The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-11
CRANE ON EXPANSION.
To the Editor of The Herald:

To the Editor of The Herald:
In an editorial of your issue of yesterday
you say: 1.-THE necessity for an increased
army is apparent; the question OF terri
torial expansion is no longer deDataDle-
every effort to defeat the ratlfcatlon OF
the Paris treaty should be rebuked.
Mr.. Editor these are strong words, ana
[ am impressed that their full import
was not fully considered when written:
Why do we desire expansion! VINO VIII
be benefited by anneXing these islands?
more prosperous? Why do you desire eX-
pansion? Is it not a. fact that our country
is already too large? and the most per
picking questions of legislation, OF gov
eminent and interest have grown out OF
our abnormal size? Will the toiling
masses become more prosperous by an
nexing these isles OF the sea, whose peo-
pie are not Of US, are, in fact, diametrlcal-
~ opposed to us and our institutions as
are the Chinese? Their color, diet, mental
conformation, habits code of morals and
American. Who are these people who
desire expansion? Surely not the men
who toll in the factories and on the
farms, because by annexlng these 1SiaIas
millions of the most degraded in all the
world will compete in our own giutted
marts of labor. OF the 109,00 inhabitants
of Hawaii, over 5000 are contract labor
ers, SO per cent of whom cannot read or
write our language. Gompers, president
of the American, Federation of Labor,
speaking of (and against annexing( these
laborers are coralled in gangs of from
twelve to sixteen, each gang having an
overseer on horseback, armed win
whip with which diligence to labor is en-
forced. The annexation of these Islands
would throw down the barriers of pro
lection to American labor. and would
threaten an inundation OF Mongollans
to overwhelm the free laborers OF our
country" Are the farmers, wool grow
ers, miners or mechanics benefited by an
nexation? The editors of the four lead
ing agricultural papers in the nation pro
test in these words: In the names of the
farmers of America, nearly 100000 OF
whom are our clients, we solemnly pro-
test against the policy Of coloniaztion; 1t
augurate corruption, a debasement of the
blood. Under such policy no expense
will be spared on army or navy, but how
about those home industries that yltally
roads and improved waterways, more
mails and free delivery, a better banking
system, better education, reform OF eX
listing evils, protection against monopoly
neglected. Monopoly in various forms
and other enemies of social progress
would hold high carnival at home while
national and state legislatures were con,
cerned about our colonies abroad. 1t VIII
be bad for the American farmer should
Uncle Sam decide to embark upon an era
of imperial colonization"
we should become the most powerful
nation of the earth? Our ships would
sweep the seas. our armies be the adj
miration of the world What of it? Who
would be benefited? The foreign posses
| the empire. The foreign possessions OF
France a source of annoyance. The
colonies Of Spain have caused her down.
| fall.
We are told that we need these islands
as a strategic base in military operations
! The admirals, commodores, generals,
colonies, majors, captains and corporals
say so. These men neither toll nor SPIN
whose only employment in times of peace
is to display their uniforms and pr5on93 ;t3
| tinction. Every owner of ship yard
coal company, supply company, every
/ politician who has an ambition to occupy
! official position desires annexation.
| Many of our most patriotic citizens see
! the fulf1llment of Carlyle's prophecy pre-
cursing the downfall of this republic
manyof our eminent statesmen believe
that the late war is the eliminating seas
| on of true democracy in the United States
/ CHARLES CRANE.