The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1870-02-26

1t would not take long to cure
the disorders of that country
and to make the people useful
under the American govern
ment and with American en-
terprise. We should have no
apprehension of difficulty from
the annexation of a part or OF
the whole of the island, and it
annexed its development would
be profitable both to us and to
the inhabitants, as we'll as a
benefit to the world. Still we
think our government could
now annex a territory much
nearer home and of far greater
value. Cuba is worth a hun
dred st. Domingos, or more
than all the other Antilles put
together. 1t has all the ele-
ments Of civilization, an i'm
mense production, about a third
of the sugar production of the
world, besides tobacco and
other valuable products; has
railroads and telegraphs, large
and fOurishing cities, great ac-
quired wealth, a million and a
half inhabitants, over eight
hundred thousand of whom are
white; is almost within sight of
the United States; has many of
the finest harbors in the world;
has an area of twenty-five mil
lions of acres, and it commands
the Gulf of Mexico, the Carib-
bean Sea and all the important
channels of the Antilles. This
! magnificent island is within our
grasp if the government at
: Washington has sense enough
: to seize the opportunity afford
: ed by present circumstance for
) annexation. Why should we
( 90 fifteen hundred miles away,
t to the outer verge Of the Anti
l les, for territory that is a will
: derness, comparatively, when
/, the cultivated, rich and impor-
S tant island of Cuba can be ours
7 by only saying the word? The
time is not far off when the
4 whole of the West Indies will
D undoubtedly become portions
. of the United States; but il
e would be wise to take the best
e and nearest first whenever an
: opportunity is afforded.
t Annexation is the natura
b result of our growth and insti-
: buttons and the law of our DIES
e tiny. The great Napoleon, will
S his wonderful statesmanslikC
d foresight, sold Louisiana, whicl
/, embraced nearly a fourth of gu
# present territory, to the Unitet
l. States, because he comprehend
, ed the inevitable destiny Of thi
9 country, and because he want
b ed to checkmate the British il
It this hemisphere. That was thu
g first and most important acqui
e sition of territory the United
= States made. There were prom
: inent public men in that da,
S. who opposed annexation, wh'
st could not comprehend the DIES
d tiny of the country, and VIII,
Il would have circumscribed til,
g republic within its first marrow
y limits. Then came the acquisi
t. ton Of Florida from Spain, witt
y the same shortsighted opposi
le ton on the part of men VIII
ID had the reputation of bein;
K statesmen. So it was with Tex
he as, when a little empire in itsel
OF was added to the republic
he Even the acquisition of Califol
re MIA, thatsplendid Countrywide
s. came in asa consequence of til
ly war with Mexico, found obie,
I'd tors. The purchase of Arizons
- and recently the purchase {
e. Russian America, were obiec
Id ed to by a similar class of loo;
O. narrow-minded politicians, VIII
re could not understand the inc,
b. liable progress and future {
US this mighty republic. Yet whs
al American now would return /
n the original and comparative
th narrow limits of the country
is The OyerShadOWinp nows