The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-01-05
Official City, State and County
Newspaper)
Foreign Representatives
! SMALL, SPENCER, LEV1NGS
& BREWER
(Incorporated)
CHICAGO NEW YORK BOSTON
By No Means United

Circulars sent out by the Ameri-
can Chamber Of Commerce Of Man.
ila, P. l., emphasize very strongly the
fact that not all Of our island BROTH
crs are yearning for independence.
The statement makes no reference
to the desirability or undesirability Of
Filipino freedom from a political
standpoint, but it does bear down
hard on the idea that Americans have
a stake in the islands which would
be destroyed II political freedom were
to be followed by the levying OF
tariffs on island products.
At present, Of course, the islands
are listed as possessions Of the Uni
ted States. Its inhabitants generally
enjoy the rights and privileges of
citizens. Trade Is free and unham-
pered between the islands and the
mainland. The United States gov
crnment is represented by an Amer
lean governor general.
A special edition of the American
Chamber OF Commerce Journal, cir
culated widely to American news
papers, goes into detail as to the
commercial relationships now exist
ing and charges that the American
movement to grant Filipino indepen-
dence is due to plot and to propa-
ganda spread by Cuban sugar inter-
cStS.
John r. Wilson. secretary Of the
Manila organization, opening a
lengthy article on the subject, says:
1T is not intended to discuss in
this article the question Of indepen-
dence nor the why's and wherefore's
thereof. For the time being we will
leave that to the politician. However,
il independence does become a real
ity it will not be result of the
lamentations Of a subject people but
rather the direct result of vicious pro-
paganda and politics In the United
States"
The intent of the article is to
demonstrate that the benefits re-
ceived by American agriculture and
labor from free trade with the islands
more than offset the attendant
l,andicaps imposed by the free entry
Il such products as copra. copra cake,
cocoanut oil and sugar. It points out,
for instance. that the Philippines were
the U. 8. best customer for cotton
goods in 1929 and 1880 and that it
imported approximately s3,0oo,ooo
worth Of flour in addition to other
agricultural products.
Il gives even the dairy farmer an
argument, pointing out that the
islands imported $2,70o,0 900 worth of
MIX in 1880, even though it did ex-
p0gt cocoanut oil to be made into
soap. o3eomargarine and whatnot,
thereby competing with American
butter and animal-fat.
All In all the magazine makes
most interesting presentation of
matter. which heretofore has been
seen largely in a political light.
Delegations Of natives have caused
US to think Of the Filipinos in terms
Of brown rather than white people.
We have overlooked, somewhat, those
Americans to whom independence fo-
the islands would not be an unmixed
blessing.
Blood IS thicker than water and
It is obvious that the American peo-
pie living in the islands and finan-
cially interested there will get SYM
pathetic hearing when the time
comes for them to present their case.
with . question Of discarding the
interests OF fellow citizens involved.
1t may not be 50 easy to get rid Of
the islands after all.
The Manila organization raises the
question Of whether 1t would be good
business.