The herald., 1898-04-17

ON the island of Cuba, most of our peo
pie would be disposed to consider TIL
incident closed. And so it might be, 81
far as Cuba. or even Spain, is concerned
| But is it so certain that a successful
war will not have far-reaching inf1u
ences upon our national life; that II
will not result in sweeping away many
of the safeguards with which it was
early surrounded; that it will not tent
to loosen its moorings and send it adrift
in new and unexplored waters?
The student of history cannot forge
with what bold assurance the American
people engaged in a war with England
in 1872, the legitimate fruitage of oul
successful encounter with the same
power a quarter of a century before
And is it not fair presumption that
our second triumph over one of this
greatest powers of earth had its influ-
ence in shaping our later attitude toward
Mexico, stimulating the national con-
ceit, encouraging the covetuous impulse
contributing to the national pride, and
subordnating traditional homogeneous
sentiment to the lust of power and ma
tional aggrandizement? 1t is not uni
versally accepted truism that our war
with Mexico was wholly justifia BILE
There yet remains very formidable
doubt If we would have been so AFRO
CANT, so dictatorial and so exacting
with a neighboring state had we been
less relatively powerful.
1t does not follow that the American
people would submit to wrongs or indig-
mites from any nation, however puis-
SAINT. Indeed, we have but to point 10
an incident still fresh in the memory OF
the present generation to prove the prop
osition that the United States is not dis
posed to quail in the presence of superior
power when a great principle is at stake.
1t is questionable if public sentiment in
this country would today yield the Span
ish contention, even were that country
backed by united Europe.
But in late years sentiment favorable
to territorial extension has grown up
that is full of significant omen for the
future of this country. The element that
harbors it has grown so powerful in
numbers and influence as to threaten to
o'erleap all cherished national tradi-
tions, and to break down all the bar
riers that have heretofore bounded our
national ambition and made us con-
tented with the empire that stretches
from sea to sea. Our growing greed Tor
more territory; our ambition to acquire
insular possessions; our restiveness un-
der the restraint of continental bound
ary lines, have only very recently given
birth to scheme-seriously considered
and practically agreed upon just prior to
the introduction of an acute stage to
the Cuban imbroglio-to override a con-
stitutional provision for the ratification
of treaty by two-thirds vote of the
senate in order to accomplish by indi-
rection that which might not be achieved
directly-the absorption of a group of
islands two thousand miles from our
shores.
A consensus of European sentiment to-
day attributes to a desire for the an
neXation of Cuba our excessive zeal in
behalf Of the struggling patriots on the
island. Nor is there lacking a share in
sympathy with this conviction on the
part of many of our own people, a still
lingering belief that it is the basis of
the plans of the administration, not
withstanding the positive disclaimer in
the presidents latest message. AS this
journal has before remarked, a party
which is willing to accept stolen goods
in the Pacific will not be above picking
up rich prizes in the Atlantic and with
out too scrupulous a regard for the
morality of the grab.
There is, at all events, a measure of
justification for the fear entertained
abroad that the United States will not
be content with the expulsion of the
Spaniards from the western hemisphere;
that it will ultimately seek to acquire
Cuba, and later look with covetous eyes
upon BTltlSn ana DdnlSn pOSSe SeSSlOnS IN
the West Indies, purchasing what it may
not conquer. Continental apprehensions
may be premature, and they may be
exaggerated, but it can scarcely be de-
MED that the changed and changing z
trend of sentiment in this country gives
color to the fear that was only yester-
day voiced by newspaper of Rome in
words following:
If Spain is vanquished, the old es-
tablished rights of Europe will fall be-
fore the American hi2h-handedness.
Americas Gareantuan appetite will
grow with victory, and then woe to the
nations of Europe.
A new American era dated from
Appomatox. Still lanother, and possibly
a more aggressive, era may date from
the expulsion of the Spaniards from
Cuba. We have at least not the gift to
see ourselves as others see US. We may
all unconsciously find ourselves drifting
as a nation into new and hitherto unex-
plored waters.