The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-06-06
EARTH-HUNGER.

Earth-hunger seems to be- gnawing
at the vitals of the United States. The
United States began war against Spain
that Cuba might be freed and stable
government erected there. Those were
| the objects for which we went to war,
! objects that are synonymous with
humanity and civilizations; and as we
adhere to them will history judge US,
and praise or condemn US accordingly.
But there are signs everywhere that
the prime objects of the war are fast
becoming secondary, and that the con-
quest of SPANS colonies is becoming
the prime object of the war.
The Chicago Times-Herald, a strong
administration paper. says:
East Of the Philippines some eleven
or twelve hundred miles and west
of Hawaii about twenty-six hun
dred miles lie the Caroline islands,
belonging to Spain. They are COM
posed of three groups, variously
estimated at from 500 to 800 islands
and iSlets, and were first dis
covered by Spanish navigator in 1923.
Others, of them were discovered by a
Spanish admiral in 1886, and named by
him the Carolines after Carlos II, then
hIHS OI OpdlQ.
Holding this intermediate position be-
tween Hawaii and the Philippines. the
United States should possess some of
these islands as coaling stations if for
no other purpose. The thing, there
fore, to be done is for Admiral Dewey
to send two or three gunboats and plant
the American flag over these islands
and haul down that of Spain. They are
practically undefended, and the pres
Of q fpIu cr1IT1hnafS and nv
of soldiers would be all that is neces-
sary to take possession and establish
our authority.
The ST Louis Globe-Democrat, an
other strong supporter of the admin
istration, says:
A rebellion against Spain has started
in the Caroline islands, too, and this
group stands an excellent chance to be-
come American territory before many
more weeks pass. The Carolines are in
the Pacific about 1000 miles nearer to
the United States than are the Philip
pines, and are in nearly the same lati-
tude. They are far smaller in area and
population than the Philippines, but
they could be made valuable to the
United States. Revolts in the CarOlineS
occur often, as risings do in all of
SPANS colonies. The present rebellion
the inhabitants. 1t will attract the at
tention of the United States, and I'M
doubtedly lead to the conquest of the
islands, temporarily at, least. If the
war lasts three months longer the
Canary islands are the only part of
Spains colonies which that country has
any chance to hold, and these, too, may
be lost to her.
A coaling station is needed between
Hawaii and the Philippines, and the
Caroline islands afford such a station,
And SO it goes and so it will go. But
shall not the United States need a coal
ing station beyond the Philippines?
In our great fin de steele expansion are
we to content ourselves with stopping
at the Philippines? Heaven Forbid
Our st. Louis contemporary suggests
that the Canary islands may be lost
to Spain, and of course SPANS loss
means our gain.
In our globe-encircling chain of pos
sessions some of the links will be very
long if we do not shorten them. 1t is
a far cry from the Canaries TO the |
Philippines, and our manifest destiny
Chat great excuse for so many great |
wrongs in this WORLD will require a |
coaling station between these two |
groups of islands. And how a kind |
providence has provided just such a |
place, a place that now acknowledges !
Spanish sovereignty-the Balearic |
islands. How gratifying to our ma
tional pride it would be to have Old |
Glory float over Minorca and Majorca. |
While in the business of annexing and !
why not annex Spain her
self and make the Iberian peninsula a
base from which to ultimately extend
our sphere of influence in Europe?
The common sense of the American
people may be relied upon to knock all
these fine schemes for ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
in the head. 1t is much more important
that we get Spain out of the western
than that we get ourselves
into the eastern hemisphere.