The herald., 1898-05-20
YANKEE DOODLE DANDY

y continental statesman has called at
tention to the dinculties inseparable from
an Anglo-American alliance, or any
other kind Of alliance with the United
States, because Of the absence Of stability
In the public sentiment Of this country.
The Justice of the structure will be cheer
fully conceded. While not so mercurial
asthe French, nor so volatile as the 1tal-
ians, we yet lack the stolidity Of the
German or the imperturbability Of the
Briton.
six months ago we would not have ac-
cepted Hawaii as a gift. Submitted to
the popular vote, annexation would have
been defeated by an overwhelming ma
jority. Our faces were unalterably set
against any territorial expansion beyond
traditional continental lines. Today 1t
might not be safe to bring the Hawaiian
treaty to vote in the senate. 1t would
likely fail Of the required two-thirds vote.
But 1t would be carried by large ma
jority in joint session. 1t would undoubt-
edly secure majority Of the popular vote
Of the country.
The capture Of the Philippine islands,
an incident Of the war scarcely contem-
plated with any seriousness month ago,
has changed the whole current Of Amer
ican thought. Hold the islands? Why,
OF course, and Porto Rico. too. And the
Canaries and the Balearics!
The aggrandizing sentiment has, in
deed, grown with such rapidity, in the
past few weeks, that to large class of
our people the war will seem to
have been fought measurably in vain un-
less we shall have seized the last insular
possession Of Spain.
And having consigned to the lumber
room. along with other heirlooms, the
cherished Monroe doctrine, and hushed
the still small voice Of Washington In
admonishment Of entangling participa-
tion In Old World politics, the annexa-
tion Of Hawaii becomes but an incident,
and Samoais not nearly SO far away.
At the present rate Of progress, within
six months time we shall be considering
schemes for the annexation of Canada
and the acquisition Of Mexico.
Nor is this remarkable head-swellins
confined to the common people, nor yet
to the uncommon newspapers. Senator
Stewart declared, only the other day
that certain death awaits the party tina.
shall advocate the surrender Of the Phil
ippines to any power whatsoever.
We are talking loudly about the big
American navy of the future. and begin
ming to reconcile ourselves to an enlarge
ment of our standing army-a ffty-yeal
buGaboo. to provide against which the
minority in congress stood solidly only
afew weeks ago. when the reorganization
bill was under consideration. Indeed, tn.
fate Of the bill hung for number Of days
upon the reluctance Of the majority tc
consent that the standing army should bs
reduced to its traditional dimensions
once peace is declared.
Our wrath against England has beer
nursed for century, and when, unit
within the last thirty days, have w,
missed an opportunity to twist the lion.
tail? The war of 1872 didn't begin t.
close the incident. Whenever, since tha
time. our liver has been torpid, we hav,
vented our spleen on England, and whel
w have been normally healthy ant
cheerful. we have amused ourselves will
'nQktpG fun at John Bull. We haveques
4i6n6d the wisdom and the humanity o
~ colonial policy. We have satlrized hi
pgfpxs1ne selfshness in all parts of tn
Glpbe. We have animadverted upon hi
t16apsiStency in bolstering up the powe