Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1898-07-29
AMERicA'S GPEAT DESTINY.
coioniai Possessions the fnev,-
fd6fe Outcome of Present War

That twenty Democrats in a hun.
urcd agree with the sentiments
expressed by Mr.. Cleveland or MIR.
Bryan when they deprecated any
extension of our territory. Both
these gentlemen, aud Mr.. Clrve-
land conspicuously, are on record
as in favor of first class navy.
and of what use is n navy without
colonial possessions The pres
ent war found us with a fair nu-
cIeus for a navy, and except q
third provisional interest in a little
inlet at Pago Page, our ships had
no resting place on the bosom of
the deep. Following in the old rat
of domestic economy" Mr.. Sher.
man, a little over a year ago, de.
liberately declined the concession
of a coaling station in SANTANA Bay
under circumstances that amount.
ed almost to an insult to the little
republic of San Domingo. Ii
seems now that Providence has i'm.
terposed to shape our destiny. and
has planted our flag in. the van
guard of civilization. Political
superstitions and political plat
forms to the contrary notwithstand.
ing, our place thus marked AT the
head of the procession of peoples
will never be surrendered, and the
man or party who advocates re
turn to the policy of isolation will
be left dcsOlate. Respect for the
"higher law" under which the war
was inaugurated will demand that
we see TO it that the peoples rcle-
gated to our control shall have a
fair measure Of that liberty which
is mans inalienable right. How
shall we secure it to them if we
barter our blood-won possessions
to the frs. national huckster who
offers us hard cash for Naboth's
vineyard which he covets? Or.
worse than this, shall we retain a
nominal possession of the Philip.
pines, on an indefinite tenure. for
an indefinite time, and then on
the payment of an indemnity re-
sign the unhappy people, who will
have had a taste of liberty, back
to Spanish barbarism and oppres-
sion9 Forbid it, heaven.
Neither Mr. Cleveland nor Mr..
Bryan has foreseen the drift of sen.
timent, and fortunately they only
spoke for themselves, for neither
of them is in a position to speak
for the parties which lie led two
years ago. Fortunately, also, the
President only uttered his own
though; y irn, IA Lcoia a.. wat, he
vaguely outlined the conditions of
peace. The fact that the Cubans
were as totally unfit to govern
themselves as the Spaniards were
10 govern them was only known 20
few of our people, and the Pres-
dents humanitarian views as to
the future of that island are liable
to very radical revision. The gal
liant achievements of our sailors
and soldiers have awakened the
slumbering ambition of brave
people. Thousands of embryo
Deweys and Schleys and Simpsons
and Hobsons and Woods and Roos
evelts only await the inevitable
opportunities that a colonial policy
will give them, and thousands of
industries languish for the lack of
the trade that the new dispense
ton must develop. Let the politi-
clans of supersenstive conscience
consider the methods and magni-
tude of our acquisitions" from the
original children of the soil. Let
those who oppose conquest consid-
er the emDlro we WrpStp1 from Mny
leo, and those who believe in ac-
QulrIng by purchase, remem Der how
we "chiseled" Napoleon in the Lou
isiana deal. And then let us all
bow to fate and accept our great
destiny.
HENRY NJ. SMYTHE.
TaZewell Va.