The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-05-08
DEMOCRATS WORRY
OVER PHILIPPINES
Future of Island Possessions
to Be Determined on at
Party Caucus.
american News Service,

tAmcrican News scrvice)
Washington, May S.-The future OF
The Philippine Islands Is to be given
serious consideration by the Demo
cratic majority of this congress II
plans are formulated by Democratic
representatives interested In the Is
lands to carry at the next caucus.
which il scheduled for the Arst part
OF May.
What the Democratic members OF
thc house and senate desire Ia neutral
ization of the Islands by a treaty to
be negotiated by the world powers.
In fact. Il is their desire, to make OF
the Philippines a government similar
10 that OF Switzerland, all OF the ma.
lions OF the world pledged to its main.
tenance with the Islands eliminated AZ
war prey.
The three Democratic members
mostly Interested In the program are
Representative Cox. OF Ohio. Repre-
sentative Cline OF Indiana. and Repre-
sentative Martin of Colorado. The
latter directed attention to the Phil.
ippines In the last congress In connec-
friar lands to former officials Of the
sugar trust. The sale was held to be
legal by the Republican majority Of
the last congress. condemned by the
then Democratic minority, and Repre-
sentative Martin has begun the un-
winding OF the legislative red tape In
this session to have similar sales
estopped by legal enactment.
Representative Cline Is the author
Of = resolution. now pending. granting
independence to the Islands.
Representative Cox has an entering
wedge for Philippine independence in
his resolution calling upon the war de-
partment for an itemized statement
showing the cost to the United States
Of the Islands since the Spanish-Am-
erican war. He Ia of the opinion.
frankly expressed. that the Islands
have not been OF the slightest value to
this country. and will prove a serious
menace In the event OF war with
Japan. Military experts OF all the
world powers are unanimously of the
opinion that the Philippines are at
present a weakness In the defense of
the United States should a war in
volve this country. These experts
predict. too. prediction that Is unani.
nous. that eventually the United
States will have to fight Japan.
Japan's Opportunity.
War with japan would mean the
loss Of the islands within week. for
In that period. Japan could rush more
In our regular army and militia organi.
cations combined. The United States.
is IL said, would never cease fighting
until the islands were regained.
"A war under these conditions"
said Representative Cox, would have
one Of two possible endings: first, a
long drawn out fight that would SER
iously attack the resources of the ma.
ton and prove far more costly than
the Civil war. or else a defeat such as
no proud nation has ever felt in the
worlds history"
The Filipino people are crazy" for
Independence. They want an indepen-
dent form of government that will be
guaranteed by the world powers. They
will not take kindly. however. to Japan
being signer of such treaty. The
Filipino people, II Is said, are suspi.
ci0us Of the Japanese, and the Filipino
nightmare Is that the islands may
some day belong to the Japanese.
Have Been Heavy Expense.
Up to tho present. Congress has
been unable to get the faintest idea
Of what the Philippines have cost Il
has been estimated that the early days
OF the Philippine occupation cost the
United States $1,5OO.OOO each day ~
maintain It's army and navy In the
islands. The estimate Of the cost of
maintaining the army and navy now
there IL S?50.OOO each day. 1t Is said
that Senator Root, when he was secre-
tary Of war. started to add up the ex-
pense OF the American occupation.
The figures were SO gigantic that he
ceased before the table was complet-
ed.
II the American people can be
shown In figures the expensiveness Of
the Filipino government to the United
States" said Representative Cox, land
mind you. the civil expenses OF the
island government are borne by the
Filipinos themselves. there will be n
sweep Of public opinion to unload the
islands and let them paddle their own