The record-union., 1898-05-17
THE PESSIMISTIC VIEW

ABOUT TO put ASIDE the teachings o1 the
fathers, the counsels of Washington
and the revolutionary patriots, and to
trample under foot the traditions Of the
Republic It holds that we are about
to step over the safe bounds Of conti-
mental independence and a republic into
the dangerous field of foreign acquisi-
tion and a colonial empire. We are told
that from foreign interference there is
but one step to conquest, and that we
have taken that already; that foreign
invasion has now been resolved upon
and accomplished, and that the nation
is fully launched upon the untried seas
Of colonial empire, the ambition of
which is limitless.
This is exceedingly doleful if true.
But it happens that there is not word
Of verify in all the moaning and
sneering. War measures with US do not
settle national policy until the civil au-
thority approves, confirms and carries
military accomplishment into perma-
nency. The "Argonaut" has read the
page Of this conflict with small profit
If it has not been able to reach other
conclusion than that we have outlined.
This journal, with all the sturdiness of
conviction, cast its influence to the last
moment in the interests of peace, of ac-
connplishment of the high purpose of
humanity, without provoking war if
possible. But it at no time lost sight
of that purpose, or was insensible of it's
nobility and magnanimity. 1t is there
fore in a position to deny with emphasis
that the nation has started out upon a
campaign of empire to be attained
through conquest.
1t is perfectly true that in the flush
of victory and the pride of triumph,
we might possibly be led into a
policy in contravention of the traditions
Of the nation. But we do not fear it.
At least. as matters now stand the pur-
pose Of the Government has not been
departed from in any respect. We en-
tered upon this mission to spread the
gospel Of liberty, to take the hand
Of rufffan from the throat of a weak
neighbor appealing to US for the COM
monest sympathy. We entered upon
the war to put an end to intolerable
inhumanity at our very DOORS and for
continuance of which we were to be
morally responsible. We entered the
contest to restore conditions of actual
and commercial peace that have been
disturbed for so many years.
We have engaged in battle to make
practical the assertion of the right of
self-government among a people who
are our nearest neighbors. The Ameri-
can nation could not have stood idly
by an hour longer and have permitted
the outrages Of Spanish domination to
continue in Cuba, and not have become
morally particeps criminis. He who
fells bully and thrashes a rufian for
assault upon innocence and helplessness
does the manly thing that this nation
has undertaken.
The exigencies Of war have thrown
into our hands certain territory of the
enemy. When the war closes it is pos
sible, nay 1t is probable that one Of
two things will happen, namely, that
freedom and a republican form Of gov
ernment will be assured to the people
Of the Philippines, with irrevocabIe
guaranty to US that we shall have a
safe harbor Of refuge there and supplies
for our ships abroad, in protection Of
Ha4v sv%o Fo-
indemnity and costs of war we will hold
q suitable harbor in the island group,
and return to Spanish control the re-
malnder Of the territory now under our
guns and threat of occupation. But
this latter condition we cannot seriously
contemplate. Once wrested from
SPANS incompetency-since all her
colonial efforts have been failures un-
til she Is now very nearly stripped Of
the last Of her possessions-it would be
the hight of absurdity to restore the
old order Of things.
But it does not follow that we are
to enter upon scheme of acquisition
because Of these things. There is moth
ing, in the present situation to indicate
that the Government has in view any
such ends as our San Francisco con-
temporary fears. 1t will be time
enough to fear when it shall have been
seriously proposed that we proceed to
colonize.
That there is in contemplation the
permanent occupancy of Cuba is not in
evidence. We have expressly and ex-
plicitly disavowed such purpose. We
started out with that disavowal en-
blazoned upon our banners. There is
no reason for entertaining the belief or
the fear that the United States, will
give the lie to its declaration. What
the United States will demand and
must have is that which the fathers
with all their prescience did not per-
ceive, namely, such ports, refugees and
supply stations in various parts of the
world as are demanded by the necessi-
ties of our commerce, the expansion of
our trade, the augmentation Of our
population and the changed conditions
of intercommunication and transporta-
ton, and by the obligation upon US to
protect our citizens and their property
abroad as the lives, liberties and pos