Evening star., 1898-11-15
AN OPTIMISTIC VIEW
Senator Morgan Talks on the Future
Of This Country.
UNIVERSAL SENTIMENTFOR EXPANSION
Effect of Acquisition of Territory
on Domestic Policies
n G. A r A & U A N CA n AL


party suffered at last weeks elections; as
an American he sees broad prospect open
ing before this government.
Il am no prophet" he said, in conversa-
ton with a Star reporter today; Il do not
know what will be done at the coming ses-
sion of Congress. There is much to be
DONE the time is all too short in which to
do it. Much must remain in doubt until
the peace negotia tions at Paris have been
concluded Until We know about that it is
impossible to tell what will be done. If
treaty of peace is signed it will have to be
considered by the Senate, and if it's terms
are acceptable, legislation will have to be
had accordingly. If there Is no agreement
this government will have to fall back upon
the proposition of holding what it has
Steps will have to be taken to hold posses
sion of the territory in dispute before the
commission, well as that which Spain
has yielded sovereignty over in the proto-
col. Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines
will have to be garrisoned and put in a
state of defense, and it will remain to be
seen what steps Spain will take to regain
their possession. She can do nothing but
maintain a sullen protest, as she did when
Mexico got her liberty. Her only recogni-
ton of the liberty of Mexico was her evac-
uat1on Without acknowledging our right
to the territory claim, she would yield
possession. We would then have to send
soldiers to garrison the islands and main
tain military government for a time.
Probable Ratification of a Treaty.
IF a treaty of peace is signed its prospects
of ratification by the Senate will be increas-
ed by the fact that its rejection would
throw US back into a state of war. treaty
that made too great concessions to Spain
that restored to her the Philippines, for in
stance, might be rejected on that ground
sir th. foil tbo
US in possession of the territory But if the
treaty provides for the acquisition of the
Philippines by this country or leaves those
Islands under the protection and domina-
ton of this government, those who oppose
such an order of things can have no motive
for the rejection of the treaty, since by it's
rejection the very acquisition which they
sought to avoid would be accomplished
with more complication and an uncertainty
as to how much further it would lead. The
administration now appears to have gotten
around to the policy of retaining the Phil
ippines.
This will, in my iudg nent, not lack the
necessary support in the Senate. / suppose
there will be some opposition, but this
whole country west of the Mississippi river
is absolutely solid in support of expansion
in this direction. In that section it is a
popular, universal and unanimous senti-
ment. Whether the policy is wise for the
future or not, the sentiment exists and is
Irresistible, and senators representing the
states west of the Mississippi must respect
it. The future of the whole western slope
and the middle west relies upon the devel-
opment of the Pacific commerce. What are
such states as Nevada, Utah, Idaho Wy
oming and Colorado to look forward to If
they are not to find an outlet for their in
dustry and market for their rich products?
They cannot be expected to be content to
go forth into the alkali plains and dig
holes for water to irrigate and make fertile
fields for the production of what they al
ready have in over-abundance Are they
wit he
factures of the east? 1t is toward the west
they look for their opportunity for enter
prise and con merce. Destiny-the progress
CT civilZation-opers the way that could
rot be marked out by design.
The Spirit of Liberty
This government cannot set out to gain
advantages by conquest but the spirit of
liberty advances with enlightenment With
the first awakening of love of liberty
and an ambition among a people to govern
themselves they seek our friendship and
vance by the natural development of the
institutions of free government. The war
with Spain was forced upon u.s. 1t was
not sought by us with design to acquire
territory or to extend our commerce, but
by its results a people are lifted out of
bondage and introduced to freedom, and we
in turn are benefited by it through the
opening of new fields of enterprise.
Our power and wealth are in free gov
ernment, and as that extends our influence
increases. Aside from the intrinsic value
OF the Philippine Islands, the liberation of
the people opens up a new field of enter
prise and gives a stimulus to trade. But
these islands, like Hawaii, have an I'M
mense intrinsic value. By the acquisition
OF Hawaii we got possession of territory
which, had it been but barren rock our
interests demanded no foreign government
should possess and which we needed as a
station and defense for our commerce But
those islands are rich in things we do not
produce. The coffee grown there is the
pest IN the world. l have not visited the
Philippines, but are told that they are
rich in productive soil, in forests IN min
erals and even in jewels. There is gold ond
silver and coal to be dug out of the earth,
forests to be converted into valuable lum-
Der, products to be got from the soil and
manufactures to be developed AS to the
people, the average, taking the whole eight
or ten million of all classes, is said to be
above the Japanese.
There will be no difficulty about the gov
ernment of the islands. An example of the
ease with which the people who come to US
In the progress of free government to the
west take on the garb of freemen and adapt
themselves to our institutions will be found
in our absorption of Hawaii. The change
of government there will be accomplished
with much ease as a babe is lifted from
the cradle to Il bed. There will be absolute
ly no embarrassment nor difficulty about
dealing with Hawaii, and there is no rea-
son to anticipate difficulty in dealing with
the Philippines, either as a part of this
country or as a government under our in
fuence and direction
influence of New Territory.
What influence do you think this aco,,i-
sition of remote territory will have unon
our domestic affairs?" was asked of the
senator.
with territorial expansion and deveIon-
ment of commerce will come a quickenine
of enterprise, an opening up of opportuni
ties, stimulus to ingenuity, an expansion
of manufacture and of trade, an extension
and nberalizing of customs, revenue and
shipping laws, and an expansion of orr
whole financial system. Instead of a CON
traction, there will be an expansion of c,r-,
re1cy, and all our domestic policies viii ad-
just themselves to the new conditions Tho
course of events will accomplish what parfv
contentious have failed to accomplish.
The expulsion of Spanish money which
is silver, from Porto Rico and the PhiIfn
pines. and its replacement by America
money, together with the vastly increased
demands of trade, will, in my Judgment in
he N-nt, af ety,,1.