Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1898-12-24
W ElSnINGH0N NEWS
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 1898.

OF his colleagues when he speaks, AL
though he is not an orator, in the gen
eral acceptance of the term. His
strong point is facts, and he brought
out an unusual lot OF them when he
proceeded to demolish the thing set up
by Senator Vest in the uamo OF an ar
gument in favor OF his resolution, de-
claring that this government had no
constitutional right to acquire terri
tory except with the Intention Of ad-
mitting it to the Union as u State. Mr..
Platt made it as plain as a, b, G, that
acquire territory to be disposed of in
any manner it might see fit, and
cinched it by showing that it had al
most from the beginning of the govern
ment exercised this right without
question.
Republicans in Congress are delighted
with President McKinley's triumphant
tour OF the South and enthusiastically
endorse everything he said about ex-
pansiop and the government caring for
the Confederate dead. The enthusi-
asm with which the Presidents
traight-from- -tbe-shoulGer expansion
talk was received in the South was a
pointer for some of the democratic
anti-expansionists that is being care
fully studied.
Mr.. Bryan was not altogether salts
fed with the results of his trip to
Washington. He did not find the
democratic response to his anti-expan-
sion Keynote all that he expected it
would he. On the contrary, he was
plainly told by number of democratic
Senators and Representatives that they
could not endorse his position, aud that
their constituents would not.
Strange as 1t may seem, there are
Senators aud Representatives, none of
them republications, who oppose the
bill TO increase the regular army to
10000 men, and to otherwise put it
upon modern basis. Some of these
men were very loud in their complaints
because the organization of the army at
the beginning Of the war with Spain, was
so inadequate to the occasion that there
was unavoidable delay in getting the
army into fighting condition. Now,
they want to perpetuate the old and
inadequate organization, forgetting the
advice OF Washington-"In time of
Peace, prepare for war" Fortunately
for the country, these obstructiouists
are in the minority; their opposition
may delay the increase of the army,
but it cannot prevent it.
Hon. David ]. Hill, Assistant Secre-
tary of State, delivered an interesting
address on the ''expanson of civiliza-
tion" at banquet. Referring to the
disposition in some quarters to harp
on the word ''imperlalism,' Mr.. Hill
said: "a malignant disposition could
not have selected a worse word than
| imperialism. a better word, which
expresses the true condition, Is eXpau-
sion. It. is not new one and the idea
is not novel, l. has existed since the
inception of national growth. Civil
ization must 20 on until there is not
one province, one island, one individual
upon which its benign light does not
!. fall" He answered those who argue
that it would be a violation on the Con-
stitution for US to sci up a form OF GOV
ernraent over any people, without al
lowing them to choose its form as well
as its officials, by saying: Nations as
well as individuals must pass through
i, the period Of minority, Il was so with
this patton. See how closely our fore
fathers guarded the right oi franchise.
I All constitutional lawyers agree that
the franchise Is hot natural right,
but legal gift. The natural rights
are life, liberty and the pursuit oI
happiness, and | cannot believe that il
{ is an evil for the stars and stripes tc
float over any people, and it ia there
! fore our duty to extend the blessing;
of our civilization to all men capable o
receiving them"
The Senate Committee on Foreign
> Relations, and the House Committee
on Territories are both at work upOr
q bills providing a government for Ha
wall, and present expectation is that th,
bills will be reported early in January
Judge Z. G. Beaseey, of Fayetteville
It Ca, is a representative intelligeu
II Southerner. He is now visiting Wash
y ington, and among other interesting
things, said: president Mckinley ha
made himself so solid in the Soutl
especially in Georgia and Alabama
that in the event OF his renominatio
in 1890, he will get thousands OF dem,
II cratic votes in those states. His broaC
" gagged sentiments and generosity hav
In captured our people"
he |