Bluefield evening leader. [volume] (Bluefield, W. Va.) 1906-1911, 1907-09-23
MUST HOLD THE
PHILIPPINES
ADMIRAL DEWEY NOT IN FAVOR
OF GIVING UP THE ISLANDS

Washington. Sept z2.-Admiral
Dewey strongly resents the PROPOSE
ton that has been discussed in a
more or less academic manner 10
surrender the Philippines. which. OF
all men, he was a leading factor IN
bringing under the American flag
In an interview the admiral set out
clearly the reasons which impel him
! TO insist upon the retention of the
Islands. Singularly enough. i'm view
OF the fact that the admiral is n
man of war by trade. the strong
point Of his argument is not based
upon military or naval Importance
of the archipelago, but almost alto
gether upon the great value. present
and prospective. OF the PHILIPPINES
to America in the extension of our
trade with the orient. which he re-
CARDS as holding out the best prom
ise of commercial expansion. The
admiral says
Abandon the Philippines, T
don't believe our country will ever
do that. Certainly it should not be-
cause 1t has altogether too much AT
stake. 1. is only our control over
the Philippines that makes II possi-
bic for us TO insist upon the omen
door in the east toward which our
diplomacy has been directed for a
number of years. We want our share
OF the enormous commerce of the
east and We cannot keep the door
open for it, unless we hold the
islands
why did Spain for 200 years
dominate the commerce of the
Orient? Just because she had the
bay and harbor of Manila as great
commercial and naval base. The
base can be just as useful TO us com
mercially as 81 was TO Spain For
lhe past ten years every strong I'm
ropean nation has been irving IN
get a foothold for commercial and
naval purposes I'm eastern waters
Germany, England. France and Rus
sia. Through the forces of war Tho
united states obtained. rigbtruuv
and without chicanery. the best and
most stragetic position possible. Civ
ing us superior naval and CONNER
cial advantages over the other ma
tons. What sort Of common sense
would it be for us to give mp such a
position?
suppose we should dispose of
the Philippines and Japan should
acquire them. See how the islands
stretch along the coast. Here arc
The japanese islands. here is For
mosa. which Japan owns. and then
come the Philippines. If Japan had
them. she would command every
gateway to the Orient and the
United States would be completely
shut out.
Every one comedies that the
Orient is the future great field for
the principal commercial nations Of
the world We ought 10 be the
leaders. but we must AT least have
a share in The enterprise and i'm or
der to do so we must maintain the
positions we have occupied through
force Of circumstances in that Pc.
gion. ] am talking now of the
purely commercial phase OF the
question and ! think it Is plain that
we must have commercial base of
operation such as Manila furnishes
And then, in order TO protect our
commerce, We must have naval
base. and at Subig Bay. such base
is now being developed. Congress
has recognized our needs in the
PHILIPPINES and has appropriated
literally for fortifying the islands.
Modern guns are being mounted. a
large dry dock has been located in
ISubig Bay troops are stationed iu
/ the Islands Of Luzon and in every
way congress has shown IT'S desire
TO protect the islands from foreign
aggression and also TO establish
base for possible military operations.
It has been frequently said that
1.-THE United states has assumed re-
| |sponsibiIities 300 The philippines
which g. can not pass over to- other
/ hands ] do not care to discuss This
phase of the situation cxcep. to say
that ] believe tho American people