The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-16
DisingsnuOus Counsel.

Occasionally something to he gained
by looking at ourselves through others
spcctaclcs. The Toronto Globe. always
very wise and superior when comment
ing on American topics takes the Gu
ban problem as the preteXt for reading
us lecture warning us against the
perls Of n policy of annexation.
The annexation of either Hawaii or
Cuba" asserts the Globe, would con-
stitute revolution in the traditional
policy of the states. Such foreign ac-
questions would destroy the territorial
homogeneOUsness Of the country. 1t is
now a continental whole, il Alaska be
excluded from the account. which may
he defended anywhere by men drafted
from all parts of it, and without the
necessity of stepping out, de home ter
ritory for even an instant Placed thus,
the United States, with an immense
patriotic population and illimitable re-
sources, are. humanity speaking. unas-
sailahlc and invulnerabe. This invu-
ncrahlity would measurably pass away
as soon as the American flag was flying
over such marks for the attentions of
powerful hostile fleets as Cuba or Ha
waii present"
1t is worthy of remark in passing
that the Globe in this belief is directly
at variance with our owr best military
and naval authorities. But we waive
this point and continue to quote An
neXatiOn propositions traverse at right
ht a. OIL l,rt ha az het
Of His Country in the well-known fare
well address wherein he warned his
cOuntTynen against entanGlementS in
European politics. 1t is difficult to see
how the United States could engage
in the fascinating game of picking up
unconsidcred trines in Tie way of
islands without giving good cause for
the belief that they were in the game
like the other nations, and must com,
port themselves like those nations in
other respects. The inevitable result
would go far towards confirming the
reputation for far-seenS wisdom that
is associated with the name of Wash
ington. The unpreparedness for carry
ing on war abroad of the United States
is Just the condition that the Fathers
would have expected the country to be
in. Their ancestors had fled from courts
and fleets and standing armies in the
hope that in the new land thev would
he done with them forever. The firm.
est hope of the dreamers who drafted
that the American husbandman would
not need to toll in the fields, support
ing on land staggering redcOat anC
at sea a buCcaneerinS blueCCat. OF The
many aspirations of the founders o
the Uniop this has perhaps been more
nearly maintained than any other
This unpre paredness is one of the fines
es to the old-world nations today"
The fineness of this lesson is probabl,
better appreciated by Europeans thar
it Is by residents of our undefendeC
coast cities. 1t probably appealed NOR
to the sympathy of Spain, for example
than IL did to that of New Workers
at the time the Vizcaya rode at ancho
OFT TomplIinsville. mo one" continue
the Globe has ever hinted that thi
comparative defencelessness c0nsti
tutes any danger To the safety of IN
republic. The real defence lies in tn
four or five million freemen (be accu
rate: say ten million) fit to bear arms
to subdue whom, even unframed to tn
field as they are, no nation would at
tempt, or at least have the faintes
hope of accomplishing. All this woul
be changed If they changed their con
tinentaI impregnabilityAnd establishe
outposts i'm the isles of The sea. Tb
soldier and the sailor, the costly wa
vessel. the monster. gun. the intermin
able sticcessioh OF newer and deadlie
weapons. indeed the whole syster
which is impoverlshing Europe, woul
be saddled on America, and even |
greater proportions. for every soldie
put into barracks or sailor pur on boar
put on. board sliip Would cost tn
United STATES Infinitely more than
costs the countffes or 'EtifofSe T'her