The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-11-19
DO WE WANT COLONIES7


sideraton of the situation ensuing upon the war
/ with Spain The demand that Spain give up
the Philippines has been hastily taken expressive
of our intention to hold them This is not at all.
REIMBURSEMENT of her sovereignty over those dis
tant islands, and committing it to us, evidence
OF President McKinley's intention to hold them
Nor do the late elections furnish any evidence OF the
peoples desire to retain them. In California the
Philippine question did not affect single vote. Both
parties had declared for the policy of expansion but
was an ex parte declaration and the result not
affected by it.
In New York the election OF Roosevelt and of a
Republican Legislature was brought about by causes
that had relation to for tropical colonies:
Alter his victory Colonel Roosevelt said Il shall
try administer the office of Governor in the inter
est OF the whole people. 1t is by doing that can
best show my appreciation of the support given me
by the independents and Democrats who have them
selves put the welfare of the State first declining to
follow those of their leaders who, this crisis, either
ranged themselves outright the side OF the forces
of dishonesty, or else supported them in effect by
standing aside from the real contest ,"
An analysis of the that led TO the result in
other States will show like situation.
Therefore the acquisition of tropical colonies IS not
decided by the people and is open question: to
be yet settled after ample debate
The abandonment to US of her sovereignty IN the
Philippines by Spain does not mean Our retention OF
them. We with perfect propriety secure a coal
ing station there and hand the sovereignty over to
the people, to whom it rghtfully belongs. We may
complete negotiations relating to the Philippine debt
and to all other matters acting therein the trus
tee of the people, and may go so far as to guar
antee their performance of whatever we promise in
their name, but all this is very different from ncum-
berng ourselves with possessions that mean cost and
trouble 1t is a subject for dispasSionae cons1dera-
ton and is not to be concluded by pseudo patriot
ism that is expressed by yelling. All the pretended
fervor about mailing the flag" is blue bosh and fus
tan. The American army officers and soldiers who
have swetered and sickened on that rotten tropical
soil, under vertical sun, not enamored. of the
land the people very large majority of the let
tiers written home by soldiers oppose the holding of
tropical country where their experience proves that
white men cannot live and thrive.
Up to this time the people have had transformation
in the shape of half the facts The two thousand
sailors and marines in Deweys feet have been truth
fully reported enjoying good health But they have
been on shipboard. They have drunk only distilled
water They have slept in wholesome quarters.
Their rations have been under careful inspection.
They could not get ashore to yield to the temptations
which undermine a mans strength Merchant sailors
in the tropics understand it perfectly. They know.
that long they stay deck they are safe, and
that there is every risk shore.
The health reports from Dewey's fleet led our peo-
pie to conclude that the climate was wholesome
the Sierra foothills or the Catskill Mountains. The
experience of troops shore at Cavite and Man
liza has undeceived them. AS result there has arisen
the pitiful camor to have the boys sent home which
has been caused by their letters truhully describing
the Interchangeable physical conditions In these
ations we also find the difference between the senti-
ments of army and navy officers the subject The
navy officers live their ships equipped with water
diseries artificial ice machines, ventilating electric
fans and other comforts and sanitary necessities,
which are not possible of in the army. The army
officers judgment to physical conditions is the
better for he endure them unnlitigated by ar
tiical He meets, in other words, the
changeable conditions to which Our garrisons must
be subjected, and which forever forbid any attempt
tc domestcate men and families OF Our race, in com
merce, manufactures or agriculture, in those lands
and ATTITUDES. AS we cannot domesticate our race
there we cannot plant our institutions, which are
racial purely, and cannot be adapted to a tropical
people by any process of education any training
no matter how prolonged it may be.