The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-05-20
THE NEW PROBLEM OF THE
NATION.

L he IN EW FROBLEM Or HE
NATION.
Minnesota sends fine looking,
sturdy regiment to the Philippines,
and there is no question but that it
will give a good account of itself
there But one could not help bat
wonder when they saw the boys pass
through here last night, what they
would have to do there and how long
they would remain, and that brings
to mind the question Of what may be
done with the Philippines, which have
so suddenly and easily fallen into our
hands, when the war closes. Should
they be held by this country, it would
need considerable force to properly
garrison and look after matters there
and the boys, or many of them, who
passed through here last night, may
see several years service there, for in
such an event after becoming accli-
mated they would doubtless be given
the first chance to serve there, and Do
doubt many would accept.
War always brings about MANY
changes evenin victorious nation, and
leads it to do many things that would
not have been otherwise entered upon.
This has been the history of the
world, and will doubtless be the his
tory of the United States. 1t would
not be at all strange if the present
war changed the entire policy of the
United States relati to the position
it has assumed before the world. In
fact, it will change it in one respect
in spite of ITSELF and that will be the
bringing it forward as a leading naval
power. And it has already broken
down most of the opposition to the
annexation Of Hawaii and will cause
1t to be brought about as a war meas
ure. Many who have been opposed
to annexation now see the necessity
of the islands in case of war.
| The United States has adhered to
the policy of the founders of the re-
public. A most wise policy it has
been to, for in the early days of the
country, while it was building up
strength and wealth it would have
been fatal to the nation to have be-
come involved in European troubles.
Then again the matter of isolation
was easy to maintain, for we were off
to one side of the globe, fully
months journey from the great pow
ers of the world.
But In the nearly century and
quarter of the nations growth, all
conditions have changed. We have
grown to be one of the most powerful
nations of the globe. Our resources
are unbounded. Steam and electricity
have annihilated distance. and
brought US in close contact with the
nations Of the world. Instead of be-
ing removed way to one side. and a
Weakling as in the time Of Washing
ton, we stand today as giant in the
center of the worlds theatre of
action. Consequently as a result of
this war, which was thrust upon us,
the United States will have arrived
at the parting of the ways. where it
must decide whether it will abide by
a policy shaped under conditions a
century old, under civilization that
knew nothing of the civilization and
surroundings that now exist, or
whether it will step forward to take
part IN the affairs of the
world as they exist today
and for which part the nation is amply
able to enter into. Old presidents
and old theories will have to be cast
one side in such an event. But In all
other matters the American people
have not shown themselves slow in
shaking off old conditions and estab-
fishing new presidents. How will the
nation take hold OF this problem
which isnow suddenly thrust before it