The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1915-12-31

ally prevailing in our country con-
corning the open door In China,
which 1t is believed Mr.. John Hay
arranged by his clever series of com
munications sent September 6, 1899.
to France. Germany, England, Rus
sia, Italy and Japan, through our
diplomatic representatives there max
ing an identical proposal to each,
which he clinched by reporting to
each OF those government March 20,
1900 that all the others had ac-
cepted his proposal. 1t was a bril-
liant diplomatic stroke and was sup
posed at the time not only to have
set the door open in China but to
have fixed It open for all time. But
what happened the very first time
we started to use that door? The
third clause OF the Hay proposal
dealt especially with the railroad
situation In China and yet when Mr..
Knox as secretary OF state attempt
ed to effect the international neu-
tralization of the Manchurian rail-
ways, he found the open door lock-
ed and bolted. It Is to be hoped
that we shall always maintain our
treaty rights in China along with
those Of other nations, but those
who still believe that we have an
open door there which will give spe-
cial privileges are dreaming an
empty dream.
Vexed Problem.
And this brings us to our most
vexed problem-the Philippines and
what to do with them. We hold
those islands as the chance results Of
war. and not because OF lust for
territory or any desire for foothold
In the Orient, but what is the view
point OF Japan? How would we feel
II Japan came into possession OF some
OF the West Indian islands?-would
It not affront the Monroe dictrine?
Why then should we be good Pam
Americans only in the caribbean sea
and not ourselves practice the same
staty at home and mind your own
business policy in the orient. It Is
but natural for the Japanese to won
ger now we can continue. persistent
~ to object to foreign colonization In
the western hemisphere while we are
actually in possession of large col
onies near the coast OF Asia. This
Phitppine problem Is not at present
Deing met In any way that Is satisfac-
tory to any OF us. Why can't It. be
met so frankly that out of It's very
dificulties valuable result can be
evolved, just as from the Mexican
imbroglio there emerged the Pan
American mediation machinery, of so
great value already, and certain to
prove more valuable as 1t develops.
Our possession Of the Philippines does
not true up to the fundamental ideas
OF the Monroe doctrine. But neither
does the possession by Denmark. Hol-
land, France and England of colonies
in this hemisphere. Why not set one
OF these discordant facts off against
the other and trade the Philippine
Islands for all European possessions
to the south Of US, and then turn the
Guianas and British Honduras into
free republics, return the Falkland
islands to Argentina, and take under
our flag the West Indian islands, 80
important to the defense of the Pan
anna canal. Thus at one step would
We eliminate Japanese distrust
caused by our holding the Philips
pines, honorably release us from the
responsibility for those islands. com
plete the protection from European
entanglements initiated by Monroe's
protest against additional European
colonization, and. finally, free US
from European military bases near
the Panama canal.
with all this completed, we could
al TRANQUILITY turn our attention to
developing the untouched resources
Of this hemisphere, tho worlds next
great step forward"