THE PJULIITIXE ISLANDS AXD THEIR EXVinOXMEXT 7 



developed by the United States and other lands. That same argu- 

 ment might have been advanced against Japan twenty years ago. 



In the limits of time at my disposal I cannot discuss Japan spe- 

 cifically beyond saying that there never was a time in the history of 

 our relations when we were closer to that country in commerce and 

 trade than now. Korea is just opening to us, and is providing fields 

 of exploitation which we must not neglect. In Russian territory to 

 the north there are also opportunities which we must fully realize in 

 considering the value of Oriental trade. Already we are doing much 

 there whicli is encouraging for the future. 



Before closing my references to CHiina I cannot refrain from em- 

 phasizing the im])ortance of our government's efforts to maintain the 

 " open door " of trade and preserve the integrity of the Chinese Em- 

 pire. The " open d(^or " simph^ means that we shall have the same 

 rights of commerce throughout all China as are possessed by any 

 other country' and as guaranteed by the treaties. We have every- 

 thing to lose and nothing to gain by the division of the Chinese Em- 

 pire. Now. we can look forward to controlling the larger portion of 

 her trade in successful competition with other nations; but if China 

 is divided or the door is closed, whatever country has the i)redonii- 

 nant infiuence in a certain portion of China will estaldish such regu- 

 lations, directly or indirectly, as will ])revent our exi)orts from com- 

 peting succe.ssl'ully witli its own. 



MATKKIAL VALUK OF I'll 11,1 1'l'I.NKS 



Now, what shall we say of the Philippines themselves in their ma- 

 terial aspects? We have already shown their geographical, strate- 

 gical, and commercial relations to the rest of the Orient. Under de- 

 ])ressing Spanish infiuences there was developed in the Philii)i)ines 

 an annual trade of S.'>o,(JOO,(JOU. lender American control and wiili 

 American enterprise and capital this surely must be enlarged within 

 the next ten years to S15{),0()0,00(). If the British, Dutcli. Fn-ncli, 

 and other nationalities hav(! been successful in accomplishing the 

 results ah'eady shown in dependencies less resourceful thnn the 

 Pliilippines, it is a confession of weakness if we cannot outstrip them 

 in this work. 'I'he Philippines arc; blessed with an unusual nuinl»er 

 of great staple |ii()ilii(t>. ol' w hos(! possibihties I look cairfiil note as I 

 traveled throiigii the islands. Chief among these are hemp, toliacco, 

 sugar, co]»ra or the (hied meat of the coeoanut, and rice. 'I'he raising 

 of and the trade in these staples liave been developed to their present 



