New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-30
AMERICA AFTER THE WAR.
THE OUTLOOK AS TAKEN BY AN EN-
LIGHTENED AND SYMPATHETIC
BRITON
rrom rhe london snectator. August 2O

sneaj<ing men in every corner Of the world
Though America has conquered ana mas al her
disposal the whole of the colonial possessions or
Spain-possessOns inha bted by some nine or
ten millions OF people and capable or noidlng
a population as large as that Of the United
states at the last census-she has not yet de-
cided what she will do with the territories IN
which the Spaniards have ceased to reign Two
paths lie open TO her. She may carry on the
older traditions Of the Republic, and may refuse
to undertake he government Of any subject
peoples. she may adopt the policy of eXpan-
sion. and declare that she will do her share IN
what Providence seems to have designated as
the special work Of the Anglo Saxon race-the
work Of providing strong and honest ana hu-
name government for peoples who. II left To
Themselves. fall under tyranny and misrule. but
who subjects % a stronger Power are capabIe
Of prosperity and advancement. few weeks
VIII probably snow which side will win.
nougA the advocates Of expansion have just
now great deal " Influence. almost a para
mount influence. on public opinion, II must not
b. assumed that they are powerful. The
other side is less vocal. but IL is as strong and
"a resolute as ii Is reticent. Its views. we most
sincerely trust. will not prevail, but they can
not be ignored. We forget that they
shared by some Of the most hard hea ed
people in the community Senator Hoar,
ore + the Senators from Massa chusetts. than
whom there Is no man more respected or more
worthy Of respect In the United States Congress,
royrcsents exactly the View of these hard
headed contemners Of imperialism He has
lately been putting the anti-eA ansion argu-
n7ent very strongly. and protesting against "rul-
ing over vassal States subject peoples and
entering upon the mad career OF empire In
distant seas" An aristocracy or a monarchy
ends Senator HOar may govern subject States.
/ |; never done, and never Will he done. sue
cessfuily by \ democracy or a republic. That
is f course. a complete mistake historically. as
far republics are concerned As 70 whether
lemocracies govern subject States wisely
and we'll IT is difficult 10 feel sure for true
democracies. or rather true democracies OF tn"
modern type have hardly tried. The democra-
cies u the ancient world owing to their small
ness OF area and to their inability 70 understand
/ and Use the representative principle, differed
not only in degree but in kind from modern
democracies and therefore their example would
now be of little or no use. The only example
, really available is that Of England. During the
last twenty years our Constitution has been en-
tirely democratic. far more democratic. indeed.
than the Federal Government Of the CDited
States We aware that this fact is very lit
tie understood In America but IL is a fact new
crtheless. In England the will OF the majority
Of the people prevails with far less check.
hndrance and veto than in America. But dur
ing these twenty years how has the democracy
, born" Itself toward the Empire? The answer
must be "On the whole. extremely well" Curl
ouslv enough. 1t has been less afraid Of response
hity. more inclined to trust It's agents and less
willing 70 make party capital out OF imperial
questions than was the old aristocratic regime
The democracy has made mistakes no
; doubt but they have been few. and. rule,
Il has shown Itself most teachable in regard
% imperial matters Take the OF India
and the opium traffic. Here was case where
under all the rules framed by the pessnists
/
I liberty the people ought 70 have made fools OF
themselves. and 70 have been led by mis-
taken and misrepresented sentnentality rather
! than 10y right reason. But what happened? The
| democracy walked right up 20 the pit dug by the
sentimentalists and the fadmongers. and then
most wisely refused 70 walk In. There is. in our
! opinion. not the very slightest reason why
! democracy should not rule subject races well
and humanely and with q proper sense Of duty.
! When Senator IIoar says they cannot and Will
not he IS as much deceiving himself by strong
j : 10 demagOgla thinks
that II an assertion is only general enough and
strongly enough worded II IL proved beyond
! denial. But not only do hold that q modern
/ representative democracy can govern subject
| States hut We hold also that In doing so the
/ democracy may learn many most valuable les
/ sons. and that nation. like an individual. may
/ be improved by the exercise OF trust OF
/ course II the nation instead OF treating its en-
| pire as trust. treats II as place out OF which
to make money. empire Will demoralize H. II.
however II assumes empire as duty and re-
| sDOnslbility Il may gain immensely In moral
stature and strength. No doubt the effort 10
keep 10 the true imperial path. and 10 prevent
selfish and INSCRIPTIONS men from converting
empire 70 baser uses. is often hard one. but
the very difficulty Of persevering in the true
path IS a stlmulant. and a blessing. The
nation is governed internally better. not worse.
/ because the men TO whom she delegates the
task Of governing It have also TO undertake
great responsibilities In connection with SUBJ
ject races. depend upon IT. American states
Will be better and truer servants OF the
state II they have a wide. rather than mar
vert some OF the Inferior peoples 10 what our
old writer's used to call 'civility."
We have said that there Will be close strug-
gle between the advocates and enemies OF ex-
pansion. but we have little doubt which
party will win the day. In spite OF the quota
ton from Lowell with which We have armed
those who disagree with us. we believe that II IS
the destiny Of the United States TO obtain pos
sessions oversee peop.ed by inferior races. who
Will require for many generations to be gov
erned wisely and humanely rather than 10
have flung at their heads rights and privileges
which, though admirably suited 70 men Of the
Anglo Saxon race. and TO those white races
which they have absorbed and dgested. have no
meaning for and are OF no use TO men In
lower stage OF social and political development
The Americans Will. Of course just as we have
done make plenty Of blunders. and do plenty
OF things which they will regret and Will be
ashamed Of as they stumble down the pa.h that
is opening before them. but In the end they Will
find their road beaten plain. and VIII have
learned lessons OF incalculahle value by the way
Nothing that is can. In our opinion, now per-
manently prevent the oversee expansion OF
America. No doubt. the opponents Of expan-
sion may be able 10 insist that expansion shall
be done in a very gray and undemonstrative
manner-in a thoroughly English way. that is
hut even though called by very different
names II Will be expansion. The only question
is whether the first step on the imperial road.
for first step there must now be. snail he
long step a short step our own hope ana
belief Is that II will be moderately long step.
Let us for a moment look at what a moderately
long step would mean in detail. America has
is no question that Porto Rico Will follow suit
Senator Hoar even would not We imagine. deny
that The next question Is Cuba No doubt the
majority OF Americans VIII begin by saying
that the pledge OF Congress must. OF course.
be carried out. Yet In spite OF this pledge and
Of perfectly honest desire TO carry II out that
Will exist we believe that II VIII not be carried
out. and that Cuba Will not become inde-
pendent The moral. and we might almost
say physical. difficulties are too great. a joint
Commission IS going to meet In Paris In Octo-
Der TO settle what Is TO happen to Cuba and
how IL is to happen Now, whatever people
may think In the abstract about independence.
the practical business Of the Commissioners
will be to find plan for setting up some ma
chnery OF government In Cuba, and FOR secur-
ing the lives and properties II the people. But
tho frs, thing the Spanish Commissioners VIII
think OF will naturally and rightly be the very
large loyalst population Of Cuba. This popula-
ton will perpetually he DINING In their ears: