The Washington times., 1901-08-29
Expansion VS.. Imperialism

Whatever differences of opinion may
have primarily existed as to the pro-
priety and expediency of our taking the
Philippines, the fact may as we'll be
recognized by all that the islands have
been taken and are now under the SOW
ereignty of the United States. It is
waste of time TO argue that the Filipi-
nos should have been given an indie
pendent government, and it is equally
futile to be constantly harping upon the
cost of the military operations against
the insurgent forces. The first is
purely sentimental proposition, and a
very doubtful one at that, while the
latter is a consideration which very few
people are disposed to take seriously
into account.
Much has been said of the successes
achieved by Aguinaldo before the close
of the Spanish war, and undoubtedly
he did win some victories. But it must
be borne in mind that everything ac-
complished by him was done under an
American initiative. The Filipino army
was, in the outset. merely an auxiliary
to the American forces, and had Agui-
naldo been captured by the Spaniards
he would have demanded and received
the protection of the United States. At
the beginning Of the Spanish war the
Philippines were clearly under the SOW
ereignty of Spain, and it is absurd to
argue that in the progress of the war
the sovereignty slipped away from both
countries, and became lodged some
where else There is no Government in
:.
doubt as to the fullness Of the sover-
eighty which passed from Spain To the
United States. The only argument on
behalf of the Filipinos that was ever
entitled TO any weight was the senti-
mental one, and there can be nothing in
this If a truly American policy is es-
tablished in the islands.
AS to the commercial aspect of the
question, it may be remarked that no
country acquiring territory at heavy
expense ever Immediately squared the
account through commercial advan-
tages. California soon paid for itself by
its output of gold, but that was a mere
chance. Had il not been for that cir
cumstance. a large part of our magnif-
cent Pacific domain might be an unex-
piored wilderness TO this day. and San
Francisco not one-tenth of its present
size. II took some time for Louisiana
to pay for itself, and the same is true
of both Florida and Alaska. Great
Britain's territorial acquisitions have
been enormously expensive. but it
would be far from the truth to say that
the British Empire has played losing
game in commerce up to this time
So with the Philippines. They nave
been costly. II is true. but there are
great possibilities for future compen-
sating advantages. These may not all
be strictly commercial nor may they
come directly; but there are many in
cidental and collateral ways In which
the islands may more than pay for
themselves. In the extension of our do
main We are building for posterity
rather than for those of this day and
generation; and in the march of the
worlds larger events the time may not
be far distant when the possession of
this great archipelago In close proximi-
ty to the Asiatic continent will be of
incalculable advantage to the United
States. We cannot determine the profit
and loss In such matter as this the
same as we strike a balance In an ordi-
nary commercial transaction.
In this connection another thought is
worthy of consideration. The heavy ex-
pense referred to has already been in
CURED. and il the islands We're now to
be given UP 1t would not bring back
the nioney-so that in pecuniary sense