Aug. hie opening - editorial article in "the latest issue of the Far Fast -will reassure those who have thought, that Japan looked.with -disfavonr on: the 'American expedition: to: the-Philippines, because' she considered' that the islands should some day fall to herself. title of tha article is " 'Ihe' Hispano-American War.and: the. Par East," and the writer'begitis -by: pointing out that the first object of the war was the liberation of Cuba, but it inevitably volved: more itnportant and far-reaching; consequences Merely as regards the operation of the war, the first and perhaps the most im-(portant of the-engagements has taken place rather unexpectedly.in a quarter farthest from both of. the. contending countries as well as from. the object which constituted the cause ofthe contest, Neutrality: proclamations deprived the American isquadron in Far eastern -waters of safe and reliable-anchorage. Admiral Dewey was thus obliged to-get hold of a port if -for no'other purpose than to secure a shelter for his'"fleet. The American occupation of Cavite was a measure, we believe, -primarily "dictated: by the necessities of moval strategy and required for-defensive -as much.as for offensive purposes. "The United States Government may not have contemplated the acquisition of the Philippines up to the moment of opening hostili-vries with Spain. Yet, the Stars'and: Stripes once flying inthe Bay; of Manila, a now polities. According tothe usage of modern warfare, it is true, military or naval oceupation -as' a phase" of, the operation of war does not necessarily mean the permanent acquisition of territory. In the present case, however, there are factors tending to'gives rise to serious complications, owing to the peculiar position-of the Philippine Islands. Usually there are only two'alteres in the final disposition of a territory which has been occupied in the-time of. war,—either to'return it: to-the legitimate possessor or to retain it by' obtaining a definite- cession. But if the Americans were to evacuate the' Philippines, there is no security that' the "islands would be smoothly turned over'to Spain. -In the first place, there are the rebels who would take every opportunity to throw off the Spanish yoke. 'Those recalcitrant natives' have-been' the cause of constant trouble to the Spaniards and made the Spanish rule 'i the Philippines anything but'an easy task. Now that the prestige of Spain has piteously declined because of her ignominious defeat at American hands, the rebels are -already on the war path and seem to be raging over-a considerable portion of the archipelago. Even" left to themselves, the Philippine Islands would have been a second Cuba at no distant date. Hence, in retiring from the occupied territory, the United States would be delivering it, not to Spanish rule, but to anarchy and commotion. Next, there are other Powers looking toward inheritance of the Spanish possession. One of them, at any rate, has already bestirred itself in order not to let any opportunity that may be furnished by the present war. In evacuating the Philippiness, therefore, the United States may be preparing the way for a European Power rowers to acquire another foothold in the Far East. In the face of these considerations, the Americans may well hesitate to relinquish the territory which has fallen into their hands by the chance of war. Besides, seeing that the United States' commerce with Far Eastern countries is fast growing in importance, it is reasonable that she should claim to have voice in the disposition of Far Eastern affairs; and in order to make her voice heard, "it is obviously desirable that she should be in ossian of a naval base of her own. The precariousness of a fleet with no-base to rely upon in times of emergency has been proved by the ex. perience of Admiral Dewey, whose fleet would have been utterly helpless, had the Spaniards been strong enough to stand the first attack. It is very natural, then, that the Americans should desire to take advantage of the fortune of the present' war and_to take permanent possession of the territory. now occupied by their fleet and army.
The Far East shows that America in establishing herself in the Philippines incurs a very heavy responsibility, and makes a serious deviation from the traditional policy of the Union, But it was only a question of time when the States must become an active factor in international politics; " of course, it would be extremely advantageous and profitable to cultivate commercial relations with other nations without at. the same time entering into political entanglements; only it is too advantageous and profitable.to be practicable in this age of commercial rivalry backed by armies and navies a3 well as by pol tical intrigues. Again, owing to the great revolution wrought by steam and electricity in the means of communication and transportation, it is no longer possible ta adhere ta tle policy of confining the' sphere of political activity to the-American Continent. "America cannot'be now regarded-as separated from the rest ofthe world." As we have: said -before, if Washington were alive to-day he would change his policy with the changed conditions, and to repress American expansion by Washington's last century dicta is to impose on the States the Confucian superstition which has been the min of China, As the New York Sun says in-a recent issue After the: various evidences of national growth and consolidation which have been revealed within the closing period of this century, an intelligent nation will scarcely be fool enough to think that it can thrive unless it sees' its way clear to national expansion when that is desirable. "No graver anxiety as to the future has troubled the responsible leaders of the country-in the crises of the past than besets the leaders of to-day, if what the anti-Imperialists, as they call themselves, say is true.
that they say, though, is utter nonsense. It is contradicted by'our own experience. As a matter of fact, anything that any Government in the world can do for self-defence or for self-betterment can be done by the United States by the power of its existing machinery. We can manage colonies, for wehave them. We can annex distant islands, for we have them. We can give any outlying territory hereafter to be underithe Stars and Striper whatever government wisdom may deem best for it, without the slightest st upon the theory and practice of our political organisation as it is.
The Fathers of the Republic, although they ended their labours more than a century ago, fitted the American Republic to go forward in the great career which Fortune smilingly holds out before it now.
But to return to the Far Kast. [t goes on to say that "the advent of the United States as a Far Eastern Power is to be welcomed from a Japanese point of view, because our relation with her has been and is one of particular cordiality and her interests in this part of the -glohe seem to be in general harmony with ours." The Japanese still regard the United States, who opened Jupan to the world, as their leader and benefactor As to the question of policy, our object is to secure the peace of the Far East on the basis of the development of general commerce, and to check the policy of military aggression and commercial uxelusiveness. On this point, an essentially peaceful and commercial people like the American may be expected with reason to have common interests with us. If the Americans contribute to the attainment of the above objects, their participation in Far Eastern affairs' is to he much desired, and we look to the conclusion of a reciprocal tariff between the United States and Japan as the first step for promoting the wth of closer commercial relations.
rear Britain also seems to favour the appearance of America as a World Power, especially as a Far Eastern' Power. To quote from the London Times, we'(the British) could not view with indifference the acquisition of the Philippines by either France, Russia, or Germany, though we have enough on our own hands not to care to add to our responsibilities in that quarter. we contemplate their possession, however, by the United States with equanimity and, indeed, with satisfaction." This is the key note of British opinion, and the reason is because it is clearly perceived that the United States
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.