The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-09-22
MUST NOT GIVE UP
 THE PHILIPPINES
Admiral Dewey Presents
 Reasons for Retention
TRADE IS TOO VALUABLE
The Hero of Manila Bay Does Not Press the Claims of War for Hold Ing the Islands, But De-
 mands of Peace.

 Dewey strongly resents the proposition that has been discussed in more or less academic manner to surrender the Philippines, which of all men he was q l leading factor in bringing under the American flag. In an interview today the admiral set out clearly the reasons which impel him to insist upon the retention of the islands. Singularly enough in view of the fact that the admiral is man of war by trade, the strong point of his argument is not based upon the military or naval importance of the archipelago, but almost altogether upon the great value present and prospective of the Philippines to America in the extension of our trade with the Orient, which he regards as holding out the best promise of commercial expansion.
 The admiral says
 Abandon the Philippines? l don't be- lieve our country will ever do that. Ger tainly, 1t should not because 1t has al- together too much at stake It is only our control over the Philippines that makes 1t 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 can't keep the door open for it, un- less 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 com mercial and naval base. That base can be just as useful to us commercially as it was to Spain.
 Ten Years of Envy.
 For the past ten years every strong European nation has been trying to get foothold for commercial and naval pur poses in eastern waters. Germany, Eng land, France and Russia. Through the forces Of war the United States obtained | rightfully, and without chicanery. the best and most strategic position possible, giving us superior naval and commercial advantages over the other nations. What sort of common sense would it be for us to give up such a position Suppose we should dispose of the Philippines and Japan should acquire 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 com , pletely shut out.
 Everyone 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 flo the positions we have occupied through force of circumstances in that region.
 Tho Commercial Phase.
 'I am talking now of the purely com nercial phase of the question, and I think 1t Is plain that we must have a com : mercial base of operations, such as Ma nila furnishes. And then, in order to protect our commerce must have naval base, and at Subig bay such a base is now Being developed
 Congress has recognized our needs in the Philippines and has appropriated lb- erally for fortifying the islands. Modern guns are being mounted large dry dock has been located in Subig bay, troops are stationed in the Island of Luzon and in every way Congress has sNswn It's desire to protect the islands from foreign az gresison and also to establish a base for possible military operations
 Tt has been frequently said that the United States has assumed responsibili- ties in the Philippines whi~n 1t can pass over to other hands. l don't care to dis cuss this phase of the situation. except to say that I believe the American peo- pple will never shrink from such respon- abilities as were assumed for them when the United States took over the Philippines. l want to emphasize my belief that the United States world oI ways have commercial and diplomatic interests In the far east and cannot maintain itself properly without a base of operations"