Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1909-03-05

- .FEHHH ##." #
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 legis.
lation of California or of Nevadar If
we were not loaded up with the islands
the coast states might pass AL the sep
arate school laws their legislators
wanted to pass and it would never raise
the fear Of . war with Japan. If Japan
did not like the way her citizena were
treated in the matter of school privileges
in this country the, said citizens could
go back home. but there would be 10
talk even of war. Japan could not
come across tue ocean to lombard San
Francisco Dr. any other Pacific coast
town.
But 50 long rs we have control of the
Philippine islands there is a constant
danger of trouble. Not that the Japs
are hankering for 4 war with this
country. They have too much sense
for that. Not that they are afraid to
fight even the United States, but be-
cause they have not the money. How
ever, the Japs understand our weakness
in the matter of the Philippine islands.
They could send IN army and navy
over there big enough to take the
islands in a week or two weeks ut the
farthest and then we would have Il long
hard fight to get then back again.
We have no doubt that in the course
of time we could wear Japan out. We
have the me and the money, but it
would cost us 3 billion dollars and no.
body knows how many men. The
Philippine islands will always he u
source Of weakness to this country.
The chances are three TO one that sooner
or later they will involve us in Il war.
If China and Japan ever get together
and China gets II modern up.to.date
government with such 4 military COVERT
ment as is altogether possible and
probable, the two of them, China and
Japan can take the Philippine islands
away from us whether we like il or not
If it is possible to get rid of them,
honorably, that is the thing to do.
1t makes us sore to think of the hun
dreds of millions of dollars we have
spent and are spending on islands 1000
miles from home and on a canal thut
may or may not De of any great benefit
TO us after it is dug, when the same
money might have been spent in i'm.
proving III own rivers, in cutting in
terror canals, in building wagon roads
and III taking steps to prevent the
damages from flood Eaters that now
cause damages that III hardly be com.
putcd in dollars and cents.
If we had rs much sense as we blow
about having we would keep our money
at home, develop our internal resources.
stop building vast warships which we
have no need for except to defend our
foreign possessions; cut down our stand
ing army To the force required for police
protection; turn Il lot of shoulder strap.
ped dudes loose with the injunction to
earn their bread in some line of peaceful
and legitimate business; cut down the
appropriations for army and navy from
more than a quarter of Il billion every
year to about ten million.
But we are not going to have sense
enough to do that. We will strut and
talk about IL destiny and the necessity
of maintaining IL prestiges rs n world
power and spend hundreds of millions
annually on ships and military equip,
mcnt and finally get into Il war that
will cost 3 or 4 billions of dollars and
maybe n quarter million lives.-Mail
and Breeze.