fellow-citizens. let us ex-
anime this question for moment
| only. from the standpoint urged by
| some of our people. 1t is sordid
view. and should have no place in the
literature of this discussion, but it
| may be well to consider it. because of
the apparent determination to de-
grade the flag of our country to the
| low level of mere Commercial as
set" Will the annexation of the
Philippine archipelago be profitable
| commercial acquisition? The entire
trade of the Philippine islands, con-
| sisting of both exports and imports,
will probably amount, under the most
favorable conditions, to not more
than $40. 100000 annually The United
States during the fiscal year ending
June 30tb, 1000. sold to the Philippine
islands products amounting in value
to the beggarly sum of S2,64o.4f9, the
imports from those islands to this
country being S5.971, 20S.
Among the principal items export
e dfrom this country to the archipel-
| ago during the last fiscal year were
manufactures of iron and steel.
horses, coal, coke, cars and cotton
cloth. The chief articles imported to
| this country from the Philippines
were sugar cane and Manila hemp. We
enter upon the policy of trade expan-
sion by the sword, with purchases
from the archipelago of more than
| twice the amount we sell to them. 1t
may be well TO again remind the Deo-
pie that trade does not always follow
the flag, but il does always seek the
best markets for profitable sale and
exchange. Experience has shown that
countries with colonial dependencies
usually control not more than 40 per
cent. of their trade. If, therefore,
the commerce of these islands
amounts to $40,O00,O00 the United
States in time may control 40 per
cent. of it, and estimating the profit
on that commerce at one-fourth of its
value we would have n net balance of
S4.O00,000 to the profit side of the
ledger. But let us assume that our
net profit would be greater than this
amount, and reach 100000 annual
| ly. In such an event, how would the
account stand? The United States
actually disbursed during the fiscal
year ending June Goth, 1900, $685.
$4,000 on account of expenditures
consequent upon the Spanish war
The treasury department is not
| able to segregate and identify the
total expenditures in Cuba and Porto
Rico.
1 have requested this exhibit bnt it
can not be furnished. The appropria-
tions made for the army during the
present fiscal year exceed S114OOO. 900.
The appropriations for the navy are
in excess of S., 100000. The increased
naval cost by reason of the occupa-
ton of the Philippine islands can not
be accurately stated; but it probably
constitutes the greater part of the
appropriations over and above the
appropriations for the maintenance
and increase of the navy prior to the
| Spanish war. This amount is about
SIS, 100000. but estimating it st only
one-half of this sum, it would be ST.
SOC, 600 certainly n conservative esti-