Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-03-08
Gen. Joe Wheeler Discusses Possibil::
tiles Of the Philippines.
BE GIVES MANY STATISTICS
Believes the People Are Capable
of Limited Self Government.
PREDICTION OF PROSPERITY

SAN FRANCISCO, March s-Gen. Joseph
Wheeler favors giving the Philippines a
territorial form of government. Said he:
Il believe the people are ready for O GER
tain kind Of self-governnaent. They could
be given the power to make laws under
such a system of government as has been
adopted for our territories. The municipal
governments are all in the hands of the
natives, and they get along without trouble
or friction. Under territorial form the
islands could be best controlled"
He reviews his Impressions of trade pos
siblities in the orient as follows:
England, Russia, Germany and France
have braved war and pestilence in efforts
to secure a share of the wealth which will
come to them by commercial relations with
these people. The treaty of peace cast
upon us the responsibility Of sovereignty
over from nine to eleven millions of people,
together with the islands which they in
habit, containing an area three times. that
OF our great and prosperous empire state.
The Duty of This Country.
Very naturally there may be honest diff
ference Of opinion to whether everything
has been conducted during the two years in
accordance with the highest wisdom and
best possible judgment, but there should be
no question among the American people as
to the duty and wisdom of now uniting in
determined effort to take the situation as
1t stands and to so conduct the affairs of
our country as to add the most to its glory
honor, welfare and prosperity. 1t is a
friendly struggle for American supremacy,
in which our rival nations are using their
best efforts, and say let us In q friendly
but determined spirit use our best efforts
also.
Our Pacific cities are now face to face
with the eastern shores Of Asia. The
Nicaragua canal will bring our gulf ports
nearer to them than those Of the Atlantic
and Europe.
with Manila as a great depot steamers
from that emporium could reach the COM
mercial ports of eastern Asia as readily
as it can be done by English steamers
from Hong Kong.
I'VE must consider that about one-third
the population of the earth is concentrated
In the eastern half of Asia and that the
vast multitudes are rapidly learning to ap-
preciate the advantages and 1 might add,
the necessity, of higher civilization, and
they are also learning to realize the COM
fort which is enjoyed by. the people of the
most civilized nations in the possession and
use of the products, manufactures and
mechanical developments which are there
found.
Articles of Exchange.
Europe and America must purchase the
silks, teas, coffee, hemp, spices and prod
ucts Of the handiwork of the people of
the orient, and this immense population
needs articles which American farms and
factories are producing cheaper and bet
ter than those which are produced any
where else on earth. Cotton cloth, such as
is manufactured in southern cotton mills
is needed by the people of the east to the
enormous value Of four to five thousand
million dollars.
England with her navy has approached
CHINA by the sea and has established firm
footholdS at favorable locations on the
coast. France has acquired possessions in
ASA which contain a population four times
as great and an area nearly ten times as
large as that Of our empire state. Eng
now extend over an area of. 100000 square
miles and contain a population of nearly
3OO,0OO,0OO. Russia already has in Asia eX-
ceeding In area 6,000000 square miles and
containing over 100000 people.
Russia's Power Over COrea.
Port Arthur, the great commercial and
war port is firmly in her grasp. This gives
Russia power over Corea which will add
much to her strength. The completion of
the trans-Siberian railway and its branches,
the opening of the Nicaragua canal and the
annexation of the Pacific islands to the
United States will more thoroughly revolu-
don1ze the commercial relations of the
world than has ever been done by all other
influences combined during the last three
centuries.
1T seems to me that there is but little
limit to the possibilities which are before
us, and We are certainly justified In the
belief and hope that the United States is
on the edge OF an area of unprecedented
prosperity"