The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-03-06
PROGRESSIVE AMERTCANISM.
From the Washington Star.

From the Washington Star.
Several foreign newspapers, in dealing
with the action of congress in the Cuban
matter, announce that Il new quantity APP
pears, and must be taken into account in
the settlement of the larger question be-
fore the world. And these Coumbuses of
the quill are unusually solemn over their
discovery. Evidently they have never un-
til now been brought to consider the
United States In any other light than that
of a nation isolated from and Indifferent
TO the rest of mankind. The spectacle.
there fore. of manifestation by this
fairs outside of its own borders bursts
upon them with all the force of a disturb
ing surprise.
At the same time 1T must be confessed
that there are newspapers and political
leaders under our own ilag no better off
In appreciation of what this government
really does stand for. To them, as TO
assertions of American individuality and
American duty have come as surprise,
and a most disagreeable surprise. They
protest most earnestly against the course.
1t is in their opinion the very essence of
urwisdom. They are almost pathetic in
their assurances that It will inevitably
lead to incalculable injury. Our nature
will change. Wen acquire the spirit and
habits of the bravo, and go skirmishing
be changed. Wen neglect our own af-
fairs, and iii our hands with the affairs of
others. Then they quote, with all the
solemnity of pedagogues. addressing an
unruly class at school, what the fathers
said about foreign entanglements.
There Is nothing more curious than
some of the interpretations that are put
upon the admonitions of the fathers
Really. if some of them had been applied
years ago this country would today be
nothing but planters empire. II some
of them were to be made the rule of ma
tional conduct now the country would
drop out of the procession of nations. A
country cannot any more than can an .n-
dividual, live to itself and thrive As a ma
ton. we have not been living to ourselves
by any means. We have been cul;iyatiny
the friendship of other nations. we have
established trade relations with many Of
them. and we are now one of the family
of nations. We think ourselves one OF
the most important members OF that fam
lily. DO these things bring no responsible
tiles? All the countries 10 the south on
this hemisphere initiate us-guide by us
look to us for suggestions and assistance.
Distrant Hawaii has followed this suit,
and cuba desires to do so. Shall we turn
cold shoulder to all these people, and
inform them that while we will be- glad 10
exchange bills of lading with them. the
correspondence must include no love let
ters? IL our only interest in them that
OF cash? And If it is. or Is made so. how
long may We expect them to cherish MS ?
Then there is that terrible tyrant of
precedent. There H. no precedent for this
thing or for that thing. This government
has never annexed an island IN the Pact
iic. and therefore Hawaii il out OF the
question. This government has never an
neSed an island In the Atlantic, and there
fore Cuba Is out of the question. This
government has never forwarded the dig
sing of u great canal connecting the two
great oceans. ana therefore the Nicaragua
canal Is out Of the question. Do the men
who argue IN this way really mean what
they say? Have they never read the para
BILE of The servant who hid his talent In
the earth and made no use of II, and was
rebuked for his sloth and timidlty? DO