long homeward voyage, voyage, the passengers gathered in little groups on the decks, and the topic of conversation generally related to the President's policy in the Philippines. "I am astonished," said Captain Bevans, "that the officers and soldiers in the Philippines are so generally opposed to the annexation of the islands to the United States." He addressed his remarks to a young man dressed in citizen's clothes, who walked with a crutch. His name was Smith, and he had served as a private in the South Dakota regiment, participating in every battle from Manila to San Fernando, where he had been wounded by a Mauser bullet fired by Filipinos who were too far away to be damaged by shots from the antiquated Springfield rifles, with which the American volunteers were armed.

Private Smith had put in an application for discharge when peace with Spain was restored, feeling that the term of enlistment, as well as its cause, had expired. The discharge was not granted until the bullet had made further service impossible, and he was then permitted to return home to

resume his profession of teacher in the public schools.

"On the other hand," said Smith in reply to Bevans' observation, "I am astonished that anybody favors annexation of these islands under any consideration, particularly since forcible annexation involves such a grave departure from all the traditions of our government. "

The dialogue caused several of the passen gers to draw their steamer chairs nearer to where the annexationist and his opponent were talking.

By the way," said the lawyer, "I have given very little study to the Philippine problem. In my state I am in the habit of taking the stump for the republicans when the campaigns are on, and, unless all signs fail expansion is going to be the issue in 1900. I propose that we have a series of debates on the subject, during our voyage. They would relieve the monotony and would be instructive to me, as I was on the island of Luzon for a few weeks only and was busy professionally every day."

The newspaper man seconded the motion

of the lawyer and the officers and their wives gave a ready assent.

On motion of Colonel Handy, the lawyer was made chairman and the newspaper man was elected secretary, and it is from his notes this volume is made.

A program committee which had been appointed proposed that the first question to be discussed should be: "Resolved, That the war now being waged in the Philippines is morally justifiable."

"I object to that question being the first one discussed," said the chairman. "Whichever way it might be decided would end the discussion. There are other other questions which I want to hear debated, after which we may take up that of morals, by which it must be finally decided whether the President's policy in the Philippines can be justified.

"The anti-imperialists say that the administration is responsible for the sacrifice of life, both American and Filipino, entailed by the war. If we are guilty of murder, and are attempting to commit robbery, I want to know whether, if judged from a robber's

standpoint, the spoils sought will pay for the trouble we are taking. I have more respect for a wicked wise man than for a wicked fool, though the reverse should be true."

The committee retired and brought in the following question: "Can the Philippine islands be successfully colonized by Americans?"

Capt. Bevans, affirmative.
Private Smith, negative.

The debate to be opened in a conversational way after breakfast the next morning.

"A discussion of that subject would be useless," said Bevans. "I am quite aware that Americans can never colonize the Philippine islands for two reasons: 1. Europeans have never been able to live in low tropical countries. Why, there were only a few English, German and Spanish business men in Manila when the Americans took the city, and few of them remain on the island more than two years consecutively. Dean Worcester, whose book I have, confirms Foreman and the experience of all Americans when he says:

'If one is permanently situated in a good

locality, where he can secure suitable food and good drinking water, if he is scrupulously careful as to his diet, avoids excesses, keeps out of the sun in the middle of the day, and refrains from severe and long continued exertion, he is likely to remain well; always supposing that he is fortunate enough to escape malarial infection. But how is it with the explorer, the engineer, the man who would fell trees, cultivate new ground, or in some other way develop the latent resources of the country? This, as Mr. Kipling so often remarks, is another story. It is unfortunately true that the climate of the Philippines is especially severe on white women and children. It is very doubtful, in my judgment, if many generations of European or American children could be reared there.'

That," said the captain, "is true, as we all know. Why, most of the white business men in Manila have two families on that account. Their European wives could not live there, so they stay in Europe, while 'hired wives' have taken their place and mestizo children-half-brothers and half-sisters of the European brood-may be found in the houses of nearly all white residents."