The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1898-07-30
Lead Us Not Into Temptation.

From the Philadelphia Pa. Ledger, of July p.
FB, Thurber. President of the United States EX-
port Association, has written letter to President
Mckinley advising the retention of such Spanish
territories as may "fall into our lap" during the
present war i'll order to furnish an additional mar
ket for American products. Great Britain, he says,
has furnished us with precedents for the govern
ment of outlying dependencies, and there is no
necessity for assimuatng them into our union OF
States-"at least not until they are in condition
worthy of such citizenship" Mr. Thurber cannot
believe that the Administration
States-the opportunity OF centures-to lead IN the
industrial march of the nations.
He further says that production has outrun con-
sumption and tins industrial revolution is at the
bottom of
1.-THE movement of the principal nations to parcel
ont the territory of the weaker nations as hunters
divide their game, to ind a market for their
wares"
Has Mr. Thurber, whose proposition smacks of
of commercial jingoism, counted the cost OF the
step he advices the Administration to take? Free
trade prevails among the States of the Union and
every territory of these States. The acquisition of
the Philippines, of Porto Rico and of other Span
ish possessions, involves not merely the free i'm
port of products into these territories, but it
comprehends the free import of their products into
Hawaii the Philippines and Porto Rico, when
brought into competition with our own working
people, must inevitably greatly reduce the wage
rate in this country.
We have noted the effect of imported Italian and
Russian labor in competition with our own toilers.
With outlying islands, peopled by semi-savages,
made part of the political system. there is grave
danger that we shall lose more in the commercial
sense than we have gained, and that our civiliza-
ton and methods of living more likely to be
hurt than helped by the policy of colonial aggran-
dizement
Furthermore, if, i'll the interests Of trade we alb
serb the territories which fall into our lap" the
demand will soon follow that in the same interests
we inaugurate a policy of aggression against the
weaker nations This would necessitate the COM
plete abandonment of the Monroe Doctrine. We
should be exactly in the position of the predatory
nations of Europe, taking where we had the power
and keeping where could, entering into alli-
anceS of offence and defence, maintaining enor-
standing armies and navies to protect our
SpoilS and to amaSs new booty, and taxing our
people severely, to support colossal military es-
adjustment. We enved of the world because
of our natural advantages. Having no greed for
territory we have RETAINED from foreign entangle-
ments, and have prospered no other people in
the worlds history. Content to mind our own
business, we have warned off rivals disposed to be
meddlesome, and where the other nations have
Sown dragons teeth, we have cultivated peace,
tranquility and happiness. For some wiIl-o'-the-
wisp of fanced riches shall we abandon all this,
leave the firm rock to founder in the quicksands
of International intrigue?
Every intelligent and patriotic American favors
the development of our commerce and the WIDEN
ing of markets. both domestic and foreign, for our
products. But next to free institutions the great
bulwark of our country is well paid labor a fair
days pay for a fair days work. 1t is this that
makes the American contented, that raises him
above the level of the serf, that permits him and
his family to live in what we are proud to call the
or agriculturist into ruinous competition with the
pauper labor of the Philippines. whether those
Asiatics remain abroad, and ship their products
here under free trade, or whether they come here
and compete at our elbow, and who shall answer
for the consequences? We have labor problems
enough to solve without inviting new and extraor-
binary factors for trouble
If, as has been apprehended by many able OBJ
servers, the militarism which stalks through Eu-
rope, is likely to precipitate in the near future,
war world wide in its extent, involving Europe,
Asia and Africa, let us entreat Providence that we
be spared from such visitation. Our historic pol
icy of isolation, and non-intervention except so
far as relates to the integrity of the American con-
tinent policy buded into the corner stone of the
Republic, has made us the happiest, the most
ideal of nations. Washington and the fathers fore
saw the temptations to which we should be sub
jected and they conjured us to beware of them
In such time as this, when the war fever quick
ems our pulses let us take care no delirious dream
Ofimperalism leads us to our own destruction.