China would be brought in by Japan on the ground of common interest and common welfare. and either by the same force that England now exercises over Egypt and India. to go in with Japan against America. or out of a common cause of grievance. Think you. Senators. that if we continue. therefore. our position in the Asiatic sphere we would not visit upon us those very evils which you lov see visited upon England. France. and Germany in their conquested colonial possessions? It must be then appdrent that before we proceed upon the program of preparedness this question as to the Philippine Islands must first be determined In one way or the otherthat we either keep them and fortify the Navy sufficiently in its doubling capacity to maintain them as against every assault. or that we should get out of therereturn to the confines of our own Republic. and prepare our defense for our own country in tile splendid isolation to which the great Gladstone aptly referred.