Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1898-12-21

on this point.
National Destiny Must Be Faced.
a ehfns nmdc by SOME public
men that Il passion for conquest
and territorial seizure has been
aroused in this country is unsnp-
ported by the slightest evidence.
Not an atom Of proof warrants the
charge in connection with the trea-
ty just completed with Spain.
Greed for land was not among the
causes of the war. The territory
Americans most value, that Of Gu.
ba, was protected from cess1on o,
seizure by our own voluntary
pledge approved BY Congress bc-
fore hostilities began. That dccla'
ration will be carried out in per
feet good faith. There arc many
who think that Cuba's best course
is annexation, and certain, in the
end, to pc adopted, but none would
disregard our promise to give tho
island peaceful conditions and,
when they arc secured, a free gov
crnment based on the votes Of the
inhabitants. The Philippines and
Porto Rico fell into our hands
through the direct operations OF
the army and navy. No land hun
ger was back of the advance upon
them. The Spanish fleet at Ma
Mia was attacked because it was q
threat to our whole Pacific COM
merce, and Porto Rico because it
gave a base against our Atlantic
coast and shipping. They belonged
to the cnomy. Their capture Grip
pied his resources and added to his
discouragcment.
No trace Of European colonial
rapacity is found iii this. When
the term IS Applied its use can only
be explained By The existence of q
sentiment against the natural ex'
pansion of the country. In some
cases this might be due to an ex.
trcme conservatism, but usually s
lack of robust patriotism and faith
in our institutions accounts for it,
"Heretoforc," says Mr.. Bryan Of
what he calls imperialism, ''grect
has perverted the government and
used its instrumentalities for pri
vate gain, but now the very foun'
dation principles of our govern
ment are assaulted" Here is AZ
assertion that the country is al
ready in the hands of corruption
lists, and that the annexation of thu
Philippines will weaken or destlo,
its basis. Senator Vest expfesse
himself in this fashion. The Ian
guage is not that of firm believer
| in thair oxvn nation. Snch Obstruc
tives Bitterly condemn political re
suits as shaped by the people
They think that the Uuited State
has been developed on wrong lines
and that it is now about to swing
from dcplorablc orbit to one tha
is worse.
flushed in one field by the plai1
demonstration of its errors, til
voice of calamity breaks out in an
other. If the American people ar
not to perish on cross of gol'
they will be consigned by the pre-
phets of evil to speedy cxtinctio
in some other way. The imper;a
istic AK is now ready for what MI
Bryan calls a perverted govern
: ment. But the sober sense of til
people brushes aside the vaporine
of these false guides, these pess
mists, who say worse things ft
5 their own country than were eve
, penned bya Spanish editor. "
shall keep the Philippines and Po
to Rico, not as colonial robber
but as enlightened Americans VIII
t know what is right and do not fes
to climb to the level of duty
the strongest republic and mo-
1 vigorous nationality the world b;
G yet known. The taint of peti
e Americanism exists but to a sligl
e extent. 1t will not change the cu1
i rents of destiny nor turn the pc
ple aside from their mission
greatness with honor, Of ,invincib
s courage and national firth. h.-Glob
c Democrat,