Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1898-12-08

United States in Seeking territorial
xpansion-Europe Envious.
London, Nov 24-William T. Stead.
writing from Rome, under date of Nov.
21st, says:
The answer to the question, what !
does the old world think of the new
world, has never been made with |
greater emphasis than in the eternal
city. The oldest old world regards the
newest new with feelings Of anger, dis
gust and alarm almost too great |
for words. The sentiment Of indigna- |
ton differs IL intensity. But it is uni |
versal There is no sympathy for the |
United States either among the whites |
or blacks. In fact, dislike of the |
American seizure of the Philippines, |
taken as a mere mask assumed in or
der to facilitate conquest, is almost the
only sentiment shared in common by
the rival camps of the quirinal and
the vatican. With the kings Of men
the sentiment is comparatively mild
They do not believe in the disinterest-
edness of the American war of lib
Grafton. The American declarations
were almost universally derided as hid
eous examples of worse than English
hypocrisy. Friends of America wiring
their hands over the fall of the United
States under the temptation of lust of
territorial expansion. Her enemies
shoot out their lip and shrek in de-
rision over what they regard as an I'M
mistakable demonstration which the
demand for the Philippines affords
American cupidity, American bad faith
and American ambition. Americans
will do well to recognize some
such statement as the foregoing
represents the current opinion of al
most everyone In Europe who pays
even customary attention to
what Is going on abroad.
When / listened, as have
been listening most of the past, to the
alternate taunts and lamentations of
the toes and friends of America, the
babe Of voices seem at last to merge
into one scornful chorus of welcome to
Uncle Sam. A bright hope for the hu-
man race was extinguished when one
non-military great power which
escheweG all schemes Of aggression
and annexation enrolled itself among
the common people. The annexation
of the Philippine islands may seem
but small thing, but it is decisive.
When Eve ate the apple it was but an
act Of moment, but it barred against
her forever the gates of paradise.
What the old world says is that the
hos tan In 20, don, fr,1ft
and the flaming sword which turned
her away, will prevent her return to
the peaceful traditions of the fathers
of the public.
Immediately after the war broke
out, diplomatic representative of the
powers communicated to the American
minister at an European court in
plain and unmistakable terms the dis
pleasure of the powers and their desire
to express displeasure publicly and
forcibly. There were communications
sufficiently serious for the contingency
of the allied forces of European ma
tions for coercion of the United States
to be frankly discussed between these
two diplomats. The result of the dis
cussion was to put aside all non
European intervention.
eff you intervene, said the Ameri-
can minister, 1T means war.
Yes, rejoined the visitor, and the
forces of the great European powers
acting in alliance would overwhelm
any opposition America could offer
"No doubt said the American,
but you would have to bring your
forces across the Atlantic and keep
them there the rest of our natural life.
For the new world is not going to sub
NIT to the old world any more. Not
any more than it submitted a century
since, when the odds were far worse.
And remember, he added, that when
you are bringing your armies and ma
vies across 5000 miles of sea to fight
America, you would have to count
with England, she Is certainly not
friendly TO your enterprise.
This put an extinguisher on the
proposal. These facts were told me
by a person most Immediately con-
cerned. The relations between the
embassies of Britain and America at
Constantinople and Rome could hard
ly be closer and more cordial. II
things go on as now, every English
speaking man will feel that he has not
one ambassador, but two, in every
capitol in Europe and that behind him
wherever he goes, he is shielded by the
night, not of one empire, but of two,
a combination beneath whose shadow
the whole world may yet learn to rest
in peace"