The record-union., 1898-06-06
THE FOREFATHERS AND THE
PRESENT

Whenever it is suggested that this
nation should politically, and as a mil
itary and naval power, keep pace with
itself as progressive, civilizing, REIN
ing, elevating power-that. in short, it
should keep abreast with the age, and
to that end acquire whatever Is de-
manded by it's needs and destiny, We
are told not to forget the traditions
of our forefathers, to recall their warn
ings, and to be slow to depart from the
rules of action they laid down for the
children of the Republic.
We confess to degree of WEAKNESS
of this constant tossing of the fore
fathers into the faces of the children.
We recall an incident in which an
American seeking to impress upon
Chinese scholar of distinction the vir-
tues of our system of government and
of civilization, and our ideas of prog
ress and human freedom, was told by
the polite Chinese that it might all be
true-nay, he did not dare deny any
thing his American friend had said
but 1.-The traditions of our fathers,
the teachings of our patriarchs, the
reverence we hold for the wisdom of
our ancients and those who have walk
ed before US, prohibit the adoption Of
such systems as you suggest, in my
land Whereupon the American, with
rather impolite abruptness, responded:
1--WE are living for the present and the
future; you live for the past
The whole matter is summed up in
that concise. expression, and disposed
of by the curt but wise remark. No
one more yenerates the founders of the
republic than the Record -Union's; no
one has profoqnder admiration for the
self-sacrifice, nobleness of character
and lofty wisdom of the American
forefathers than this journal. But they
builded better than they knew. They
laid the corner-stones of a nation the
growth of which has outstripped the
conditions they foresaw.
Their prescience could not grasp the
day and era of the armored battleship.
the doctrine of trade following the flag,
peoples because of the application of
.steam as a motive power. It was not
given TO them to peer into that future
when the nation should lave it's feet
in the great oceans of earth and traffic
in the goods of all the world upon
both shores.
The railway was unknown to their
contemplation, and the nearness of ma
tions to each other by means Of the
modern methods of transportation and
communication were never suggested
by their far-seeing. The conditions
have outgrown the traditions of the
fathers. Not that we are to depart
from them, but rather adapt them TO
the conditions we face and under which
we progress.
With the expansion of the nation and
the needs, liberties and opportunities
OF mankind, the traditions of the past
and the counsels Of the forefathers
must be accommodated. If either is TO
give way. assuredly the past cannot,
will not, set pace for the present. China
has been forever looking over its Shout
der, and it is what it is to-day, the
plaything Of the Powers and the con-
quest of the deserving.
America has ever looked forward;
che has kept her face resolutely to the
front, and she is what she is to-day,
the envy and the admiration Of man
kind, made manifest in frank confess
sion or by jealous hatred i'll concealed
under the exterior of diplomatic suav-
ity.
If It is needed that we shall acquire
to hold on in the course Of our forward
movement, then we must acquire.
what the fortune of war gives us a
right to deal with we should wisely
administer Let us ask ourselves if
I'VE are not flying in the face of mani
fest destiny if we do not avail of such
tools for wise and benevolent purposes
as our progress places in our hands.
1t was no greed that made us desire
Hawaii. It was the natural, unbidden,
Irresistible force of our movement; the
natural answer to a human need. 1t
was the providential, the inevitable
concurrence that Hawaii should desire
TO seek our embrace. No more rational,
necessary, irresistible meeting Of need,
desire and consent ever had record in
historical annals.
We have a right upon Gods footstool
TO whatever, rightfully acquired, is
necessary to the preservation Of our
place among the great factors OF civil
azation and the forces of progress. We
have a right to that we lawfully ac-
quire which is needful to give us equal
footing with other Powers. that we may
not suffer injustice by reason of their
misconception, aggression or greed.
What the fortune of war gives US we
lawfully acquire. We should keep so
much as our need demands. What that
is is evident to every intelligence above
,that of the cowardly. If we are to BEN
eft by the traditions Of the fathers and
do reverential honor to their memo
ries we must so meet the present as to
preserye the noble heritage they left US.
The junior Senator from California,
on the question of its passage voted
against the war revenue bill. We
thus find that Mr.. White keeps faith
with those who would cripple the ma
tion in its struggle with an enemy. The