The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-01-19
BEVERAGES :.
- sun.~u- g.
/. SPEECH
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A Comprehensive Argument
For the Retention Of the
Philippines by In.
diana'S Junior
Senator.


TOR Beveridge Of Indiana, delivered be.
fore the United States senate on his
Philippine resolution, which follows:
That the Philippine islands are terri
tory belonging to the United States, and
that 1t Is tine intention of the United
States to retain them as such, and to es-
tablish and maintain such governmental
control throughout the archipelago as
the situation may demand.
Mr.. President:
address the senate thus early in my
service only because senators ON both
sides have requested that give to con.
gress and the country my observations
In the Philippines and the far east
and the conclusions which those obser-
vations compel.
Mr.. President, the times call for can.
dor. The Philippines are ours forever,
territory belonging to the United
States" as the constitution calls them.
And just beyond the Philippines are
Ohina's illimitable markets. We will
not retreat from either. We will not
repudiate our duty in the archipelago.
We will not abandon our opportunity
In the Orient. We will not renounce
our part in the mission of our race,
trustee, under God, of the civilization
Of the world. And we will move forward
to our work, not bowling out regrets
like slaves whipped to their burdens,
but with gratitude for task worthy Of
our strength, and thanksgiving to AL
his chosen people, henceforth to lead in
the regeneration of the world.
Philippines Command the Pacific.
This island empire is the last land
left in all the oceans If it should
prove mistake to abandon it, the blum
der once made would be irretrievable.
II it proves q mistake to hold it, the
error can be corrected when we will;
every other progressive nation stands
ready to relieve US.
But to hold it will be no mistake. Our
largest trade henceforth must be with
Asia The Pacific is our ocean. More
and more Europe will manufacture all
It needs-secure from its colonies the
most it consumes. Where shall we turn
for consumers Of our surplus? Geogra-
ply answers the question. China is
our natural customer. She Is nearer to
rs than to England, Germany or Rus
STA, the commercial powers of the pres
emit and the future. They have moved
nearer to China by securing permanent
bases on her borders. The Philippines
give us base at the door of all the
east. Lines Of navigation from our
ports to the Orient and Australia; from
Che Isthmian canal to Asia; from all
original ports to Australia, converge at
and separate from the Philippines.
They are q self supporting, dividend
paying feet, permanently anchored at q
spot, selected by the strategy. of provi-
dence, commanding the Pacific And
the Pacific is the ocean Of the commerce
Of the future. Most future wars will be
conflicts for commerce. The power that
rules the Pacific, therefore, is the power
that rules the world And, with the
Philippines. that power is and will for
ever be the American republic.
Value of China's Trade.
China's trade is the mightiest com.
mercial fact in our future. Her foreign
commerce was 1886, 788, 800 in 1897 of
which we, her neighbour. had less than
Is per cent of which only little more
than half was merchandise sold to
China by us. We ought to have 30 per
cent and we will. And China's foreign
commerce is only beginning. Her re-
sources, her possibilities, her wants
all are undeveloped. She has only $40
miles of railway. I have seen trains
loaded with natives and all the activi.
ties of modern life already appearing
along the line. But she needs and in
30 years will have 20, 900 miles Of rail.
way. Who can estimate her commerce
then That statesman commits crime
against American trade-against the
American grower of cotton and wheat
and tobacco, the American manufact-
urer Of machinery and clothing-who
fails to put America where she may
command that trade. Germany's Chi
nose trade Is increasing like magic; she
has established ship lines aud secured q
tangible foothold on China's very soil.
Russia's Chinese trade is growing be-
yond belief; she Is spending the reve-
nues of the empire to finish her railroad
into Pekin itself and she is in
physical possession Of the i'm
perial province of Manchuria Japan s
Chinese trade is multiplying in volume
and value; she is bending her energy to
her merchant marine and is located
along China's very coast. But Manila
is nearer China than Yokohama is. The
Philippines command the commercial
situation of the entire east. Can Amer.
lea best trade with China from San
Francisco or New York? From San
Francisco, of course. But il San Fran
cisco were closer to China than New
York is to Pittsburg, what then? And
Manila is nearer to Hong Kong than
Havana is to Washington. And yet
American statesmen plan to surrender
this commercial throne of the Orient
where providence and our soldiers
lives have placed us. When history
comes to write the story of that sug-
gested treason to American supremacy,
and therefore to the spread of American
civilization, let her in mercy write that
those who so proposed were merely
blind and nothing more.
Resources and hmm ense Size of the
Islands.
But if they did not command China,
India, the Orient, the whole Pacific for
purposes of offense. defense and trade,
the Philippines are so valuable in them.
selves that we should hold them.
have cruised more than 1000 miles
through the archipelago, every moment
a surprise at it's loneliness and wealth.
have ridden hundreds of miles on the
islands, every foot of the way revela.
ton of. vegetable aud mineral riches