New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-03
AMERICAN TEMPER.

There Is not so much shouting in Democratic
conventions and councils there was month
ago about the frightfu perlls of territorial ac-
QUESTION. Apparently the leaders have been
hearing from the people, and have found that
the less they say about the unwisdom Of keep
ing territory which has been legtimatey ac-
CURED through a war undertaken from the
noblest and most unselfish motives. and con-
Quoted with such vigor and success as TO com
mand the admiration of the world, the better
for them They have probably begun to dis
cover, also. that the average American has q
bigger pride in his country than ever before,
and Il stronger desire to see It take a place In
the front rank of the worlds cviizing and
progressive forces. Small politicians are likely
to suppose that the ideas of the people are as
narrow and selfish as their own. IL they ever
were, the Nations conception of its place in
the world has been altered by the events Of
this year
Ii Is true that Americans desire an econom-
lea, government. They do not want TO spend
countless millions for fuss and feathers, for
display and pretence of officials chosen as agents
Of the people for a big and utterly useless
Army, standing around idle and eating up the
bread OF workers without having power TO rem
der any practical service OF value 10 the mill
ions. In that feeling there has been no change
The country does not want an IDLE and useless
standipg Army any more than ii has In times
past. But your average American. If unwilling
TO pay dollar for nothing. has always shrewd-
ness enough 10 pay dollar for something worth
more than that sum. An idle Army he does
not want. But an Army necessary or in the
highest degree useful TO the country he pays
for without hesitation He counts with keen
intelligence the standing Of the United States
among nations as worth large sum TO the
people and the wageearners. He counts the
power IL defend every American interest by
land or sea. in any quarter Of the world, worth
something. He has sense enough to know that
rich and productive colonies may be made by
American enterprise and progressiveness worth
Infinitely more than such possessions have been
or over could be to such other Powers ms have
used them only for pasture land on which their
politicians and younger sons were fed.
1t is interesting. and yet wide OF the mark
to consider what her colonies have been worth
70 Spain. Cuba and Porto Rico have cost her
much. because they have not been so governed
as TO develop their resources or the productive
power Of their people, and because they have
been go intolerably misgoverned and plundered
as 10 involve enormous outlay every year 10
prevent or suppress Instructions They hive
cost her much because her administration has
been so dishonest that large part OF the
revenue due from such colonies has been stolen
by her officials and the hordcs OF contractors
IN league with them. They have cost still more
because with stolid stupidity, Spain has stran-
gied their trade. and consequently her own
revenue. by efforts to compel these provinces 10
buy from Spanish merchants and manufactur-
ers or not AT all Yet these Spanish colonies.
with all these losses and plunderings and crush
ing forms Of msrulc. have paid her a large
revenue.
II is not merely question Of money to the