The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-09-12
THE GOVERNING OF OUR NEW
POSSESSIONS.


There has been a good deal of curious
kind or form of government the United
States would establish in it's new possess
sions. Some timid persons of the mug
wump, anti-expansion school have ex-
pressed fears that we would not be equal
to the task of governing distant colonies,
and that the undertaking would lot only
fail itself but perhaps cause the failure of
show that these fears are entirely ground
less and unworthy of any one who has faith
in the principle of government by the peo-
pie and in the American method Of applying
it. The establishment of popular govern
ment and republican institutions in the new
possessions will only be a continuation of
what we have been doing from the begin
hing of the government. The geographical
distance of the new possessions does not
make the work any more difficult Hawaii is
not as far in days of travel from Washing
ton as Indiana was when the State was ad-
mitted to the Union, and San Juan de Porto
Rico is nearer New York now than Indian
apolis was fifty years ago. The anti-ex-
pansionists talk about the dangers of colo
nization, as if colonizing and governing an
island were any more dangerous than colo
nizing a Territory and converting it into
State, as we have done so often Colonizing
has not proved dangerous to England; on
the contrary. it has proved a great benefit
and source of strength. And why should
the United States shrink from a policy
which every other civilized nation in the
world is engaged in and trying to extend
especially when Providence or fate seems to
have forced it upon US?
AS to the particular form of government
TO be adopted in the new possessions, they
will doubtless differ in detail, but the gem
eral principles will be the same. The &C
ton of the Hawaiian commission no doubt
foreshadows the general line of action and
is pretty good indication of what will be
done In Porto Rico. In the first place. they
are not to be called colonies nor governed
as such. They are to become at once inte-
grail parts of the United States first as
Territories, but with possibility some time
of becoming States That is the American
idea, and it is strange that any person
should think any other plan of government
would be adopted. This does away at once
with the idea of imperialism, which some
people have talked about. and leaves a
large and healthy field for the operation of
local self-government. subject of course to
The supervision and approval of the United
States government This territorial IDEA is
distinctly American. 1t had its origin and
first practical application in the Ordinance
of 1887 under which the Northwest Terri
tory was formed, out of which came in due
time the States of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan,
Illinois and Wisconsin. 1t was applied to
the province of Louisiana, acquired in 1903,
and now embracing twelve States, the In
dian Territory and Oklahoma: it was APP
piled to Florida, acquired from Spain in
1919; to the territory we acquired from Mex
leo in 1S4S, including the present States of
California, Nevada Utah, and the Terri
tories of Arizona and New Mexico; and to
the Oregon territory finally acquired in
1876 and embracing the present States OF
Washington. Oregon and Idaho. So it will
be seen that the expansion idea and the
territorial idea have gone hand in hand
since the foundation of the government.
They as good now as they ever were,
and will be applied in the new possessions.
The territorial idea is based on the principle
of local self-government in local affairs. SUBJ
ject to the Constitution of the United
States, and this implies local legislatures
elected by the people, and many other local
officials. The Governor will be appointed
by the President for the term of four years.
A dispatch from Honolulu. evidently au-
thorized by the commissioners. says
Local self-government Will be given
through the extension of the municipal
idea. The islands will be divided into mu-
Eicipal districts. having control, under re-
strictions and limitations, of purely local
affairs. Honolulu, for instance, will be a
the Island of Oahu. Hawaii may be divided
into two districts and Molokai, Lanai and
Niyahu may be attached to some other
municipal districts. The question of ter
ritorial legislature has been fully settled
There will probably be one, but with linn
tied powers. All the attributes of sover-
eighty, however, will be exercised by the
national government of the United States.
This municipal idea" which it is said will
be Incorporated in the territorial govern
ment seems to be peculiar to Hawaii. and.
in the opinion of the commissioners. worth
preserving, probably because the people are
familiar with it, In the same way we con-
tinued the parishes" and the civil law in
Louisiana, and doubtless will continue some
features of the Spanish regime in Porto
Rico which will not interfere with the oper-
alton of republican government. The best
way to Americanize our new possessions
will be to give the people the largest posi-
BILE amount of local self-government con-
sistent with the exercise of supreme author
ity by the United States. and not be I'M
necessarily harsh or hasty in interfering
with local regulations and customs There
is no danger but Anglo-Saxon common
sense and political experience will be equal
to the situation.
WHAT SPANISH DELAY MAY