Free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1888-1908, 1900-10-20
TO SUPPLANT WHITES
American Workmen viii Be Put in
Competition with Chinamen by
Conquest of the Philippines.
PLAN ALREADY OPERATING.

Never in the history of this gov
eminent has the labor OF this eoun-
try been so menaced by the threatened
influx OF the Monaghan and Malay
cheap labor of the far east as seems
probable under the Mckinley policy
Of imperialism, should that dangerous
policy be ratified by the American peo-
pie. Without the labor vote that policy
cannot be approved. It behooEes. the
laboring people, therefore, to look out
for breakers ahead. What does the
conquest of the Philippine islands
mean? 1t means that they shall be-
come American territory. What rights
does that proposition carry with it to
the people of the Philippines? The
Mckinley policy to make the Philip
pine islands American territory by con-
quest, and subject to American juris-
diction, carries with it the right of
the people of those islands to free To-
comotion to travel whittier they will
from one part of American territory
to another without let or hindrance.
What has happened in the Hawaiian
islands under the Mckinley admins
tration since those islands have been
annexed to the United States will take
place in this country. Fourteen to
twenty thousand Japanese coolie Ia
borers have been imported into the
Hawaiian islands by the rich sugar
planters, under contract, since the
annexation of those islands; and this
too, in violation of the contract labor
law. Why did not Mckinley as the
chief executive of this nation whose
duty it was to enforce the law, pre-
vent this influx of japanese coolie Ia
Dor? Simply because he is. bound
hand and foot in the clutches of the
syndieates and trust combines of the
country.
What have we in store for the
Philippine islands should the Nc
Kinley war of conquest be endorsed?
The influx of Chinese coolie labor into
those islands under the sanction of the
Mckinley administration! General
Wesley Merritt and General Charles
A. Whittier, U. S. V, and other land
and naval officers went to Paris from
Manila to testify before the Paris peace
commissioners as to the Philippine
people, their wants, needs, capabilities
and government. General Whittier
said:
Then the question of the admission
of Chinese, with the strong argument
on both sides. The merchants Of Ma
Mia are unanimous in their represen-
fo& 81 ~
labor. They, and many others, re-
quire it in Manila, and think that it
will be necessary in railroad building
and in the development of the coun-
try, saying, There is no question of
competing with American labor here.
there being no such in the country,
nor can there be. the climate prohib-
iting that. Cheap labor and plenty OF
it is the life blood of the Philippines.
There is room for three millions of
Chinese comfortably, while 10000 is
the present estimate
The Omaha Bee Republican, said
editorially Oct. Il, 1898, if we absorb
the Philippines, with their millions
of cheap laborers, and proceed to the
development of those islands indus
trially and commercially by the utiH-
zation Of this cheap labor, NOTHING
CAN BE MORE CERTAIN THAN
THAT IN TIME OUR HOME LABOR
WILL SUFFER FROM THE COM
PETITION. WE SHALL NOT BE
ABLE TO PERPETUALLY SAFE
GUARD IT BY THE SYSTEM OF
PROTECTION NOW IN OPERATION.
Territorial expansion as
now proposed is a very serious mat
ter for American labor and the OPP
position of that labor to expansion
should have more vigorous expression
than has been given"
This was when the Omaha Bee was
opposing the conquest of the Philip
pines and endeavoring to shape the
course of the administration.