The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-08-02
The Greatest Gain.


An interesting feature of contem-
porary events is the strong espousal
by leaders in the country's religious
life of the doctrine of incidentally ter
ritorial but more especially political
and moral expansion. One habituated
to Mugwump literature would natural
ly EXPECT the spoilsmen of our domes-
tic politics to be the chief and loudest
advocates of a colonial system because
of the opportunities it would throw
open; but on the contrary the most
enthusiastic arguments in favor of
holding in peace what our arms have
won in war come from the men who,
contradicting the cynical ingalls,, in
sist that the Decalogue has a place in
American politics.
We could fill pages with utterances
by eminent churchmen favoring the re-
tention and civilizng of captured ter
ritory, but for sake of illustration we
shall here cite but two examples. Says
Bishop Hartzell, of the Methodist
church: God has lifted us out of our
eXclusiveness and isolation, and is
bringing us face to face with the re-
sponsibilities of our greatness as ma
ton. This is not a war of conquest;
it's purpose was to relieve the OPP
pressed and to secure a liberal and
stable government and the light of
Christian civilization for the people of
Cuba. In the providence of God it has
been placed in our power to obtain the
same blessing for the people of the
Philippine islands, and can we as a
nation decline to accept that oppor-
tunity and turn away from our duty
simply because we only intended to dc
so much good and no more? Shall we
refuse to relieve two common COM
munities from Spanish despotism be-
cause we expected originally to relieve
| only one? We cannot abandon the peO.
| pie of the Philippine islands. Wher
| Admiral Dewey took possession of thai
| harbor and furnished arms and am
| munition to the insurgents we became
| responsible for the welfare of that
| island, and we cannot shrink that re
| sponsibility or abandon them"
In similar strain speaks Bishop Pot
ter, a churchman once reputed to hole
| pessimistic opinions concerning tn
| morale of American government ant
| political influence: II do not see," say
| he, chow we can abandon the people
| of the Philippine islands to their fat
after having once interfered in thei
| affairs by taking possession of thei
1 I'D h,.itN Npin
| China the leaders of a revolution whicl
| had been suppressed. / understand
| that they were furnished transporta
tion upon our warships, that they wer
provided with food and arms and am
munition by Admiral Dewey, and tina
it was largely through the persuasion
of our consul at Hong Kong tina
| Aguinaldo, the rebel chief, resumed hi
hostile behavior after having beel
bribed to leave the country by tn
Spanish authorities. 1t seems that W
have undertaken the responsibility 70
the welfare of the community wher
we have thus melted revolution, an
whether the Philippine islands be oc
cupied permanently or not it is diff
cult to see how we can restore to Spai
the authority that she was compelle
to relinquish because of our hostile in
| tervention."
The significance of these view
shared as they undoubtedly are by
vast majority of our foremost preach
ers and teachers, is not so much the
implied acquiescence in the revolution
airy policy of political colonization
which has almost like miracle supel
ceded the traditional American polio
of national isolation; asitis their man
fest confidence in the ability of Amer
can institutions to confer superb
: benefits wherever set up. Men VOL
to find fault with American WAYS ar
habituated to disparagement of Amer
can results are at last made aware
: the excellence of the American ord
Of things and with the zeal of fire.!
conversion yearn to spread that exec
lence broadcast. We regard this
the healthiest sign of the times and
far greater worth than any materi
! gain which this war has brought or
yet to bring.