The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-05-01
Copyright. 1906. by Joseph T.. EoNlcs
--CopNri@ht in Great Fritain-
MI Rights Reserved

S5inga pore. Jan. -. 190C.-In speak
| ing of Philippine Independence | have
| presented some OF tie reasons given by
! Fiipinos for desiring il, but there arc
| arguments which ought to appeal
eSpcciaf to Americans. If /, were
| our duty to maintain colonial policy.
no argument could be made against
| ii, because duties are imperative and
never conflict. If, on The other hand.
| the Filipinoa desire independence and
| arc capable of self-goVcrnment we
| cannot Justify the retention of tho is
| lands unless we are prepared to put
cur own interests above theirs. and
even thcn VIC must lac satisfied that
oUr interests viii be advanced.
in the beginning OF the controversy
| there were MANY who believed that
! the Philippine islands would become
| 4 source of profit to the United states.
| Il was confidently predicted that u
| multitude OF Americans would dock
| to the islands and end ricn reward in
| the development OF their resources.
These hopes have not been realized.
| Evcept in Minlan&o. Of which | Sha II
speak later, there is no evidence of
any present or future colonization BY
americans. There arc :; few kmeri-
| cans engaged in business in Manila
and at other army posts, but theS"
| are insignificant in number aud the
| business done 10y them is nothing as
| compared with the cost of colonial
| ISM to the United States We arc
! maintaining about 12,"00 American
| soldiers in The islands and 5000 ma
| tive scouts. oIficCred by Americans
and paid for by the United states.
Resides this outlay for the army,
| our Philippine policy has been made
! The excuse for q large increase in our
naval expenditures. While it is diff
| hcult to determine accurately the an
| nual cost Of our Philippine poliCN to
| the pcoDlc Of the United states, it is
| safe to say that it exceeds the Valu"
! of all the merchandise that We export
| to the Philippine islands and all the
| money made by Americans in the is
| lands. including salaries paid to Amer
leans from taxes collected in the Phil
| ippineS-dnG the expenses are borne
| by all the people while the benefits
| are received by Il mere handful. NO
one, therefore. can justify the hold
| ing of the Philippines or the ground
! that they are n pcCuniarE advantage
| If it Is urged thai we need the Hhll-
irpine islands as a base for the eNten-
| sion of our trade in the orient. | an
| SWer that it is not necessary to deny
the F'iIipinos Independence in order
| t. hold Il sufficient number Of harbotS
! and cOaling stations to answer all the
| requirements of trade. The F'ilipinoS
are not only anxious to have the &d
| vantage of our protection. but tReN
| recognize that to protect them we
must have harborS and Il nav&! base
| In return for tho services we nave rem
! dcred them we have Il right to ask,
| and they would gladly grant. such
! reservations as we might need. These
reservations could be properly ford-
| lied and would furnish coaling stations
| both for cur own navy and fer our
merchant marine. 1t goes without
| saving that in case we had NaE with
| an oriental nation. ii would be IN
| initely better To have the FiIipnoS
| supporting US. in their own interest as
well as out of gratitude. than to have
| them awaiting an opportunity tor IN
sJrrection.
have already referred to the dam
! ger which may come to the piinclPIg,
| Of self-GoVGrnment i'll the lhlleI
| states frcm the systematic denial oi
SeIf-goNernmCnt To the FIilpinoS -
our officials can only explain thcli
| continued presence in the PhlllrHltS
! Islands by alleging incapacitN IN llS
| FiIipinoS. they find themselves TN
! consciously SUrrenderin- the govern
mental theories which were unlll re-
| Gently universally accepted IN our
country We cannot overlook inc IN
fuence that these changed "pllloh9
NAV have upon the politics OF our
| own country if q colonial p2llcE = III
| definitely continued.
Neither can we ignore the tact tli9
| nut. nrc-tice as q teacher of tho pllt'l-
rlee Of Republican government mus
| he IMPAIRED if we hold colonies unoel
| the law of force and defend ourselves