The record-union., 1898-11-20

ton with European Powers. One of these
parties will see in the opportunities
expansion affords the fulfillment of the
destiny of the Republic; the other will
decay through the cultivation of an
avaricious and conquesting spirit
among our people.
Congress will find wisdom in stand
ing with those groups which believe
that opportunity is for nations as for
men, to be embraced for betterment
with courage, and not TO- be rejected be-
cause of fearfulness regarding national
capacity to grapple with questions
reaching beyond our continental
bounds.
The United States would have re-
manned a confined, narrowly circum-
progressive movement of mankind, had
the fearful and the timid, and pessi-
mistic prophets had their way when
the infant nation first sought to extend
cenee the territory now forming the
larger and more hopeful portion of our
national domain.
Had the forecasters of i'll because
of expansion had their way in the past,
so much of the continent as we now
occupy would have been held in part
by France, Spain and Mexico, and we
should have had the effeninacy and
want of thrift of the Spanish, and the
volatile, changeable and unstable quail
tiles of the French operating upon our
own civilization, and modifying and
qualifying it to our injury and the de-
feat of the purpose of the American
Republic.
No stronger reasons are or can be
advanced to-day against retention of
our recent acquisitions than were pre-
sented in opposition to the Louisiana
purchase, the requirement of Florida
and Texas, or the later cession of 1S4S,
which gave to US California and the
territory adjacent upon the. east.
Congressman will find that the great
er number of the people are fixed in
the faith that growth as a nation is
dependent upon capacity to avail of
every opportunity that offers for US to
extend the sphere of our influence con-
sistently with the rights of other ma
lions, and tremendously with the doc
trine that has defined our policy re-
garding the interference by European
Powers with affairs in the Americas
The development of the United States
is not to be arrested by the fears of
those who view difficulties and obsta-
cles as insurmountable. It is to be
promoted, pushed on and fully achieved
by those who hold to the doctrine that
this is a nation, entitled to be felt as
such among the Powers of the earth:
whose ability to set up the affairs of
liberty are not subject to continental
bounds; whose destiny for betterment
among men is not yet achieved.
But this by no means involves the
idea that the Republic is to become a
spoiler of peoples, or that it is to med
die and chatter in European politics.
1t involves only a policy of justice, hui
mainly and beneficence We entered
upon the late war to do a mighty good
in the name Of the human race, whose
righteous cause we championed. Justi-
fed in that action, we propose to reap
only its legitimate rewards, and hold
fast to the forfeits the common fortunes
that war have placed at our command.
We will govern these acquisitions
with the wisdom which flows from ex-
perience with the system of self-gov-
eminent. We will neither Cypress nor
vigorously dominate those by hap of
war committed to our guardianship.
We will deal with them as we would
wish another Power to do by us, if
We came under its administrat tive
policy. Those holding to such beliefs
will constitute the affirmative party of
the approaching winter. Those who OPP
pose such a policy will be recognized
as the obstructive and fearful. Be
tween these Congress and the Presi-
dent are about to find themselves
called upon to decide. We entertain
no fears for the result.
The renewal of the race conflict in the
South iS dpDjOra b1a There is one thing