The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-06-24
RIVER AT s A. NJ.
Danger. Height of
VACILE OR SENILE:

John Sherman adds to his vacilla-
tons the feat of reversing himself on
the question of anneXing foreign and
remote territory. In 1888, when the
Samoan complication was disturbing
our relations with Great Britain and
Germany, caused by our possession of
the harbOr of Pago-Pago acquired ten
years before, Sherman, then senator
and chairman of the committee on for
eign relations, reported a full state
ment of the complications to the senate
and urged the adoption Of the commit
tees amendments. In his "Recollec-
tons" he says: The repeated wars on.
a small scale that have occurred since
that time CHE formation of the pro-
tectQratel aid the complications and
expense that have been caused by the
tripartite protectOrate of the islands.
furnish another example of the folly
of the United States in extending it's
Gsic) property rights to lands in the dis
tant sea. Our continental position ought
to dissuade us from acquiring outside
possessions, which in case of war would
cost the United States more to defend
than their value"
Again, in the closing words of his
'Recollections," a sort of farewell mes
sage to his countrymen and counsel to
posterity, he says: The events of the
future are beyond the vision of man.
kind, but I hope that our people will
be content with internal growth and
avoid the complications of foreign ac-
QUESTIONS. Our family of states is al
ready large enough to create embar-
raSsment in the senate, and a republic
should not hold dependent provinces or
possessions. Every new ACQUISITION
will create enNbarassments.
The Union already embraces discordant
elements enough without adding others.
If my life is prolonged, 1 will do all
can to add to the strength and pros
peffty of the United States, but moth
ing to extend its limits or add new dan
gers by acquisition of foreign terri
tory" These are the words of a man
Of large experience in public life, writ
ten in the calmness of the library, free
from the stress of ambition and the
pressure of party emergency, delivering
his judgment, ripened by experience
and reflection, and repeating in his
counsel to his countrymen the wisdom
that in Washington was foresight.
Confronted in his act Of negotiating
the treaty Of annexation of Hawaii as
secretary of state, however perfunctor-
lily done, with it's inconsistency with
his deliberate judgment, he authorizes
the statement that he is still opposed
to acquisition of foreign territory. but
makes an exception in this case be-
cause Of the attitude of Japan towards
the islands. SO far as the public have
knowledge of that attitude, il merely
relates to the recognition Of the rights
secured to subjects of Japan in Ha-
wall under a treaty with the govern
ment of the islands, which secured tc
life and property. This the Dole sons
Cf-our- missionaries government has
recently sought to violate by impos.
ing restrictions upon and barring ad.
mission to Japanese. Japan has now
some $4,000 subjects resident in the isl.
ands, and will undoubtedly be as in.
sistant upon their rights as the United
States are on those, say, of American:
resident in Cuba.
But complications began before the
treaty was signed. The Japanese min
lister filed with the secretary a profess
against the treaty being signed by oul
authorities unless it contained some
provision for the preservation Of the
treaty negotiated with Hawaii reIa.
tive to the rights CT Japnese residents
The Samoan folly, deprecated by the
statesman in his library as illustrating
the inpolicy Of these extensions of ter
ritory or authority, was repeated by the
very man who pointed that out as q
warning against further acquisitions