The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-09-24


Dewey strongly resents the PROPOSE
ton that has been discussed In
more or less academic manner 10
surrender the Philippines, which, o.
all men, he, was a leading factor IN
bringing under the American flag. In
an interview today the admiral set
out clearly the reasons which lmpel
him to insist upon the retention OF
the islands Singularly enough, III
view of the fact that the admiral IS
a man of war by trade, the strong
point of his argument is not based
upon the military Or naval impor-
tance of the archipelago but almost
altogether upon the great value, pre-
sent and prospective of our trade
with the Orient, which he regards as
holding out the best promise of COM
mercial expansion. The admiral
said:
"Abandon the Philippines, / don't
believe our country will ever do that.
Certainly it should not because 1t
has altogether too much at stake. 1t
is only our control over the Ph1ll1-
pines that makes it possible for us
to insist upon the open 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 cant
keep the door open for it, unless we
hold the islands.
Why did Spain for two hundred
years dominate the commerce of the
Orient? Just because she had the bay
and harbor of Manila as a great COM
mercial and naval base. That base
can be just as useful to us CONNER
cially as it was to Spain. For the
past ten years every strong European
nation has been trying to get foot
hold for commercial and naval pur-
poses in eastern waters-Germany,
England, France, and Russia.
Suppose we should dispose of the
PHILIPPINES and Japan should acquire
them. See how the islands stretch
along the coast Here are the Japan
ese islands, here is Formosa which
Japan owns, and then come the Phil
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 prin-
cipal commercial nations of the
world. We ought to be the leaders,
but We must at least have a share
in the enterprises, and in order to
do so we must maintain the positions
We have occupied through force of
circumstances in that region. | am
talking now of the purely commercial
phrase of the question and l think
it is plain that we must have a COM
mercial base of operations such as
Manila furnishes. and then. in order
to protect our commerce, we must
have a naval base, and at Subig bay
such a base is now being developed
Congress has recognized the needs in
the PHILIPPINES and has appropriated
literally for fortifying the islands
Modern guns are being mounted. {
large dry dock has been in Subig bay
troops are stationed in the island O.
Luzon, and in every way congress has
shown its desire to protect the is
lands from foreign aggression and al
so to establish a base for possible
military operations.
1t has been frequently said that the
United States has assumed response
bilities in the PHILIPPINES which i
cannot pass over to other hands.
do not care to discuss this phase o
the situation except to say that
believe the American people will
never shirk from such responsible:
ties as were assumed for them wnel
the United States took over the Phil
Iipines
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