Arizona silver belt., 1900-04-05
APPALLING COST.
Imperialism Adds Hundreds of Millions to Expenses
 of Government.
WAR s323, ,957, ,566 IN Il MONTHS.
It Would Have Been Cheaper for the Government to Have Presented the Traders with the Full
 Estimated Profits.

Henry LoomiS Nelson in the New
 York World: It is because of their commercial value that We are to keep
 the Philippines. Mir. Mckinley may say that he favors their retention in order that we may elevate their peo- pie, but the country will accept Sena-
 tor Beveridge, who forgot all about right. justice, duty and freedom, " as the interpreter of the imperialistc purpose, and the action of the house of representatives in the Porto Rico tariff bill as conformation of the young senator's words.
 The Philippines were purchased for commercial purposes only, and We have been entertained by much elo- quent exposition of their money vrlue to this country. But in every busi- ness enterprise there is a debit at well as credit side, and We cannot reckon the profits unless we count the cost.
 VALUE OF THE PRODUCTS.
 " iidt dit VIC NV gam of NAiio NNh quest? The intelligent resident of Luzon estimates that the Philippines may annually produce articles for ex- port of the value of Si0,000.O .O00, and may purchase from abroad articles worth s20,000, 900. But let us follow the dreamers and admit that the i'm port and export trade of the Philip pines will amount to s75,000,0o and that by the adoption of the mediaeval colonial system We can command prac- tically all of this trade, at least s10,- 0O0,0 1000 Of it.
 Let us suppose too that We can com mand as much or nearly as much trade with China as Great Britain possesses, and that our annual share of that com merce amounts to S50, 900. This will give us a total trade of say sl20,- 000, 1000 in consequence of the pure hase and subjugation of the Philippines. Let us assume that the few Americans who will be benefited by this trade for Senator Beyerige is mistaken in assuming that the government is to carry it on. and that all our people are to share in its prohits-let us as sume that the few traders we have made the generous net profit of l5 per cent on their Philippine and China trade They will gain annually the sum of SIS 900, 900. TRADE WITH CUBA AND PORTO RICO.
 Let us assume, further, that we can succeed in the colonial policy which brought Spain to ruin, and that We shall monopolize the trade of Porto i Rico and Cuba. That trade amounts l annually to about s150,000.000. 4 net | annual profit on that sum to Ameri can traders to Cuba and Porto Rico | would be s22, 100000. In other words. | the gain to some residents of the | United States, not necessarily l native born or even citizens, by our i possession, and by our successful ex- ploitation in the most barbarous man. ner, of China, the Philippines, Porto Rico and Cuba, would be about S40,- 500, ,00O a year. Thisis the r0siest hue which MT. Beveridge's dream can as sume.
 To obtain this for these few citizens | the country will have paid as follows: Total cost of war with
 Spain ...... .... M $259, 341 ,299 | Cost of war with Filipinos
 1899 ..... ..... .., =. 64,6l7 ,2G9 | Cost of war win Filiplnos
 1900. ................ 100, ,ss6, 934 Total .... ................. s424, 4,s44, 800 | Probable cost for 1901 ~ l25, 100000 Grand total. ......... SJ49, S44, ,50O
 According to the present calculation of the government, there is to be permanent increase in the annual cost of our army and navy for many years to come of slO0,0O0,00Q. Moreover the sum of s2OO, ,OO3, ,936 has been added to the public debt.
 BETTER GIVE OVER THE PROFITS.
 It is easily seen, therefore, that on the commercial theory this govern ment might better have presented those who will profit by the trade of these islands with the full amount of the most exaggerated estimate of their annual gains than to have in- cured the cost of the conquest.
 As to Senator Beverldge. it is profit able to note how few small figures can pierce and dissipate the haziest cloud banks of eloquence.
 What are the items of the cost of the wars with Spain and the Filip- inos? War was declared on April 25, 1898. In two months the expendi- lures for the army and navy were so large that at the end of the fiscal year the cost of these two services had ex- ceeded their cost for 1897 by the enor- nous sum of S60, ,23l ,S35.
 The expenditures for the army alone during the fiscal year 1898 amounted tO s9l. .992. .0OO.