Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1898-06-23
not interferred, and shall not inter

uOG lnCerI0rreu, anu sudil uOG luCer'
fere.n
But the President went on to say
that when a nation had declared its
independence and maintained it, and
that independence we have acknowl-
edged, we could not view an interro
sition for the purpose of oppression or
control except as manifestation OF
unfriendliness toward the United
States. In other words all territory
on this Hemisphere was to remain as
then, in so far as European control
was concerned. This doctrine like
many doctrines or church dogmas
though right then, may be .wrong now,
but has been adhered to for rs years.
In that time this country has grown
beyond any doctrine which might
tend to hamper her, or impede her
progress. 1t may be very wise for the
son to follow in his fathers footsteps,
or live in the same hut his father
built, or plow with the same pillow, cut
his grain with the sickle, or thresh it
with the same fail. Then the son
will not likely commit suicide on ac-
count of financial failure, nor will he
hold the government in his hand as do
Drexel, Morgan & Co. But in these
days, people, and in fact the world,
has no use for the fellow whose cabin
is hid by the same growth In the hol-
low where his father built it for him,
but has great use for the man who
controls the machinery which moves
any of the great enterprises of the
times. So with countries. To be a
great country we must be hampered
by no effete doctrines, to be strong we
must meet issues as they are present
ed. We need not seek conquest as did
the Roman or the Gaul, but when the
hour comes we must have free use of
our hands that we may do that thing
which our judgment then tells us is
proper and right.
President Monroe nor any other man
could so far penetrate the future that
he could see what was to be our course
100 years from the date of speaking,
and 80 long as we do not attempt to
override natural laws we can succeed,
otherwise we cannot.
In our opinion we have overridden
the Monroe Doctrine in interfering in
the Spanish Cuban war, but as we
have gone that far, we should never
stop at Cuba and Porto Rico, but if
need be own the Philippines If in our
judgment we now feel those posses
sions would benefit our country. and
strengthen the power of our govern
ment.
This war, small as it may seem, is
fraught with many serious and costly
consequences. Our navy will be in a
few years the most powerful in the
world. Our army will be strengthened
by thousands of men in all branches.
Our ship building will be on a scale
never before dreamed of, and the Pan
anna. Nicaragua or some other canal
will be dug through the Isthmus.
America for Americans will have a
different definition, and Americans
will be asserting themselves in all
parts of the globe. 1t will be conse-
quence Of this assertion that there
will be manufactured here and ship
ped everywhere, more that will tend
to the development of agriculture,
mining and. manufactures, than will
be likely to come from the combined
world, unless the narrow policy of
protection may still be deep enough
rooted to blight as it has done for years
the commercial growth Of our people.
This does not now seem possible and
with such prospect before US there is
no going back, there can be no hating,
there can be 10 weak policy. The
party which advocates any but the
most aggressive measures is lost, hope
lessly lost, and Of right should be, no
matter how much it may cling to the
Monroe Doctrine, or fear entangling
alliances.