United. States and Japan. it is unfortunate- to think that the outposts of this great Republic. havebeen. extended 10.000 miles across the. sea. and have planted themselves in the Philippine. Islands.. only about two. days sail from Japan. where. in the event of difficulty. they.. our most defenseless and most exposed portion of territory. would lie at the mercy of that great Asiatic power. Hence my feeling of security without the Philippines. to say nothing: of the justice of giving them their independence just as- soon as their condition makes it feasible. So I shrink from the: idea of including the: Philippine Islands. as. an American possession in a great scheme of ocean transportation. which: is. the object of this bilr. or of extending to them those restrictive: laws which can only serve to. irritate and discourage instead of producing that continued feeling of amity and satisfaction. which the. legislation of. the Democratic Congress established in. 1915.