El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-12-17
A Look Forward.
Minneapolis Times.

On the ZICn OF November T.. Is. Has
kell of the Boston Herald wrote an art
pansion Policy. Conservative People
Sometimes Mistake Evolution for
Ruin" This was followed on the Both
by the .subjoined editorial from the
same pen, which. under the caption,
GA Look Forward, /" 80 fairly presents
the situation in the West Indies and
Orient and the probable outcome to
this government that to reproduce 1t is
Q duty. The editorial follows:
The surrender of Spain on the ques
ton of the Philippines convinces us
into an untried field. The flag is to be
kept flying wherever it has been set up
in the operations of the late war. We
are to govern as colonies Hawaii,
Puerto Rico and the Philippines. We
are to maintain q protectora.e over
Cuba, and try to evolve . self sustain
ing government in that island. The
experiment may take q long time
Most likely it will end in the annexation
of Cuba, for it is we'll understood that
all the Cubans who have anything to
ment the insurgents will agree to.
We believe the die is cast. The sd-
has adopted the policy of
expansion because large majority of
the people are in favor of it, While
we have advised the conservative
course as long as it was an open ques-
ton, we believe it is our duty to accept
the inevitable and to use what infu-
ence we can in favor of entering wisely
into this new field. We shall doubtless
make many mistakes but we shall learn
from them to improve our methods.
We have great faith in the instincts OF
the race.
Prof. Seeley, ono of the most philoso-
phical of English historians. says, SIN
. truly living institution the instinct of
development is wiser than the utter
ance of the wisest individual man."
When we remember what the instinct
Of development has done for this race
in the past, we are led to ask whether
instead of the disastrous
result predicted by conservative citi-
zens.
A policy that was wise when Wash
nRton delivered his farewell address,
Or policy that was courageous and
,xpedient when the Monroe doctrine
vas enunciated. may be superseded
low that we have attained q popula-
ion of rs, 100000, with our industries
ully developed, and the most DANCE
'Ous element of internal discord re-
AONOo W uIO oO0eA dStOA vi SlcNCEys
t may be that our advent as q world
power is necessary about this time, and
hat the dropping of these tropical is
ands into our hands like ripe apples
nay mean that we have work to do in
he world.
Great questions are rising in the |
already risen-in the set
lement of which this great, free coun-
~ should have q voice. Our navy,
With it's victorious prestige, will DO
needed to stand by the side of the |
,avies of Great Britain and Japan to |
ave the commerce of China from sell |
ish and despotic exploitation. We be-
ieve we see advantages to be gained |
~ the policy of expansion. We be- |
ieve it will vastly extend our trade, |
help to purify our civil service, and |
broaden our politics. |
With Hawaii and the Philippines as
way stations on the Pacific, we shall |
10 longer neglect the advantage we
nave in being thousands of miles near
n the Orient than the commercial |
countries of Europe. We must and
hall, modify our fiscal policy to en-
Ible US to build up great mercantile |
marine on the Pacific
In governing distant islands, with |
arge alien populations, as yet I'M
developed, we must have civil SER
'ice based on merit. We shall be |
N exhibition before the world. Cheap |
who sheer at the reform of |
he civil service, will be powerless to |
prevent it. Finally, these possessions
will broaden ourspolitics, presenting |
questions of world wide interest to take |
he place of petty local disputes. The
American congressman, who cannot |
ee beyond the boundary of his dis
riot now, will be- obliged to prepare
imself to grapple with world pro-
lens.
II we still bring TO bear the influence
t the conservative and reform senti.
lent of the country upon the methods
D be used in the new field, we believe
nat the result will be the development
our own country and benefit to the
'orld in general.