The evening times., 1898-11-22
The Anti-Expansionists.

The Antt-ENpaDs1Onlsts-
1t is easy for the mere theorist to
prove that ii is difficult. if not impossi-
BILE, for this nation to govern island
colonies of which the natives are not
used to free institutions. He can go
further and prove by his theories that
il is impossible 10 carry on growing
republic for hundred years under the
principles that are embodied in our in
sttutions. When the Civil War came,
the doctrinaires OF European monarch
les announced that il was the inevitable
collapse of the Republic which tEey had
foreseen for half a century. At any
time has been impossible to combat
their arguments against the perma-
nence of institutions that are not strict
ly democratic, yet lack the resources OF
the monarchy for emergencies TIE
only answer that could be- made was TO
point la the fact that we had existed
for a century with an eV5r-growinE
population gathered from every quarter
and lad successfully met every adverse
condition and turned it To the nations
benefit; that in spite of the alleged
rigidity Of the Fundamental law and the
incongruities that are inseparabie from
institutions not the growth of time and
experience, but the product of mems
thoughts, we have fostered the Increase
Of individual liberty and are today, as
a nation. the light and hope of the
world. We have achieved the impossi-
BILE and escaped the inevitable.
The arguments of the enemies Of ex-
pansiOn To prove that our institutions
are not adapted to the rule # remote
islands, that The reaction III the unedu-
Gated ccIonSrs on ouI own character
must be fetal are net new. Tney have
been used many times go show that the
incoming hordes of uneducated people
from the n"narChies of Europe. includ-
ing the least desirable of ltalyS danger
Gus classes and the prosecuted. unde-
yelCped Jews nf Russia. mus; impose on
US the worst attributes of the degraded
CLASSES. We have seen these unauswer-
able prophecies refuted by events and
the nation march on with giant strides
I, ward its high deStiny-the native
American ascending To higher planes Of
living by his releasa from the necessity
of the least elevating folms of toll. 1t
is true that there are Professor Nortons
here and there who maintain that the
American people as a whole are a poor
lot. but our splendid achievements in
peace ana ina war. our cultivation Of the
means of general education beyond the
rivalry If any nation where paternal
methods survive. until il iS a question
experience viii be necessary To the sue
csssful literary man. the painter the
musician the business man. are CON
vincine in the face Of all criticism.
We do not need to enter into argu-
mentS with the enemies of expansion.
The nation has never failed To adapt
itself promptly To- new conditions and
| To extract only good out of them. 1t is.
above everything, practical. and the
greater the demand on its resources.
/ the better the results. The conditions
We shall have 10 meet in the Philippines
are by no means diScouraging. but quite
I the reverse. M"mentary difficulties will
vanish before American determination
and energy and instead of burden, We
shall hnd IN" new possessions a source
4 II pr0lit. strength ana immense salts
| faction. Whether Ne shall ever be
| drawn into wars or their account de-
pends entirely on whether We want
war. owing to our increasing strength
and inyulnerabiliIy We shall be forever
! free from the menace "f war from any
| great power of Europe our new in
| terest in the worlds affairs Will simply
add tremendous influence for peace to
! its councils We shall have nothing Ia
gain by war. everything by peace. and
! it viii become our proud purpose 10 pre-
vent international conflicts. but without
submitting La the expressions that
| Turks and Spaniards have 50 long inn
posed on the helpless. If it were not
| that these blind docuinaires were the
| hopeless victims If theories they would
! be the most immoral Of mankind. Their
! present purpose is Incompatible in the
! immortality of its consequences if il
could be effective. Thanks 10 the sanity
| of vast majority Of the American peo-
ple and the submission of the President
| to the popular voice. their narrow doc
| trine will not blight the magnificent fu-
| ture of America and deprive mankind
# the benefit of our century of prepara-
ton