The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-07-24
Justice Brewer on Expansion.

0uSuCS brewer OH GNpd liSaVft
Justice Brewer OF the supreme bsnch
does not believe that we should retain
Cuba. Puerto Rico. and the Philippines
/ except for a short time. and as means
! OF collecting war indemnity. re Is also
opposed TO an Alliance wita England or
any other nation
4 think we have 20 take possession OF
Cuba. Puerto Rico. and me Philippines
as war measure and Tor :hs purpose
OF getting indemnity. ] should look Up-sn
al except Cuba stmP'y IN the same light
as l would on mortgage upon a man
farm: I would foreelose thar mortgage,
not because 7 wanted 20 take the farm.
but for the reason Shat I wanted the
farm 10 sell IN order 20 raise the money,
I do not see how Spain viii ever be able
TO pay US an indemnify. and 50 | would
take her real estate. I think II is con-
sistent with our policy. and II is certainly
necessary that We should keep Cuba for
a while and have an army there in order
10 maintain good order. AS far as Cuba
is concerned. although we passed a reso-
| luton that We did not inaugurste this war
with the idea OF acquiring territory. but
simply TO relieve the people from Spanish
rule. I think the same spirit Of humanity
which prompted the war will compel Us
to keep force in Cuba until they have
more than quarter OF a million people
or the island and IL will take some time
TO get a stable government We may de-
mand possession Of those islands Sc
curity for the payment Of indemnity. and
keep Cuba for the sake OF order, but when
those objects are accomplished l think
we should then let them GO
Il DO not believe in colonial expansion
at ali. ] think, however Hawaii stands
L -
tections to colonial expansion are two
fold. You take the Philippines. with from
5000 900 10 10000, coo OF people; Cuba, with
more than $1,000: and Puerto Rico Il do
not remember the number, and there is
but one way 10 manage those people
/. That is by force, just as England man
ages Egypt. South Africa. and India 10
a great extent. Their government over
these colonies rs arbitrary. despotlc We
may call ii. They appreciate the necessity
OF good government and govern wisely
but for all that II is not a government Of
the people.
Il do not see how We can initiate that
kind Of colonial control without changing
our theories OF government. For the ter
ritory we have hitherto taken We have
/ introduced a territorial system Of govern
ment, 4 territorial legislature. a govern
ment of the people. I do not think that
can be done with those people, and think
that il will be introducing a new system
into our policy.
Again, I think il would compel an I'M
necessary increase in our army-I don't
know but what some increase is needed
anyway. We would be bound 10 have G.
large increase in our navy, and / do not
like the idea of this country considering
itself a milftry power l think If We had
a large army and large navy we would
be getting into trouble with the other
nations. 1t is human nature for an army
officer and a naval officer TO want promo
ton, and il II does not come rapidly
enough he wants some war to bring il
about.
In so far as the Philippines are con-
cerned, especially, il seems to me il would
be black eye 10 the Monroe doctrine.
When we said that the European nations
must not take possession OF any territory
in this continent, it is a sort OF implied
declaration that we would not take any
possessions IN their continent II We
reach out into the Asiatic countries and
take the islands there it would look as
though We could not say anything II
European nations reach over here and
take possession of territory.
There is another thing IN this con-
nection / want TO talk about. l have
seen in a good many religious papers and
heard in a few sermons that because
we had the best civiliZat ton In the world
il was our destiny and our Christian duty
TO reach out and make other nations ac-
cept our civilization. II seems TO me that
the best way we can make our civilization
of value 10 others is by example and
not by force. We can make X valuable
to the world a great deal better by ex-
ample than by appropriating territory.
If it had been proposed In congress
to appropriate the Philippine Islands, Pu-
erto Rico and Cuba / believe 10 would
have been voted down. ( 70 1. Yet the
was has developed such conditions that
a great many men in congress. as well
as out Of It, are beginning TO think that
colonial expansion is before US. There
IS a different sentiment today in congress
than what there was at that time"
What is your idea about the proposed
Anglo-Saxon alliance, as mentioned by
Chamberlain in his speech some time ago
and talked Of IN this country was
asked.
Il do not believe in a formal alliance
! think George Washingtou's advice is
as sound today as it was when given, to
all alliances. At the same time ! believe
in an arbitration tribunal 70 settle all dis
putes between the two nations, ard also
believe in the closest kind of Intercourse
between them 1 think a formal alliance
would expose us 70 the possibility Of con-
troversies with other nations"