The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-12-29
AMERICA AND the PHILIPPINES.

4
People may talk as they please about
pacifying the Filipinos but the desire
to be politically free is as common to
that people as it is to those of Poland
/ or Ireland or Alsace or any other sub
jugated country and it is likely to grow
rather than decrease as the Fflipinos
become more intelligent and prosper
Gus and better able to manage their
own affairs. In talking with casual
Americans. wherever met, the impress
sion is gained that the people of the
United states have little use for the
Philippines and wish the Government
were rid of them So far, in war ana
peace, they have cost enormous sums;
their trade with the mainland is less
than that of little Hawaii: and in the
event of an international struggle, en-
gaging the United States. they would |
prove a source of embarrassing weak
ness. What is more, their situation, in |
the midst of Old World disputes and
rivaIries and far outside the sphere of /
our Monroe Doctrine, is such as to pre-
cipitate hostile controversies. We
may in time find the Philippines in the
way of some power, possibly Japan,
which has an Asiatic Monroe Doctrine
of its own or a sphere of influence to
In any great war between the Unit
ed States and strong Pacific military
and naval power. this country would
have to subtract enough strength from
the defence of it's coast and its near {
outposts, to safeguard the Philippines
rom without and the colonial admin
from within. No recruitage,
If any account, could be derived from /
lmong the Filipinos themselves. They g
.ould hardly be expected to willingly
Iced and die for their subjugators. In :
Iced one of the first possibilities of t
UGH a war would be the revival Of
he instruction under the stimulus Of
UGH promises by the enemy as the
United States made to the Cubans
then the war broke out with Spain.
he task of defending a hostile pos
assion from an active enemy, at dis
ance of 5000 miles from a mainland
ase, could not be attractive even to =
tch a strong power as the United a
tates. With either Russia, Germany t,
r Japan to meet in arms, an army Of a
Of S7inC | II
-ou1d be none too much to protect :,
nr Philippine interests. What COM
ensa lions for such risk of men and t.
could the Philippines af ,
,rd? What might we get from them u
pay for the outlay? q.
There is but one way, unless gold II
lould be found in bonanza quantities.? u
hat is to bring the Philippines I'M
er the American tariff system, in
ease the wants of the people and keepl
IT the United States a monopoly of -
erhaps, be enriched by that proce- ~
ire; but on the other hand the Amer d
an sugar and tobacco interests might o.
: ruined. Coincidentally the cost OF =
wing to the Filipino would mount =
eadiiy upward. Does it look like a d
aging venture. viewed from all sides? OF
The great mistake of the Spanish war 3
as the landing of American troops on ii
lie philippines. BY holding Manila v
ay for the time being and supplying
ne insurgents with arms, the Spanish u
over could have been overthrown aad = :
ne archipelago left in the hands Ct W
8 owT. people, as Cuba is now. That
Tould have been the American way,
ut we chose instead the exact part b
hitch Spain had been playing in the !. =
-ntilles and which we protested is
gainst with arms in our hands. A .
alf billion dollars gone to the dogs
J the immediate result and the future
romises nothing better.