The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-06-18
OUR TRADITIONAL POLICY.

The London Chronicle expresses much re-
greet that the United States has entered
upon the thorny path of colonial expan-
sion" No doubt many Americans will echo
this sentiment with regret that the United
States should depart from Its traditional
policy" etc. With all due respect for these
tried patriots they do not know what they
are talking about The traditional policy
of the United States from the beginning
has been one of territorial expansion. The
original thirteen States comprised about
100000 square miles; the present area of the
country is 1902, 290 square miles, more than
seven times as great as it was at the close
Of the revolutionary war. Alaska alone
embraces more territory than all the orig
inal thirteen States. By the purchase of
Louisiana in 1903 we acquired territory
about three times as great the original
States The acquisition of Florida, the an
nexation of Texas and the acquisition of
New Mexico and California by the war
with Mexico made another addition of ter
ritory several times as great as the original
thirteen States. Thomas Jefferson who ac-
quired Louisiana, was also in favor of ac-
quiring Cuba In June, 1923, President
Monroe consulted Jefferson by letter as to
the attitude this country should take con-
corning the interference of the allied pow
ers in the affairs of Spain. Jefferson re-
piled by letter June II, in part:
The foothold which the nations of Europe
had in either America is slipping from UNI
der them, so that we shall soon be rid of
their neighborhood. Cuba alone seems at
present to hold up speck of war to us.
It's possession by Great Britain would, in
deed, be a great calamity to us. Could we
induce her to join us in guaranteeing its
Independence against all the world except
Spain, 1t would be nearly as valuable to
US as if 1t were our own.
But should she take it I would not imme-
diately go to war for it, because the first
war on other accounts will give it to US
or the island will give itself to us when
able to do so.
Subsequently Jefferson was informed that
there was not man in Cuba who favored
it's becoming a British colony, and that
their choice was independence. or annexa-
ton by the United States or Mexico. On
the strength of this information jefferson
wrote another letter to President Monroe
in which he said:
1 had supposed England's interest there
quite as strong as that of the United
states, anu lIeIelOIe u dNOlQ wal
keep the island open to our own commerce,
1t would be best to join that power in mu-
tually guaranteeing its independence, but
If there is no danger Of its falling into the
possession of England / must retract an
opinion founded on an error of fact. We
surely under obligation to give her
gratis an interest which she has not. and
the whole inhabitants being averse to her
and the climate mortal to strangers its con-
tinued military occupation by her would be
impossible. 1t is better then, to be still in
readiness to receive that interesting incor-
poration when notified by herself. For GER
tainly her addition to our confederacy is
exactly what is wanting to round our
power a nation to the point of its utmost
interest.
In a third letter written few months
later Jefferson said:
/ candidly confess that have ever looked
on Cuba as the most interesting addition
States. The control which. with Florida
Point, this island would give us over the
Gulf of Mexico and the countries and 18th
mus bordering on it, as we'll as all those
whose waters flow into it, would fill up the
measure of our political well being.
These extracts show that the idea of ter
ritoral expansion, and especially of the
acquisition of Cuba, had taken strong root
in Jeffersons mind. Whatever can be said
for or against the annexation of Hawaii
no argument against it can be based on
the traditional policy of the United
States" Our traditional policy has been
one of territorial expansion.