The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1907-09-24
SAYS KEEP PHILIPPINES.
Dewey Thinks We Will Need Them
In tho Future-Hero of Manila
Bay Discusses the Talk
About Selling the Phil
ippine Islands.

Washington, September 21.-Ad-
mlral Dewey strongly resents the pro-
position that has been discussed in a
more orless academic manner to sur
render the Philippines, which, of all
men, he was leading factor in bring
ing under the American flag. In an
interview today the Admiral set out
clearly the reasons which impcl him
to insist upon the retention of the
islands. Singularly enough, in view
of the fact that the Admiral is a man
or war by trade, the strong point Of
his argument is not based upon the
military or naval Importance of the
archipelago, but almost altogether up
on the great value, present and pros
pective, of the Philippines to Amer
lea in the extension of our trade with
the Orient, which he regards as hold
ing out the best promise of CONNER
cial expansion. The Admiral says:
"Abandon the Philippines I don It
think our country will ever do that.
Certainly it should be because it has
altogether too much at stake. 1t is
only our control of the Philippines
that makes it possible for us to i'll
sist upon the open door in the East, y,
toward which our diplomacy has been
directed for Il number of years. We
want our share of the enormous COM
mcrce Of the East and we cannot keep
the door open for it unless We hold
the islands.
"NVhy did Spain for two hundred
years dominate the commerce Of the
Orient7 Just because she had the bay
and harbor of Manila as a great COM
mcrcial and naval base. That can be
just as useful to us commercially as
it was to Spain. For the past ten
years every strong European nation
has been trying to get IL foothold for
commercial and naval purposes in
Eastern waters-Germany, England,
France and Russia Through the
forces Of war the United States OBJ
tanned, right fully and without chican-
cry, the best and most strayctic posi-
ton possible, giving us superior nav
al and commercial advantages over
the other nations. What sort of
common sense would If be for us to
give up such Il position?
"Suppse we should dispose of the
Philippines and Japan should ac-
quire them. See how the islands
stretch along the coast Here are the
japanese islands, here is Formosa,
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 to be the leaders,
but we must at least have a share in
the enterprise, and in order to do 80
we must maintain the positions we
have occupied through force of
circumstances in that region. I am
talking now of the purely commercial
phase Of the question, and | think it
is plain that we must have COM
mercial base Of operation such as
Manila furnishes. And then in Or
der to protect our commerce we must
have naval base and at Subig Bay
such base is now be ;ng developed.
Congress has recognized our needs in
the Philippines and has appropriate
ed libaraIly for fortifying tha is
lands. Modern guns are being mount
ed, large dry dock has been located
in Snbig Bay, trops are stationed in
the Island Of Luzon, and in every
way congress has shown it's desire to
protect the islands from foreign ag-
gression and also to establish a base
for possible military operations.
cit has been frequently said that
the United States has assumed res
possibilities in the Philippines which
it cannot pass over to other hands.
do not care to discuss this phase of
the situation, except to say that 7
believe the American people will