The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-03
Cant and CONQUEST.

There are two unpleasant elements
which seem to enter largely into the
existing war with Spain, so far as this
country is concerned, namely, cant and
self-consciousness. These are always
obnoxious in an individual, and are
equally so when swelled to the proper
tions of a national characteristic. Is
there not a little too much babble about
the holiness of our cause, the humani-
tartan spirit controlling our actions,
our mission as an anOinted messenger
of righteousness, civilization. religious
liberty and progress and things of that
sort? In all this mist Of sentimentalism
and guSh, are we not drifting out Of
line with our objective point and
para6ing ourselves before the world as
a self-appointed and rather bumptious
nineteenth century Minerva, with
feverish breath which suggests intoxi-
cation, an eye to the main chance and
a huge pouch on the hip in which to
store the spoils of conquest?
just three months ago squadron of
our navy triumphed over a Spanish
fleet in among some islands on the
other side of the earth. The islands
are populated largely by actual bar
barianS and semi barbarians. Imme-
diately our highly moral instincts be-
came excited. The fact was recalled
that we possessed an exalted record for
successfully dealing with savage tribes
Our process is defined as civilizing, and,
in a certain way, the definition is JUS
ti1able. The formula consists Of taking
possession of everything belonging to
the natives and then disposing of the
natives themselves. 1t is an effective
method, and can usually be operated
with profit to those engaged in the I'M
dertaking.
There is no more reason why the
United States should retain possession
OF the Philippines, on the plea that it
Is our duty to spread the blessings of
political freedom and religious liberty
there, than that we should take and
retain possession Of Ireland. The most
powerful Christian church in the world
is already dominant in those distant
Islands. Its representatives are a con-
trolling moral factor in the existing
government, and, inaSmuch as this war
IS in no sense a war between religious
creeds, it Is little short Of impertinence
on the part of our government to as
sumo to start out upon the work of
PROSECUTING the natives. If the mis-
sionary field in the Philippines is not
open to representatives of the eyangeli-
cal churches, 1t is not the duty Of the
United States to open the field to them.
AS for the trade Of the Philippines. we
can enjoy our share of it as completely
liz the future as we have done in the
past. no matter under what flag the
islands may be ruled
Our prime object was the liberation
Of Cuba from Spanish rule, and along
with this announcement came the
declaration of our purpose to release
from the dangers of starvation the re-
concentrates of the island. More than
three months have elapsed since war
was declared, and this last named pur-
pose has not been fulfilled or realized
Meanwhile, our Imagination Is excited
into picturing the political and spiri--
tual creeds of community of from
100000 to 100000 of semi-barbarians
to whose existence we had previously
given no thought whatever, and the
starving reconcentrados at our thresh-
old are forgotten or ignored
1t Is time that we should be recalled
to sense of our moral responsibility
to those among us and near to us.
Furthermore, it would be we'll for us
not to sacrifice, in moment of easy
triumph over weak foe, our we'll
earned national reputation for level
headedness and common sense. Let us
cease all this self-adulation respecting
our moral worth. Let us cling stead
lastly to our original purposes, or throw
off our mask of hypocrisy and admit
that we have been tempted by the Sc
ductive charms of victory into prose-
cutting war Of conquest. Let us DO I'D
thoroughly and well the work we have
so generously undertaken in the name
OF humanity. and rest content in the
knowledge of it's accomplishment with
honor to ourselves and justice to all
concerned.