The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-01
BRITISH CONQUEST OF AMERICA.
How Correspondent Looks at TIKI
Hispano-American War.

To The St. Paul Globe:
Forty years ago my father "a. T. R. James,
was British consul in an American city. l
was naturally patriotic little Englishman
in them days" l we'll remember that once,
when expressing my indignation at the dis
memberment Of the British empire by G.
Washington & Co., l was informed by my
seniors that England no longer regretted that
event, and would not now accept Of her re-
VOTED colonies If they should propose return.
ing to their allegiance. I thought, as small
boys sometimes will take the liberty of think
ing for themselves, that this was a case Of
&r grapes. But, as also is the habit of
small boys, 1 have learned in growing up,
to believe that the old FOLKS knew their bust
ness little better than I could teach them
at that time. For some years past it has been
my deliberate opinion, which have incurred
a certain amount of ridicuie through advo-
eating. that if these United States did offer
to resume the status of British colonies and
England accepted the proposition, she would
make a decidedly bad bargain. For she has
so fully retrieved by diplomacy all she lost
by arms that she is getting out of the United
States as much as, nay, more than she could
get if they were called colonies, without the
cost and responsibility which calling them
so would require. Any doubt about the
soundness of this judgment strikes me as
finally set to rest by Senator Davis remark
abe speech
need to go whining for. an alliance AS
true preaching. The days of her splendid
isolation are past. But how has this come
to be the case? Let Senator Davis tel us.
For some years, until her navy has been
strengthened the oversee possessions of
America must be held more or less on suf-
ferance; but, with the certainty that the
British fleet is on the side of our. kinsmen,'
all peril to the United States vanishes."
There you have it! The oversee possess
sions of America consist at present, or rather
will consis. of the Hawaiian islands. In ac-
curing this speck of territory, less valuable
and popu.ous than one American city like
Milwaukee or Memphis, we have hoodooed
which can be held ''only on sufferance.
through the protection Of the British fleet.
Consequently England has no need to go
dead to rights. We have stolen the milk
and stolen the kitten to drink 1t, and the
fine we must pay for stealing the kitten is
Of England. 1t won't do to kick any more
Until her navy is strengthened that is for
lat least some years. America holds her
needs the protection Of the British fleet! The
hegemony of the American continent inc.ud-
ing very particularly the United States them
selves, is formally transferred from them to
England. The Monroe doctrine is dead as
nail in door-the things say are just" Eng
land and the United States may keep other
nations from enlarging their American do
the United States must henceforth know she's
boss. 1t is not indeed probable that England
will do any such thing directly. She knows
her business far too well. Ever since the
principle for which we fought her in 1872
was laid down by the ignominous treaty of
Client she has simply made us a catspaw.
We had chastised the Barbary pirates and her
merchant marine got the benefit which she
had been too inert to win for It, while ours
was taxed out OF existence that we might
compete with her in hemp-raisng and iron
manufacture (which we cannot do at lasO.
We robbed Mexico and mortgaged the stolen
territory to 1Englishmen. We may next steal
Nicaragua to build canal with British capt.
tai. and increase our debt to Britain for
ance." Meanwhile we may also amuse CIR
selves with s.borrowing British money to 'In-
crease our navy" up to the point of restor-
ing our IT. dependence. But unless all signs
fall that VIII never be accomplished 'sThe
borrower is servant to the lender"
For the resubjhgation of the United States
to England both the great national parties
deserve share Of blame; for both, with
greedy stupidity, have been gorging British
bait these seventy years. But du. ing the last
twenty an unquestionable supremacy belongs
to the Republican. Born of civil hats nur-
tured on fraternal blood the party of tariffs
taxes and martial law, since the close of its
ignominious reconstruction fzzle, has MAIN
tanned dshonored existence by pandering
us the humbugging expectation that, CON
sidered as pirate, We may come to equal
England Surely the frog in the fable was
never blown up with windler expectations
nor ended in moro sonorous explos;on The
crime complete, its principal stands forth to
announce the future policy Of his faction;
which 10 dependent alliance on England, ~