The times., 1898-12-18
Time-Worn Prophecies

1t is self-evident that the treaty. of paris
does not alone vest the title Ia the pbir;,
pines in this country. We took them bv
force OF arms when We captured Manila
after Dewey's magnificent work had made
its longer defense impracticabIe The
treaty merely recognizes a fact from
which there is no escape. 1t does not bind
US to keep the islands We may still dis
pose of them as We will, just as though
the treaty had not been made Objection
to expansion, therefore, does not involve
opposition TO the agreement effected be-
tween the Peace Commissioners. The
treaty is essential to the formal closing
of the war If it does not stand or an
other in its place, Spain is at liberty to
issue letters to anybody who has a ship
and desires to prey on American COM
merce on the high seas, and we violate
all the laws of civilization. If this par
ticular agreement between the two ma.
tions is rejected by the Senate we mus,
make another effort. In the first, foreign
powers We're restrained from interfering
by the friendly attitude of Great Britain.
and, according to President Mckinley. by
the supposition that all Americans were
united in support of the policy of the Ad-
ministration in relation to our demands on
Spain. a rejection by the Senate would
family withheld their hands that the Pres
ident is without the support of the peo-
pie, and that there would be no popular
sentiment in favor of resenting the in
tervention of nations claiming to have an
indirect interest in the future of all the
different islands wrested from Spain. We
should lose not merely what the un-
American minority want as to lose. but
also the respect of the world and the
benefits they admit we should have 1t
is not certain England would be as eager
TO support us again, now that we have
threatened TO make the attempt to extend
our Chinese wall around our new possess
sfons. There is nothing in the treaty that
would warrant the threatened opposition.
which we do not think will materiaAze.
When the treaty is ratified and the ques-
tion of legislation for the island depend
sion may logically interpose their objec-
tions. II is to be hoped that by that time
for the credit of American statesman
ship, they will come into some accord as
to the reasons why we should throw away
such an extraordinary gift of the gods, or
of Mars, at least; that they may find
something less discredited than the gen.
erai warnings of the downfall of Ameri-
can institutions. For this is not the first
time exactly the same fears have been
expressed, and in exactly the same words.
1t is recalled that at the time of the
representatives predicted the end of re-
publican Institutions If the purchase
should be ratified. Every reason, includ-
ing the unconstitutionality of the pro-
ceeding, was urged then that we hear
now. Senators Pickering. Tracy and
Plumer and Representative Griffen of New
England, like Senators Hoar and Hale,
opposed expansion on constitutional
grounds, and because they feared the
vast extent of our empire Said one:
But as to Louisiana-this new, immense
unbounded worid-if 1t should ever be
incorporated into the Union, of which 1
have no idea-it can only be done by
amending the Constitution-and, believe,
will be the greatest curse that could be-
fall u.s. etc.
Again, as to Oregon, the same unrea-
sonable fears were thundered into the
ears of the expansionists. 1t was shown
that it would be impossible ever to con-
struct railroad to that distant territory.
why" exclaimed one senator. "the
wealth of the Indies would be insufficient.
l would not give a pinch of snuff for the