The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-08-20

frequently, particularly in their financial
from the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES i svstems of the
world. It was, in my judgment, provi-
Dental hand, gloved in the smoke of bat
boundaries to the mountain spur we now
occupy. There is moral elevation in a wide
outlook As people. we. for the first time.
look clearly over the empires of the earth.
Without the sacrifice of righteousness or of
honor, but as tile ministers of both, the
Invitation comes to take our share in the
opportunities and responsibilities of this
wider field. The immediate question, the
one that, by its solution, will either bring
us in or bar us out of this larger national
sphere. relates to the permanent occupation
OF our Spanish conquests.
THE TRUE QUESTION.
s"The true question is not whether Porto
Rico. Hawaii and the Philippines are in
trinsicaily worth the responsibilities in
CURED by their occupation; whether their
commerce and resources will counterbalance
the new dangers that their requirement
would introduce into our political system.
For / see behind them, in the horizon to-
wards which we are heading. looming up
from the Pacific. in mountainous interest
and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES which the outlines
of the Philippines are but a handspeck-
something more than islands, nothing else
than continent Within Asia lies the in
lerest and opportunity that, by it's large
the acquisition OF Porto Rico, partly be-
cause the moral purpose OF this war de-
mands that 1t should no longer be a political
plague spot in the otherwise purified Carib-
bean sea, but chiefly because it is the gate
way to the Caribbean-a sea that, when the
commerce of Asia is fully developed, and
the Nicaragua canal opened, will, from
both naval and commercial view, become
the most important water on the face of the
globe: favored the acquisition of Hawaii,
and favor the acquisition of the Philip
pines, or as much of them as may be needed,
solely because in the new career of COM
mercial activity upon which, trust, we are
about to enter, we need, clear across the
Pacific, line Of naval stations and home
ports: stations in every sense our own, car
rying under the soil the American title and
over IL the American flag.
II favor the retention of the Philippines, or
at least part of them, that they may stand
as tangible continuing demonstration of
Asiatic waters. The value of these con-
quests is not in their territory, nor their re-
sources, separately considered, but in the
fact that as an entirety they constitute
chain precisely adapted to the expanded
sphere in which we are to enter. care lit
tie for the links, individually, but every
thing for the chain that will henceforth
hold us to our opportunities in the far
THE FUTURE OF ASIA.
After paying notice at great length to OBJ
jections urged by opponents of annexation
Judge Grosscup continued:
Il come now to what is, in my judgment
the most interesting and important object
of our future foreign policy. / refer, of
1t is in that quarter that we will find a
situation open to American enterprise, a
commerce waiting for American venture,
and eventually a people and institutions
ready for a graft from the tree of Anglo
Saxon civil liberty. Outside of these cOun-
tries that are already European dependen-
cIes the populations of Asia number already
10000, COO souls. They have up to the pres
ent time lived almost apart from mankind
The breaking of the seal upon their ports
is to us of Europe and America the dis
covery of a new continent. In the nature
of things great results must follow. The
discovery of unpeopled America broke up
the deepest foundations of European life
the opening of Africa, peopled only by saw
ages, has stirred every corner OF European
enterprise But here in the far East, swing
ing inward, doors that will admit us to
one-half of the desirable territory and one
third of the population of the earth. 1t is
a land without railroads, without manu-
factories without cities built on modern
lines, without fields cultivated by modern
implements. 1t bids for every character of
American enterprise. 1t lies under the tenn
perate zone, the only strip of our globe that
insures health to men now alive and prom
Uses increasing vigor to men yet to come.
Looked at from every material point OF
view the invitation rendered is one that
cline. The breakup in the current of
Asiatic life is at hand. The people of China
modes Of life with us and to reach out for
some of the physical aids that we are ready
to offer.
moment are opening gates that will in a
few years reveal a market transcending in
value our own and transcending our own
Immensely in its poteEtialities for the
future. The full magnitude of this opening
era has not yet dawned upon the world.
far-seeing America will soon compass 1t.
Looked at from every side-its certainty
it's immense proportions, it's Unreasonable
potentialitieS for grOwth-it reveals itself as
a world event commercially more important
than the discovery of America, an event in
many respects without parallel in the his
tory of mankind.
Our course seems clear. if we are in
earnest in our purpose TO participate in the
development of the East. We need these
islands as an integral part of the naval
force, without the display of which we can
never obtain a proper snare in her COM
merce or protect Ii after 1t is obtained; we
need them as strategic points in a naval
contest with any power on the earth; we
need them that we may draw physically
we wish our influence to be felt, and our
commerce to expand: we need them, above
all other considerations. as security towards
peace-that character of peace-bonds that
all nations respect
MR.. SEIZURES SPEECH.
Mr.. Schurz said in part: THE future
policy of the United States will be largely
determined by the peace soon to be con-
cluded with Spain. We have to remember
that the war with Spain was Virtually ini-
tiated by the resolution adopted by Congress
which declared that the people of Cuba
should be free and independent then, moved
by the sense of duty the United States de-
manded the withdrawal of the Spanish
forces from Cuba, that the President should
Use the army and navy and militia to the
extent as may be necessary 10 carry these
resolutions into effect'-that is, to liberate
Cuba-and that such liberation and pacifi-
cation of Cuba accomplished. the United
States emphatically dsclaiming disposition
or intention to annex cuba, would leave the
government of the island to the people
thereof.
Now, / ask the advocates of annexation
among us whether if this Republic under
any pretext annexes any of the Spanish
colonies, ii does not really turn this sol
EMMY advertised war of liberation and
humanity into war of Self-aggrandiZe-
ment? l ask them what they will have to
say when our detractors repeat against us
their charge of hypocrisy and selfish mo-
tiveS2 If these questions car hot he salts
of the discussion. But in these days of ours
il is, perhaps, well to go ON proving that
honesty is really the best policy. What
shall we do with these Spanish colonies If
we do annex them? Are these colonies or
any part of them such that we could with
safety make States of our Union of them
challenge the advocates of annexation TO
show a single instance of a tropical
country in which people of that kind have
cratic government in a manner fitting it for
statehood in our Union.
Let the thought of annexing these
islands and their population to the United
States, either as States or as subject prov
ii,ces, be abandoned. Let Cuba and Porto
Rico be occupied by our military forces I'M
der discreet commanders until they are