Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1898-07-06
EDITORIAL op1Nlon
From Leading journals of All creeds
and Parties.
THE FLEET FoR sPAIN.

would never think Of bombarding de
fenseiess seaport, for that is benin,
the spirit OF the age: and as for bonn
bardments Of forts at Spain's princi-
pal naval bases, they would result IL
nothing very tangible unless long con
tinued and followed up by an armed
occupation. Watson's great oppor-
tunity-and it would be a great stroke
Of luck TO him-would be TO meet the
Spanish home squadron. But he has
little chance OF making himself ia.
nous 10 that way, unless the Philip
pine expedition returns, for the Span
iards will probably keep what few
ships they haYe left under the guns Of
forts. The more the proposed expedi-
tion is analyzed, the more IL seems to
de pend upon It's moral effect for sue
cess. 1t will certainly be humiliating
TO the Spanish people to see a Yankee
ieet saucily parading up and down
their coast line with CLIP on its
shoulder.-Springfeld Republican.
GARFIELD's OPINION.
1t is pointed out that Gen Garfield
favored the reciprocity treaty with
Hawaii because IL would be "a salts
factory substitute for all probable
schemes for annexation" Speaking in
the national house In April, 1875,
Garfield said: 81 wish to state dis.
'tinctly that except to the north Il
make distinction there trust we
have seen the last OF our anuexa-
tions." Why he made the exception
Of annexation 10 the north was be-
cause the British possessions there
we're Of contiguous territory and
homogeneous people, SHOULD we ex-
tend our possessions ihto the tropi-
cal belt," he continued, 1--WE should
weaken the powers of our people and
government" - Cleveland Plain
dealer
A LABOR QUESTION.
In addition to the party question
involved, the economical question Of
labor interests is concerned in the
issue. II we were. to take in the
Philippines as states or territories,
with their motley population as citi-
zens, we should bring at once the
pauper labor of the East In con4pe-
tition with the free and self-respect-
ing labor Of the western hemisphere.
The problem which political econom-
lists haye long discussed academically
would become question vital to our
industries. Boston Post.
CONDITION VS. THEORY.
The Bee believes that the Hawaiian
Islands are doomed to be grabbed by
some great Nation, and that inevit-
able circumstances may force us to
lay hold of them as a matter of de-
Tense and protection. That which is
inherently wrong may be made abso-
lutely necessary by the irresistible
trend of events. The rights in
the matter will probably be smoUh-
cred In consideration OF the absolute
necessities OF the times, and In view
of new problems that are confront
ing this government.
The Bee is willing to admit that
II is condition and not theory
that is about to confront us in re-
gard to the Hawaiian Island, and
that wise statesmanship may find 1t
necessary to cut It's policy to fit that
condition. sacramento Bee.
A RADICAL DEPARTURE.
Ask any OF these men who favor
such radical departure from our
established policy, which has proved
It's wisdom by century of trial, the
same questions that Washington asked
and see II they can give reasonable
reply. They say we need wider
market, but our trade with Canada
alone fav surpassoP anything we could
eyer hope from Hawaii, the Philip
pinesIand Cuba and Porto Rico com.
bined. The gain would be insigniti-
cant, aud the cost might prove fatal
20 our national well-being, as the cost
OF an army and navy TO maintain our
control OF those islands would be
greater than the benefit we would de-
rive from them. why,,should we
entangle our peace and prosperity for
such small gain, and acquire
something that would cost more to
keep than We could ever get out of it9
Newton, Mass, Graphic.
AMERlCANIsM THE BEST.
We do not believe in imperialism,
We do not believe In the right OF any
nation TO govern another. We do not
believe In any American, English,