Proceedings of the first Independence congress : held in the city of Manila, Philippine islands, February 22-26, 1930 / Published under the direction of Dean maximo M. Kalaw, executive secretary, University of the Philippines.

244 INDEPENDENCE CONGRESS PROCEEDINGS

The fact that the Philippines is composed of thousands of
islands is advantageous for the Archipelago. Having the
borders clearly defined, our country is free from conflicts which
might originate from boundary questions. We also avoid the
incidents which originate from antagonism between the inhabitants of the borders where generally are found the corrupted
and adventurous people dedicated to smuggling and other
illegal occupations. We are at the same time far from serious
conflicts, which often take place between troops that guard
both sides of the frontiers. Our agents of order to have our
laws obeyed will not dare violate those of the foreign terri
tories. Reasonably we shall never be the object of aggression
by another strong power, under the same motive as Belgium.
for our country is not an obligatory place to attack more
easily another nation. It is true that the squad of a powerful
nation who is at war with another, taking advantage of our
weakness, may violate our neutrality, converting any one of
our ports into a base of their operations; but it is also true,
that we cannot be made responsible, if it is then attacked and
destroyed by the enemy's forces, and in that case have the
fight take place in the sea where we shall suffer very little
material loss. Such was the case of the battle of Chemulpo,
Korusa.
Our insular condition, though it has advantages, also
offers disadvantages. A continental country surrounded by
various nations, through racial affinity, through communal interests, through the character of its neighbors, through the class
relations which they have maintained among themselves, knows
which of its frontiers is more exposed to attacks and it can
concentrate on better defensive means. In case of war, it can
pay less attention to the other frontiers to accumulate its forces
on the attacked point. Besides a continental nation finds it
difficult to remain isolated from the rest of the world and finds
itself deprived of the essential elements for the defence.
On the other hand, we that have all our boundaries open,
in case of war, the enemy can choose the point which suits him
best for the attack and invasion. Given the distances between