The times., 1898-08-14

| beginning of the rebellion Congress de-
clared that the object of the war should
be 10 restore the Union and not TO dis
turb slavery. But before the war was
ended every slave was declared TO be
free; and the United States and the world
applauded then and applaud now the
emancipation proclamation.
And so the world will applaud our
holding the Philippine Islands as well
as Cuba and Porto Rico.
Then, again, these islands are needed
with Hawaii and the Nicaraguan Canal
as adjuncts to our commerce and the
building up of our shipping. Great Brit
ain is our great rival on the sea. II we
are TO compete with her, and do our
share of the worlds carrying trade, as
we should, we must have the facilities
that Great Britain has. These facilities
are islands in the sea and coaling sta
tiOns around the globe. A builder cannot
build house without tools. We must
lift ourselves out of our isolation and
take our place in the affairs of the world
If we are TO become a great factor in the
destiny of the human race.
I'VE cannot expand our commerce, we
cannot go on and build up American
shipping, unless we are put on an equal
footing with England.
This war has providentially thrown in
TO our hands these facilities. We should
not give them up under any clrcum-
stances.
THE holding of all these islands is just
as necessary TO our future growth and
expansion as the Louisiana purchase was,
or as the cession made by Mexico. Both
these additions to our territory were Yio-
lently opposed at the time, yet there Is
not a man or woman living now who
would willingly surrender either one.
''The United States must be the con-
trolling commercial nation in the world.
Its situation, If nothing else, entities 1T
to this 1t has the longest coast in
the world while England, on the other
hand, is but small island with limited
seacoast. And there is no reason what
ever why she should control the COM
merce of the globe, when the natural adj
vantages are all in favor of the United
States.
1--WE are now laying the foundations
of the future of the Republic. 1t will
endure. / hope, thousands of years In
200 years We will have between four and
five hundred millions of people. This will
be more in proportion than the three
millions that occupied the thirteen origi-
nal States. Consequently we will need
more territory for our increasing popu-
iation.
Then, again, the most important and
controlling consideration is that hereaft-
er we must look to home markets. Each
nation is now manufacturing what it
needs and more than it needs. This be-
ing the case the surplus cannot be sold
except in the home markets. The lead
ing civilized nations of the world are
reaching out for territory by every pos
sible means; and even resort to war in or
der to acquire islands in the sea
But in our case we have these islands
thrust upon us. And the question now is,
Have we the courage to take them? The
Philippines can support population of
from 10000 600 10 4000O,000 Cuba 5000 900
TO 10000, 600; Porto Rico, 100000 All
these people will be consumers-and con-
sumers of what we ourselves produce.
IT know objection is made that we
don't want to absorb barbarous nations,
that it is dangerous to the republic But
our record as a nation does not justify
this fear. We have disposed of the two
greatest race problems that the world has
ever known-the negro and the Indian
problems And at the same time we have
absorbed 1s00O.00O of foreign people.
I'VE are healthy nation, progressing
rapidly in every direction. able to wage
war successfully and command the re-
spect of the world. Shall we now shrink
from the petty problem presented by the
Philippines, after having grappled with
and cut so many Gordon knots in our
past history? God forbid.
"Our civilization and our republican
institutions are equal to any emergency
We have stood greater strains than any
thing prese2ted by the present Spanish
war.
There is no doubt the acquisition of
these islands will be good for the inhab-
itants, as well as for the best interests
of the United States.
''The objections now heard to the
holding of the Philippines were urged
against the acquisition of territory in the
early days of the republic. But who will
question the wisdom of such territorial
expansion now?
What Is the difference whether the
territory of the United States is reached
by rail or boat?
Then, again, we can extend around
these islands our coaStwise trade laws
which will give to us the control of their
shipping and commerce, without injury
to any other country
THE nations of the world cons tit1lte
vast family. The most enlightened Of
these are now reaching out for territory
consolidating and merging smaller states
into larger ones, in order that their peo-
pie can have home markets.
'fAnd if we are to compete, If we are to