The Indianapolis journal., 1898-07-12
A RENEWED OPPOSITION.


Those who recall the opposition which
General Grants proposition to annex Santo
Domingo and st. Thomas met must be re-
minded by the opposition to Hawaiian an
nexation that it is much of the same ma
ture and comes OF the same element that
defeated the President in 1901. General
Grant, as soldier and a statesman. could
see the Importance which the possession of
Santo Domingo would be to the United
States. He saw that the island. with the
wretched successions of government or des-
potism with which ii was inflicted, could be
of no use to anybody. He could see that un-
der the control OF the United States sound
government could be given the people of the
island which would be great benefit TO
them and afford us an outpost in the At
lantic. At that time. however, General
Grant had foes, secret and open, in the Sen
ate. He had not pleased some senators in
the distribution of patronage. and he had
not patronized others as they desired So
the sentimental cry was raised that it was
the purpose of the President to extnguish
what Mr.. Sumner pleased TO call the
black republic" The opposition was sup
ported by that class of excellent men who
always assume superior virtues General
Grant was represented to be a man on
horseback and the dupe of schemers. The
republic of Santo Domingo was to be wiped
out in spite of the popular protest of the
people, and a quick succession of wretched
rulers was praised a government of the
people The treaty was rejected in the Sen
ate and Santo Domingo was left to it's voca-
ton of revolution.
1t is probable that the conditions to-day
would be very different had the treaty of
annexation negotiated by General Grant
and his great secretary of state, Hamilton
Fish, been ratified and the stars and stripes
had carried to. the island a stable govern
ment with its attendant blessings. The oc-
cupation of an island so near Cuba might
have established conditions which would
have led to a solution of the Cuban prob
lem without the present costly war. Except
the personal malignity against General
Grant, the policy pursued by the opposition
to the acquisition of Santo Domingo was in
the same line and tone as that which has
been made against the anneXing of Hawaii.
Fortunately, the people of the United
States can no longer be frightened by a few
excellent men whose misfortune it has been
to regard all as mischevous which they do
not applaud. Their able organs are no long
er potential. The average citizen has
learned that the Hawaiian islands have
been under the virtual protection of the
United States Because of the attitude of
Queen Liliuokalani condition had been
reached where the United States must go
further or relinquish our peculiar claims.
While this question was under considera-
ton, the war with Spain compelled us to
go to the Philippines To do this we made
sucn use of Hawaii. by the permission of
its rulers, as caused that government to
disavow it's obligations of neutrality to
Spain. Upon our part it was an imperative
necessity to use Hawaii as a coaling and re-
fitting station on the way to Manila. After
doing this, the United States was in honor
bound to protect the islands and their gov
ernment by annexation. To have done 9TH
erwise would have invited the contempt CT
the civilized world.