Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-11-28
The Greater Americs.

well to consider with care the three
occurrences in question. One of these
was the ultimatum of America to
Spain and the acceptance Of Americas
terms, which is understood to have
been virtually agreed upon by the
Spanish peace commissioners. The
others are the warnings given to Spain
by the representatives of the principal
European governments that they will
not interfere in the slightest degree in
the controversy between Spain and the
United States on the Philippine ques-
ton. and the change in the plans of the
Emperor of Germany by which he de-
clined to pass through Spain.
The ultimate acceptance OF the
American terms has been. of course,
certain. but there was chance at one
time that this would be delayed so long
that naval demonstration off the
Spanish coast would have to be made.
Recent developments. however, show
that final agreement will probably be
week, and the work of the peace COM
mission be quickly brought to an end.
The existence of new power with
| worldwide interests and activities is
therefore acknowledged by Europe.
America in her new and larger aspect
is thus proclaimed to be a nation with
which every great state is anxious to
be on terms of close friendship. Spain
was long time in learning that her
hopes of aid from the continental
European powers were vain, but that
truth has been absorbed at last. She
has made several appeals for help to
her neighbors, but it is understood that
these have called out final answers in
the past week or ten days which have
destroyed all expectation of any pres
sure, even of the mildest sort, against
the United States. The canceling of
the Kaiser's engagement to visit Spain
comes to that country as a concrete
evidence that the world comedies the
United States has a function in the
affairs of the Old World with which no
other nation has right to interfere
The dispatches say the reason why the
Kaiser declined to stop in Spain, and
continued his journey straight to Ger
many instead, was a change in the
The announced reason why the Kaiser
declined to visit Spain may not be en-
tirely satisfactory to that country, but
the rest of the world at least will ac-
cept it without question, and will, in
slang parlance, wink the other eye.
Within the next few days all the I'M
portant work which has been before
the peace commission will probably be
finished. The exact situation. there
fore, of the United States and it's rela-
lions to the outside world are now
virtually determined. At many points
tiiC maps III Tic ollllcu DldlcS VIII
have to be changed. We have already
annexed the Hawaiian republic, and
Cuba's rich island of Porto Rico. A
few days hence the fact that the
Philippines will become American ter
ritory will be definitely made known
The possession of the principal islands
of the Ladrones and the Caroline
groups is mere matter of detail which
will provoke but little discussion in the
peace conference. Cuba is problem
yet to be solved. Whether it have alb
solute independence, or whether it re-
main permanently, as it must for a
time, under American control will de-
pend upon the will of its people.
This is the greatest change which
has ever come in Americas situation
and relations to the outside world in
any equal length of time since Ameri-
can independence was acknowledged
| by England in 1888. In the United
States as it existed at the beginning of
1898 there was population of 15,O0000O
of people. At the end of 1898 it's popu-
| lation, counting those which have come
| in or will come in as result of the
| events of the past few months will be
S6,O00,000. A still greater change has
come in the broadening of its horizon
| and the expansion of its interests and
activities. 1t is no longer provincial or
isolated. 1t is in intimate touch with
the rest of the great, nations and will
exert an important, beneficient and con-
stantly increasing influence in the
worlds concerns.
Again have the people of the District
of Columbia starter movement to in
| IJce the government to grant than III "a