The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-05
GRABBING TERRITORY
CHARLES GIBSON, OF ST. LOUIS,
WRITES ENTERTAINMENT
ON EXPANSION
PROPOUNDS HARD QUESTIONS

How Long VIII 1t Be Before the
Cubans Are Able to Govern
Grow in the TrOpics-The Pat
rOnage of the President Already
Menace to Our Institutions.
Mr.. Charles Gibson, the we'll known
lawyer OF st. Louis, who has been
spending the summer at Minnetonka,
writes vigorously and entertainingly
upon the question Of territorial eXpan-
sion, to a Democrat in this city; who
had solicited his views upon that sub
ject. Says Mr.. Gibson:
The Spanish war, the briefest i'm
portant war on record, is of the highest
historic value. Although insignificant
compared with the great rebellion, it
VIII occupy a more prominent place
III permanent history. The one chang
ca the political map-the other did not.
The American people remain an in
tegral people as they were before.
While the Spanish dominion Of 400
years over the greatest domain ever
governed by any nation is ended for
ever. Waterloo was by no means the
greatest of the Napoleonic battles-but
1t ended the Napoleonic wars. Santiago
Is the American Waterloo because it
was the end of all Spanish wars on this
hemisphere. It's graphic struggles on
land and sea reflect equal glory on the
army and navy, and raise them both to
the highest degree in the hearts of the
people.
The questions created by the war
are however, worse than the war itself.
When Spain shall have evacuated the
island, is Cuba free? Yes. 1t is ours {?
NO. To whom does it belong? It's own
inhabitants. We proclaimed officially
and soiemnly that this was not a war
OF &C nquest-that We would expeI the
Spaniards, but would not rule over or
annex Cuba, and that the Cubans
should be free. To do otherwise now
would blast our reputation before all
nations, Cuba is the only Spanish
colony We ever assisted The others
achleVed their own INDEPENDENCE sue
cessively. They have maintained-one
may say, endured, their own govern
mentS In their own way for more than
1ltty years. l assume that ours is the
pest government in all the world. A
people may be ever so degraded-the
government imposed on them NAV be
ever so good-but are they free when
they
DON'T GOVERN THEMSELVES?
The British rule in India is a great
Improvement over the old Indian gov
eminent. But is India free? No,
The English government is one of
the most enlightened in the world r.
has ruled India for fifty years. But
how much have the Indians progressed.
either in religion or the art of self
government? Newspapers and loose
minded public speakers say that we
VIII establish our school system and
educate up our new fellow citizens. red
Whlte and black, and all other colors
ana descents, to the piane of self-gov-
eminent. But how long will this take
oi rdtheF, now many generation will
it take?
1t is said that we must maintain
standing armies in the colonies to pre-
serve order. All standing armies are
kept TO maintain order. The vast mill
tary hosts of Russia, Germany and
Austrla-Hungary are kept to maintain
order, but in reality to shoot down the
people. Our standing armies in the
colonies will do the same thing-and
as to the Cubams, our soldiers will not
hesitate to execute their orders. We
are of different race from the Span
lards and CubanS. If we undertake to
govern them racial war is inevitable.
To preserve order in CUBA by the armv
Will require at least fifty thousand men.
at cost Of at least fifty million dollars
per annum. When we expel Spain ana
turn over the island to it's inhabitants
we have performed every promise
made. Cuba and it's inhabitants will
be free. But I doubt if it's popu-
latlon can live in peace. The Spanish
part Of the population and the Cubans
closely resemble the Spaniards and the
nations of Old Mexico. In seventy-five
years of freedom they have had fifty
SIX revolutions, ending in a deSpotisnl
under Diaz, which is a great improve
ment, however, over it's predecessors.
Cuba, Porto Rico, the Philippines and
Hawaii will add about twenty-five mil
lions to our population, all utterly in
capable of self government. With sim
liar elements already in this country,
one-third of the heterogeneous mass
living under the American flag would
be alien to every principle Of American
freedom. Liberty does not grow in the
tropics. The negroes have lived for
many generations among the whites In
this country. They have been free with
the ballot in their hands for thirty
years. They are greatly superior to
the Cu'bans, and yet does not the North
loudly proclaim even now that the
is voted by the white man? What sane
man proposes to educate the present
generation of adult Cuions UP to the
PLANE OF CITIZENSHIP
as we understand it? The Spanish parr
Of the population is monarchica1. 1t
knows precious little more Of true
democratic government than the poor
est Cubans, but it is the superior race
as compared with the Cubans.
Ever since July 4, 1776, when the
Declaration Of independence was pub
nshed, it has been the universal boast
of all Americans that we conquered
by our example and principles, and not
by force. Every throne in Europe
trembled under the potent influence IN
til there is no pure despotism west of
Russia. History shows mo revolution
so widespread, so peaceful and so last
ing as this peaceful one. Now 1t is
proposed to turn Mohammedan and
propagate our political faith by the
sword, as they did their religious creed.
we propose to back our schools by a
great standing army, which in all ages
and countries has been and ever will
be the handiWork of the monarch. The
patronage Of the president is already
a menace to our institutions. We have
attempted in vain to curb it by civil
service laws. Add to this four gov
errors general and all the under off,
GERS, an army of one hundred thou
sand men In distant provinces to be
maintained and supplied by unscrupu-
lous favorites, and all the appoint
ments of officers of the army proper,
and we have a monarchy. Europe has
the titles OF car, shah, sultan, en-
peror and king. President does just