The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-12

as tnOugn we could not get enOuSn WS
took far-away and unexplored Alaska
a little later on.
You may say there Is difference
between taking land on your own con-
tinent and taking 1t away from your
own continent. In these days of steam
and electricity that distinction has less
accent than II used to have, but II is
valid distinction yet. But at the
same time II Is difficult to imagine any
thing on the globe at present more re-
mote or inaccessible or more difficult
of defense than California and Alaska
were when transcontinental railroads
were unknown and the only waterway
was around Cape Horn.
1t must, however. be admitted that
taking lands like Porto Rico is taking
lands burdcned with difficulties, be-
cause they are occupied by an alien
people; but even that is not n new eX-
pcrience to our nation. Louisiana and
Florida had their alien populations;
and Mexico and Spain had for a long
time peoplcd all the territories that
came to us through the Mexican wal
and the Gadsden purchase. These ter
ritories were not thickly peopled, 1t is
true. but they were peopled. The cXper-
fence which cOnfrOnts us Is more pro-
found in degree, but II Is not different
in kind And again, from the landing
at jamestown until this day we have
been absorbing a continent peOpled by
an aboriginal race. You may say we
have not been entirely successful in
dealing with these Indians, but we GER
tainly are not an Inexperienced ma
tlon i'm dealing with alien and aborlgin-
al pOnulatiuns.
And If one thinks II a new departure
to be dealing as now with a European
nation-with Spain-and not with
Mexico, a neishbor it is well to re-
member that all we have of territory
except what we took from Mexico and
the Indians, we got from England,
France, Spain and Russia.
However much or little this vast,
restless national expansion may differ
in character from the expansion now
rising before US, it seems clear that
it would not be remorselessly over
turning and upsetting our traditions
and policies and habits to take on some
islands in addition to all the rest
THIS NATION EVER ISOLATED.
Turning now 10 the second element
of the proposed eXpansion-participa
tiOn in the international politics of the
world-let me remind you that we are
not Inexperienced in that either. Even
here we have not been an isolated ma
tiun entirely. Even here we should not
be taking wholly untried role.
Our people were n product of Euro
pean politics. From the first landings
until the end Of colonial life one half
of our interests and activities were en-
gagged with international and Euro
pean affairs and politics. There was
no such thing as isolation We were
anxious enough for isolation: but no
such thing was possible. We were an
outpost OF Europe. and not only with
in MS, but all around and about us
We're the currents and strivinps and
conflicts and wars Of the European ma
tions. And after our victory was
achieved and independence was es-
tablished we We're never for a moment
outside the conflicts and complications
or international politics until i'm the
war of 1912 we fought our way to a
second and more secure Independence
1t is therefore a great injustice to any
opinions we may form of the now
situation To base them on the ASSUME
tion that we are unaccustOmed to in
ternational life. From the very begin
ning until after 1915 our statesmen
were all trained to deal with the broad
ei politics of the nations They couIl
scarcely contemplate political uueS-
tion without reference to Europp.
me strenuous period of our fornig1
politics passed in 1915, ana after nearly
200 years of unremitting complication
with the affairs Of Europe We had =
period of welcome and deserved rest
IN WhlCh to devote ourselves to our own
domestic affairs. But at no time since
nave We been an isolated people. We
wanted to rest; but no growing ma
non with sense of it's own value to
IN" world could live entirely alone.
Very soon-almost immediately-the
insecure republics of Central and South
America claimed our sympathy and
protection Certainly no greater asaar-
tion Of international privilege. and no
greater interference in international
politics ever was made by an unsup-
ported nation than the assertion a.d
the Interference made by our Monroe
doctrine, and adhered to without re-
Scrv" from that date to this. 1t is the
very highest essence of International
politics.
CASE OF FRANCE IN MEXICO.
I need not again remind you of the
Mexican war; nor need ! call attention
To the continuous diplomatic life of our
nation. But it is well to remember our
complications dun ing our civil war with
England and France. and our friendly
relations with Russia; and to recall
our quick hostility toward France in
Mexico, when the civil war was uve.,
We moved at once to the verge of war
with the French. After France with
drew from Mexico We again had inter-