The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-02-26
DANGER or THE PHILIP.
PINES.


understand that the real reason why
the president is worried about the
manner IN which California is legis
lating against the Japanese is on
account of the Philippines.
If we didn't have the Philippine
islands to take care of is there any
one who would think for a minute
that it would be necessary to worry
about what Japan might think OF the
legislation of California or Nevada'
If we were not loaded up with the
islands the coast states might pass
all the separate school laws their
legislators wanted to pass and II
would never raise the fear of war
with Japan. If Japan did not like
the way her citizens were treated IN
the matter of school privileges IN
in this country the said citizens
could 20 back home, but there
would be NO talk even of war. Japan
could not come across the ocean to
bembard San Francisco or any otner
Pacific coast town.
But so long as we have control OF
the Philippine islands there is con-
staAt danger Of trouble. Not that
the laps are hankering for a war
with this country. They have too
much sense for that. Not that they
are afraid to fight even the United
States, but because they have not
the money. However, the Japs
understand our weakness in the
matter of the Philippine islands.
They could send an army and navy
over there big enough to take the
islands in a week or two weeks at the
farthest and then we would have a
ieng hard 6ght to get them back
again.
We have NO doubt that in the
course of time we could wear Japan
out. We have the men and the
money, but it weuld cost as 3 bill
lien dollars and NO body knows how
many men. The Philippine islands
will always be source OF weakness
and expense to this country. The
chances are three to one that sooner
or later they will involve US in war.
IfChina and Japan ever get together
and China ge.s modern up to-date
government with such military
government as is all together pos
sible and probable, then the two OF
them, China and Japan can take the
PHILIPPINE islands away from us
whether we like it or not. If it Is
possible to get rid ofthem, honoraoly,
that is the thing to do.
1t makes us sore to think OF the
hundreds Of millions of dollars we
have spent and are spending on is
lands ?. 900 miles from home and on
a canal that may or may not be OF
any great benefit to us after tits dug
when the same money might have
been spent in improving our own
rivers. in cutting interior canals, in
Building wagon roads and in taking
steps to prevent the damages from
Aoed waters that now cause dam
ares that can hardly be computed
in dsllars and cents.
If we had as much sense as we
blow about having we would keep
our monty at home, develop our
internal resources, stop building
vast warships which we have noneed
for except to defend our foreign
possessions; cut down our standing
army to the force required for
pelics protection; turn lot of
shoulder strapped dudes loose with
the injunction to earn their bread
in some line Of peaceful and lesiti-
mate business; cut down the aP-
propriatiOns fer army and navy
from more than quarter of
b,IIion every year to about 10 mil
lion.
\ But we are net going to have
<.,nse enough to do that. We will
sweIl and talk about cur