American and English companies have sent experts there and have had every foot of accessible ground prospected. 'Color' can be found in most of the streams, but that is true of almost any stream in the United States, particularly in North Carolina. Gold might be found in the Philippines, but it is too improbable to allow it to figure among the assets of the Islands. When a people who, in their thirst for gold, destroyed the Incas of Peru and the Montezumas of Mexico, fail to find paying quantities of the yellow metal after searching for three hundred years, it would not be wise for Americans to spend much time or money in similar rainbow chasing. Well," said the chairman, "since our champion expansionist has made an unanswerable argument against the feasibility of colonization, we will consider that point settled, and will discuss to-morrow morning the probability of new markets being opened for American products." As the passengers walked about the decks, talk on the Philippine question was continued. One army wife was heard to remark, "It was very nice of Captain Bevans to tell Mrs. Rankin that American men would not follow the Europeans in that horrible custom of keeping hired wives,' but I know better, and so did he. They will do as the English have done in India and Ceylon, and the people at home can make up their minds to it." CHAPTER II. QUESTION: "WOULD ANNEXATION OF THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS OPEN NEW MARKETS FOR AMERICAN PRODUCTS?' HE Chairman of the Philippine Club THE called the "meeting" to order soon after breakfast, and said Captain Bevans would open the discussion for the affirmative and that Private Smith would be chief debator for the negative. Captain Bevans said that, while the opening of new markets for American products was not the strongest argument for annexation, it appealed readily to the commercial side of the American. "Commerce follows the flag," he said, "and when we have control of the Philippine islands we shall sell the people there the products of our farms and of our factories; we shall build railroads and street-car lines, and in a short time San Francisco, Portland and Seattle will double in business and triple in population. Increase of business on the Pacific coast will give an . impetus to all kinds of business in all parts of the United States." Private Smith-" Will Captain Bevans be more specific? Aside from railroad building, he has dealt in generalities only." Captain Bevans-"We shall sell the Filipinos flour and beef, cheap cotton goods, cheap lumber for building purposes, cutlery, clocks, watches and jewelry." Private Smith-"How can we sell them flour when they use cheap rice bread instead? Besides, if they used flour they would get it laid down in Manila from India or Siberia cheaper than the American farmer can produce it." Captain Bevans-" We shall place a tariff on the importation of wheat that will give an advantage to the Americans, who can at least sell all the breadstuffs supplied to Europeans and Americans on the islands." Chairman-"Hold a moment, captain. Did not our commissioners at Paris give a pledge to the world that an 'open door' would be maintained in the Philippines so that the people of any other nation could trade there on the same basis as Americans ?" |