The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-28
Expansion.

\ canvass Of about two-score of the
representative citizens of Utica, y. Y,
upon the subject of the proper attitude
of the United States toward the Phil
ippine islands, made recently by the
Press of that city, disclosed the same
diversity of opinion which obtains
generally throughout the country,
more particularly, however, in the
eastern Gtates. In this canvass, as in
others which have been made in other
localities, there were Republicans who
thought the United States should not
retain the islands and there We're Dem
Ocrats who said that we should hold
fast to them. There were several
clereymen in the list and the prevail
ing notion in that profession seemed
to he that under all the circumstances
great field and opportunity for civil
izine, christianiZing work is opened
up, and that the destiny as well as
the duty of this country is TO take up
the task this providentially, as they
claim, provided Some expressed fears
Of complications and unpleasantness
incident to ownership or control over
colonies so far removed from the seat
Of government, and others declared
very emphatically that Dewey should
never have been sent to Manila or
having accomplished the destruction
of the Spanish fleet, should immediate
ly have sailed for home, letting the
wrecks, material and political, take
care of themselves.
The Press, itself, in reviewing these
varying opinions, comes very close to
the common sense of the subject, when
after pointing out that the president
and his advisers, having had the ben
eft of comprehensive information
much of which has doubtless not yet
reached the general public ought tc
know pretty we'll what they are do
ing, it adds
1t must be pretty clear that the United
States has incurred some respons Utilities
around Manila which IL can not shIrk
The Anglo-SaNon influence seems destined
well as determined to some day ruS.
the world and American ascendancy ii
that archipelago is long step in that
direction. Even the most enthuSias stiC
eXpansionist does not believe In annexinl
those far off islands and bestowing upor
their more or less civilized inhabitants
alb the rights and privileges vouchsafeC
to American citizenship. 1T is urged anc
truthfully, that this was war of hu'
manity, but not for conquest, ana further
more that il was aimed only TO drive III,
Spanish tyrant and oppressor out of Cubi
and that the only questions properly
raised are those INJECTED directly with
Cuban freedom. This argument, carried
to its fair conclusion, would have pre-
vented even Dewey from going 10 Manila
at all, would have prevented Glass from
stopping n day or two at the Ladronei
and taking IN an island there, would hav,
prevented Miles iIom landing at Pore
Rico a war once started for humanity
sake can scarcely be stopped this sid
of conquest. The same argument applied
during the rebellion OF the early sixties
would have freed the slaves for human
lty's sake anu suffered the confede:ac,
TO exist as separate ana Independent
government because recalling the Sc
ceded states into the Union. indeed, com
pelling their return, was in Il sense
war OF conquest. When a nation goes /,
war with another II seeks "a cripple an,
TO capture wherever it can. Had thi
war been limited only to cuba, !nhniteh