The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-10-04
TEN PAGES TODAY.
THE IMpERIALIsTy FAULTY Logic

In recent issue the Florida Times
Union and Citizen, after referring TO the |
original limited territorial extent OF this |
country, comparatively speaking. and the |
large additions that were made at different |
timos to our National domain. then INDUCES |
in some mental speculation as follows:
Bu, suppose Jefferson and his compatriots
had received their views at par value when
they argued to him that VIC already had
more territory than We cared to cultivate,
tia. To buy Louisiana and Florida to run
the danger of collision with all the European
powers. and that to take what Ia ours Is TO
invite ruin and to hasten National suicide?
suppose jefferson had listened to tneso wiso
Statesmen when they toid him mixed pope
alntons" were unfit to become American
essaens and that small ,, erSnpor.Sn OF
man and others could wreck many times
their number OF od-feshioned american
when they make the same arguments and
utter the same warnings with the same owl
like wisdom?
1t u ono of the amusing things of the
hour to follow this bad logic OF the expan-
sionistS, who are continually reaching this
same conclusion from two different sets OF
premises that have literally nothing In COM
mon.
Many OF our most intelligent men are
tIlutT ucNtiNAuk iHtmstlNcs, OF are ul-
tempting 10 mislead the public. by ASSUME
ing that the Expansion" which Is contem-
plated now Is OF the identical kind In which
tho Nation has engaged before.
AS matter Of fact the two policies are
as wide apart almost as the poles--there is
absolutely no comparison.
Old louisiana and Florida for example,
were originally lying side by side With our
possessions. Only an imaginary line sep
arated them from use The American citi-
gen could literally put one foot on Amer-
can ground and the other on French terri
tory. This territory. too. was practically
an ungnhabited Wilderness, but 1t was a
menace TO our power and safety SO long as
1t belonged to a foreign power. 1t was nee
essary 10 incorporate 1t In the Union to
get a. right Of way from our back door tC
the Sulf It's annexation necessitated nc
enlargement of our army or navy We
bought 1t to round of our boundary line
Take the present proposition. All the
territory annexed or to be annexed is re
moved from our shores. II is all densel!
populated by races totally different from
our own. Some OF 1t Is 1000 miles from ou
mainland. 1t is not needed. except on,
island, for defense; Its annexation viii
serve ND purpose In strengthening our boun
daries. nor in furnishing US right OF wa,
20 anywhere. II win require large arm
OF occupation for the maintenance OF or
der.
To use familiar illustration: In our ex
ransion heretofore we were but adding
backyard to our premises, OF buying fe,
adjacent acres to give the desired slap
to our farm. Now. with compact farr
and an abundance of untitled acreag
within ITS lines, we propose TO burden our
selves with the purchase or seizure OF
lot of other farms miles from the old home
stead!
IL there any parallel between the tw
vcntures7 Can the logic OF one by an
stretch Of false reasoning be mado to Il
tho otherf And yet many Intelligent Inc
continue to argue from the one to th
other!