New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-11-24
TERRITORIAL EXPANSION.
VIEWS OF HENRY c. IDE. LATE CHIEF JUS
TICE OF SAMOA


Henry c. Idc late Chief Justice Of Samoa has
written to the Editor OF The Vermont Watch
man communication giving his views on the
territorial expansion Of tho United States. from
which the following is taken:
roc me our public men have officially and thco
ietCaly long declared that "entangling foreign al
Iiances and expansion OF territory were allen 10
NE RohCy and theory OF our Government yet prac-
ntdilE huch OF the marvellous progress that has
made US one Of the creates, Nations of the Garth
s"cb oo G, rom National action at variance with
Greater portion Of the territory now owing per-
lons from other nations, in the face Of often
cyenGp 1 rn TIE incslsplaby valuable states
lCa came by the Louisiana purch in 1905 In 1919
nIor'ua came 10 US from Spain. and all that is
latter territory had then become contiguous to our
point Of accessibility was far more remote from
our capital than Luzon Is to-day. From 1916 to
forna Utah Nevada Arizona New o Mexiso and
part OF colorado. in 1853 came the Gadsden pur-
added no portion Of lis territory beng contigTons
TO any before belonging to us But few years
Seward. "compelled into making treaty with the
United States. and Commodore Perry. with our
past our co,ntrV has ioine1 with Fnropnan Snatons
samoa. securing the right to maintain a coaiing
in the South Pacific. and in 1859 Joined with Eng
land and Germany in protectorate over the whole
Porto Rico. All this is past, rrcvOcably past. 1t
is history We cannot undo II If We would. We
cannot turn back the dial of time But nothing
is more clear than that we would not Il We could
Yet each successive step in this National prog
ress has been bitterly opposed in its day by wise
ana conseTyauye men VINO feared to de2art rom m
the forests. But as the forests have been cleared
away. larger vistas have opened before us. and a
wider range Of vision has eventually approved each
broadening Of our sphere of National influence;
they cannot wisely disregard The trcmcndous
changes that time has wrought. New conditions
was the highest wisdom Of craftsmanship at the
close Of the eighteenth century may easily be foily
too widely from our conservative policy Of nOn-n-
reference in the affairs of foreign nations. we must
from the standpoint of to-day and from THAI 4
g. hundred years afo We are no 9sEsr b eah
WisioricaIlv considered each question Of terrific
rial expansion has stood ana must stand upon its
restrict or permanently define the limits beyond
IS Immediately at hand awaiting solution NO sane
and wenformed man can doubt hat the problem 2,2ns
is weighty and difficult one mat ne frcGSb,
dent has hesitaled doubted, invest gated soushe
every avenue Of fuller information ana leIt ,l.e
pulse of the Senate that must ultimately act upon
any treaty negotiated and OF the great mass T ."
of saying that ne is bringing the lofiest sense OF
d1iy ana the nsh 1i@1a ~saE earv hat issue
cannot be determined by any theory Of Fixed Ma
favor q exSansoh Hor is the fact if fact it is
that some part all % the Philippine dept may
States. decisive We pad many millions upon
each Of the purchases above referred TO. and as
sumed the Hawaiian debt upon the dnneNation OF
that country. At the close OF successful War
with Mexico paid TO her nearly $zo"V'Wn lot
the territory which she surrendered 10 Us. II the
Philippines ought to be ours. We are able ana
willing 20 pay such sums as in equity ousnl 10 pe
paid. just paid Mexico under similar CIR
Probably no one in this country believes nat ,o
the inhabitants Of the fhi1ppe sla'' ~ frn, fhc
basis Of Statehood. The character of the PupuI...
ton. partially civilized and knowing notnlhe ot
have endured under spanish tyranny, coIiSl 49,,
one Of the most diincu pn@iI|S ~ and essociation
But time. cVlIizauon' euuCa,Iu. anu 80. he ~
with free men and free insututions may ne ~
been a part of our country for half q ce1u' adu
its population exceeds that Of several OF our $50
s f rSm Year can do he problem Of
is not so pressing that any attempt hhaIE ~
Rut none Of the suggestions above stated are or
can he the basis OF appropriation OF thoSc Isl
no other alternative. We cannot hetraE our q ~
standards or TO war Of mutual destruction WIN
heir onnressors We cannot pass them over 10
another Power without creaiinE aDn Leave
mem 10 their own unframed efforts ana 10 the cor
sequent cruel wars and eAunCrot, , !" Win other
Pnwers in a protectorate without repeating tne
samoan experiment upon Scae n'u in,ernstional
cumstances almost sure 70 result u. ~. ~ f,aI 70
lea louses and frictons OF Administrator lh'ai ~
success The responsibility IS ours aiiu w. I'm
not escape It. In any cXeht grta. H., hNve and
be made but of it all may we not nope ,t ana
expect that great ultimate e"o' WA ,6,r the true
to whom we owe TINS o"' an r~or,I ~ All on-
glory OF orr country. aS the Iittiu ol a.. ois
pressed people will be promote NJ I ~ Secre
these great ends, let ~ adol. tng 40 'be thcn
arv Seward in 1861 TO our Minister 10 lt mn In
almost equally uncivilized Japan; GA MI
an equal just and honorable conduCt ot !Uo oi univ
sion make the people OF japan I..SI 49,, 10 ~
the Institutions Of your own Go.lrS c1T,iiization
stitutions Of Christianity and Western cl'i''""''o"