Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-08-20
SCHURZ AGAINST EXPANSION
SEES IN 1T GRAVE DANGERS FOR
THE UNITED STATES.
Judge Grosscup's Powerful Plea for
a Policy That Will Give Us Our
RiGhtfuI Share in the COM
mcrcinI Development
of Asia.

with an address by Henry Wade Rogers, 1
of Chicago, chairman of the committee On
arrangements. Mr.. Rogers says that the
conference was called to consider some OF
the most momentous questions In the MS
tory of the republic. He spoke of the war
and returned prayerful thanks for the
peace now at hand. While peace has ar
rived, he said, there were many serious
problems TO be considered.
He referred to the close friendship be-
tween the Americans and British, which
would promptly lead to international arbi-
tration and finally to universal peace. The
speaker spoke faYorably of the NicaraSuan
canal, which. he argued, should be built
and controlled by the United States gov
ernment. That canal would shorten the
distance by water TO San Francisco ty
10000 miles. A reference to the trip of
the battleship Oregon ELECTED hearty ap-
plause.
Mr.. Rogers said the principal problem be-
fore the present conference was that of
territorial expansion. on which many dis
tinguished men of national reputation Eold
widely divergent views. Indirectly, he re-
ferred to the positions respectively held by
the expansionists and the anti-expansion-
lists Whether We should annex the col
onies that are lost to Spain or control
them by carpetbag governments is prob
to Americans, who should ponder wisely
In order not to make a mistake. CONNER
cial interests urge that we adopt a colon
ial system. said Mr.. Rogers. but business
alone ought not to control our conduct.
The question of the Nicaraguan canal was
taken up and Warner Miller, of New York,
took the platform. He briefly spoke of his
persistent advocacy of the canal. Events Of
the past three months demanded the inn
l. l1lt4
Americans were now universally in favor
of it. as also all of Europe. He spoke of the
surveys made Of every proposed route to
pierce the isthmus. and said the route by
the way Of the Nicaragua canal has re-
ceived the greatest consideration as both
feasible and desirable. Mr.. Miller gave the
history of the Nicaragua route, beginning
with the administration of General Grant
and continuing down to the present time.
Had not the canal treaty been blocked by
antagonistic legislation years ago, the canal
would have already been built and now in
actual operation. Financial distress for a
number of years also hindered the work.
Distinguished senators have for years urged
the building of the canal, but congress did
not act favorably upon it.
The Nicaragua route is looked upon as
the most feasible and far preferable to
that of Panama. The canal can be built for
siuv,VOoVV " tlfy,VD,UUU, as SHOWN by
statements made by experts Is the canal
desirable? That thecan would reduce the
distance between New York and San Fran
cisco 10000 miles rs Alone sufficient an
swer in the affirmative. The railways and
canals of the country have made ali Sec
tions accessible and available and have in
creased the wealth OF ahe United States.
Railroads have been built In advance of the
population and have carried emigrants to
he fArx, NTo,,
teeming population developing the broad
acres. 4
Mr.. Miller referred to several canals that
nave materially aided in opening up the
country. The Nicaragua canal would alone
save US 1900 miles and would be a great
outlet for those states on the Pacific coast.
The continent is gridironed with transcon-
tinental roads. hut these do not alone at
iord the advantages that could be secured
by a canal.
1t is question of cheap Transportation.
and the Nicaragua. canal would solve the
problem. Within ten years after the COM
Pietlon OF the canal. the population of the
racine states will have increased I'd ten
millions. One of the best results of the
Spanish-American war is that ii will COM
pei the building of the Nicaraguan canal.
The entire morning session was devoted
TO a discussion of the Nicaraguan canal.
The colonial extension problem was TAX
en- up at the afternoon session, Carl
Schurz. of New York, spoke at length. Civ
ing the views of the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
whose cause he advocated He was opposed
by Judge Grosscup of Chicago who is an
earnest expansionist and who spoke al
great length.
Judge Grosscup said in part:
II am among those. Mr. President, who
believe the people of the United States
without breach of faith TO the promises
of our past. serious danger TO the
expectations of our future. can hold per.
manently all. or a portion. of the territory
that has been occupied by our troops dur
ing the progress of the war. i am ready
10 go a step further ] I'D assert that the
obligations of our duty toward mankind
and especially toward the particular peo
Piles who have been drawn within the
sphere of our operations and toward the
future usefulness of ourselves, demand
that We should hold permanently so much
of these. the captures of war, as are need.
ed TO round out the moral purposes fol
which IL was inaugurated. and the greater
destiny upon which, as nation, We are
about TO enter. challenge, at the eutset
the statement SO lberally INDUCED by oul
opponents. that. in taking this stand tn.
American people are moved by emotional
ism or are deceived by gcneralities
Wars are the thunderstorms of civiliza
ton: they never subside without clearing III,
atmosphere of much of its sultriness. TIL.
one through which We are just passin:
seems to have enveloped the people o
America in a new atmosphere. We see. NOR
clearly than ever before, the things that il
the world can be called our own and tn
things that stand apart from US, the pos
sessions of others; ourselves. and our rela
tions to the other nations of the world a
distinct from ourselves. The air through
which We look is clearer. our vision longer
and the outlines OF the future have take
on q distinctness that leaves us no long
er in doubt which way to take up ou
course.
-Four months ago. the eyes of the natio
were habitually turned inwardy upon il
self The industries and commerce of thi
continent monopoliged US. Our polcie
were the policies of America alone-runnin
too frequently. particularly in their finan
cial and commercial phases. into a thin
apart from the corresponding systems G
the world. 1t was. in my Judgment.
providential hand. gloved in the smoke G
battles. that led US out from these confnin
boundaries to the mountain spur We no,
occupy.
There is moral elevation in a wide ou
look. AS people. We, for the first tim
look clearly over the empires of the eartl
Of honor, but as the ministers of both. II
invitation comes to take our share in ii
opportunities and responsibilities of tn
wider field. The immediate question, II
one that, by its solution. will either brir
US in or bar us out of this larger nation;
sphere. relates to the permanent occup;
tion OF our Spanish conquests.
'The true question Is not whether Por'