The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-07


were during the last year prior to the
war.
The effect of this policy is to bring
with it a certain extravaganza of ex-
penditure in all the departments Of Gov
ernment: and its cost Is not measured
simply by the money that is paid out fol
the greater army and the greater navy
although the extra charges for these two
items undeniably account for the greater
part of the increase. / have indicated tC
you then, something of the actual cash
cost of this policy. and it seems to me
that a continuance of it is likely to in
crease rather than diminish that cost
But from financial standpoint the ex-
pense is likely to be far greater than this
Great wars are most expensive things
simply from the money standpoint and
disregarding the vastly greater expense
incurred by the loss of human life If a
country is liable to such a war, the in
surance cost to meet the expense should
be proportionately great.
Consider for moment this element OF
expense to US. By our purchase OF Louisi-
ana we got rid Of one powerful neigbbor
upon this continent. By the Spanish war
we got rid of another neighbor that was
cnce powerful. We have today only one
great neighbor. and we are likely under
present conditions to continue at peace
with her, unless from the lack Of some
thing to take up their minds or to demon
strate that We are great world power
some of our enterprising statesmen may
find it necessary to set us up in q war with
Great Britain. We are, therefore, today in
the possession of continent with those
lnestlmable possessions for a natiun-two
immense oceans for our boundaries. We
have only one great neighbor, and with
her We are not likely to go TO war. But
when We take the Philippine Islands, and
force ourselves as a political power into
the Orient, We do two things: We divide
by two the ability of this country for Of
fensive or defensive war and We multiply
at least by two our liability to war with
some great Power.
Under the condition of things that ex
listed up to two years ago. We were prac-
tically invulnerable against attack except
by single nation. We had these two
great scientific natural frontiers. With
ordinary prudence We were beyond all
question safe from attack, and it would be
entirely for us to decide whether We should
pursue any adversary where We could suf-
fer material damage. But with 1900 ISL
ands 10000 miles from our Capital City.
and on the other side of the greatest ocean
in the world, IL any nation should see fit to
ldht Vi lulIs III OuT
condition or our relations with other ma
tions to deal us blow, all that it would be
necessary TO do would be to seize some
sand reef in the Asiatic tropics. run up its
flag. and then the honor Of this nation
would demand that we should eXpend bill
lions of dollars and the lives of tens of
thousands OF our boys in order again to
get possession of that strip of sand.
We have thrown away our invulnerabii-
ity. therefore. and have weakened our
power in war for all its UNSUITABLE pur-
poses by the adoption of this policy. And
that We have Increased the liability of war
follows necessarily, from the fact that We
are thrnsting ourselves among great and
hostile neighbors and are taking a posi-
ton which will invite an attack where war
can be made upon equal terms, whereas
under our old policy it wGs practically
useless for ether nations to attack us.
After you shall have fastened upon the
country the policy furthered by this ILL.
it will be the merest theatric and spec
tacular display to declaim about economy.
cheeseparing; youmay check the corstruc-
ton of great public works demanded ter our
development at home in order to continue
abroad a policy without profit and with
out glory. But il you continue this policy
Of Asiatic empire. you will lay broad and
deep the foundation for system Of OK
penditure which will rest heavily upon
future generations. This country was
happily placed in a position making pos
sible an exemption from foreign war. II
We are deliberately and wantonly to throw
hi n1,-1N ~ r 70 tn mt
a policy which shall tax and burden two
thirds of our people in order that the
other third may wear uniforms or be
borne upon pension rolls. We shall be re-
jecting the most precious gift that Prov!-
dence ever bestowed upon nation.
Let US consider, then, possibilities of
profit. We have seen prominent gentle
men upon the stump weave from their
imagina ions s,itterine fabrics OF trade.
and airily draw checks for 500, 900 of
commerce each year with the Philippine
Islands. Let us see II these drafts are
liable to be paid when they are presented.
When 1t was first proposed to set up an
Asiatic empire the Treasury Department,
with a commerdable willingness to give
members of Congress all possible light
over this new pathway, presented to us
the report of commissioner who had In
vestigated the question of trade. 1t APP
peared from that report that the yearly
imports into the Philippine Islands
to less than s20.0o0C0o on a
silver basis. or about sl0.0o0000 on a
gold basis.
Assuming that we did not propose to
adopt the Spanish system of colonial gov
and that one of our methods of
taking freedom to the people OF those ISL
ands was not to compel them to buy
American goods if they could purchase
similar goods elsewhere at lower prices,
we could not, of course, exI ect the whole
of this trade. AS MATER of fact, we
have thus far secured only small per-
centage of it. During the two years that
we have been there that percentage has
not materially increased.
Most of the few things which these peo-
pie want they apparently are able to pur-
chase from other nations at cheaper
prices: and SO far as trade Is not gov
erned by price. but by sentiment. 1t is
difficult to see how our trade prospects
have been advanced by policy which,
according to the report Of our command
ing general, has produced for us hatred
that is widespread, and, l fear, will soon
become ineradicable. Those islands, from
their climate and situation. are never
likely to become centres OF trade; and the
average inhabitant is not likely to be a
better customer than the North American
Indian The latter at least requires, from
his situation. clothing to supply that
warmth which the Filipino gets from his
climate. Their own soil supplies them
With food which is better adapted to them
than our own products. The increase Of
our trade during the last two years is of
slight Importance in volume, and that in
.rease has been mainly in those articles |
which it does no great credit to this ma
ion to send there.
1t must be remembered, too. in connec- |
lion with the growth of trade, that we are |
10000 soldiers in the Philip |