The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-29
AMERICAN
And Not I'm
peralisnn
A POSITIVE POLICY.
New Idea of Expansion by
Charles Francis Adams.

Charles Francis Adams of Boston has
a letter in the New York Evening Post
on mot imperial. but American in
which he declares that this is the only
policy toward our new possessions that
is in accordance with American tradi-
lions and spirit He says:
To the Editor of the Evening Post;
Sir: There is one aspect, and, to my
mind, the all-important aspect of the
extra territorial expansion question,
which, in addressing an historical So
ciety, was not germane.
I refer to the question of a practical
policy to be pursued by US, as nation,
under existing conditions. That Spain
mas abandoned all claim Of sovereignty
over the Philippine islands admits of
no question. Whether the United States
has accepted the sovereignty thus aban-
doned is still an open question; but this
I do not regard as material. Neverthe-
less, we are confronted by a fact; and
whenever we criticise the policy up to
this time pursued, we are met with an
inquiry as to what we have to propose
in place of 1t. We are invited to stop
finding fault with others, and to suggest
some feasible alternative policy our
selves.
To this we must, therefore, in fair
ness, address ourselves. 1t is, in my
Judgment, useless to attempt to carry
on the discussion merely in the mega
tive form. AS opponents Of policy, we
must, in place of what we object to,
propose something positive, or we must
abandon the field of discussion. Accept
ing the alternative, now want to sug
gest a positive policy for the consider
alton of those who feel as we feel.
There has. it seems to me. been a
great deal Of idle "duty,' mission" and
scall" talk on the subject of our recent
ACQUISITION of Islands beyond the sea"
and the necessity of adopting some
policy, commonly described as "imper-
1al," in dealing with them. This policy
is, in the minds of most people who
favor it, to be indirectly modelled on
the policy heretofore so successfully
pursued under somewhat similar con-
ditions by Great Britain. 1t involvs the
abandonment or reversal of all the
fundamental principles of our govern
ment since its origin, and Of the foreign
policy we have heretofore pursued.
This, I submit, is absolutely unneces-
sary. Another and substitute policy,
purely American, as contradistinguish-
ed from the European or British known
40 liilpCi AS4 PC1ASSt NSsAA ANSANilS ~ Iva
mulated.
The essentially American policy
would be based both upon our cardinal
political principles and our recent for
eign experiences. 1t is commonly ar
gued that, having destroyed the exist
ing government in Cuba, Porto Rico
and the Philippines we have assumed
political responsibility and are under
a moral obligation to provide another
government in place Of that which, by
our action, has ceased to exist, What
has been our course heretofore under
similar circumstances? Precedents, /
submit. at once suggest themselves
presidents too, directly in point and
within easy recollection.
l refer to the course pursued by us
towards Mexico in the year 1S4S, and
again in 1866, and towards Hayti for
seventy years back. It is said that the
Inhabitants Of the islan0s Of the An
TILES and much more those Of the Phil
ippine archipelago, are as yet untitled
to maintain a government; and that
they should be kept in a condition of
"tutelage," until they are fitted so to
DO. II is further argued that a stable
government is necessary, and that it is
out Of the question for us to permit a
condition of chronic disturbance and
unrest to exist SO near our own borders