Washington sentinel., 1898-12-17
EXPANS SION.

This year has been crowded with
history and crowded with glory.
1t is also to my mind crowded with
danger. The flag OF Spain, form
erlY the proudest power on earth
since the daV OF the Roman En-
pire, has gone down in darkness
and blood before the victorious
army and navy of our country.
The flag OF the United States has
consequently arisen in the eastern
sky like a new constellation. Let us
not accept the duties and respon-
sibilities OF this victory in any tenn
per of vain glory, still less of vul
gar greed for power or gain. The
United States comes to these op-
pressed people east and west as a
great deliverer. To deal with this
great occasion by talking about
coaling stations and trade advan-
tages degrades and belittles it. We
have not overthrown Spain, we
have not imperilled the precious
lives of our sons TO make money
out Of our new relations. If we
carry out this policy, will it mott
volve dishonor on our part9 Would
we not dishonor our own declara-
tions that we went to war for
humanity sake2 To those who
may ask who are the Philippines
1 would say that they are a down
trodden race, slowly recovering
from an iniquitous Spanish rule.
And that their leaders are men in
every sense OF the word, and fully
capable of governing themselves,
their heroic deeds and brave act
ions IN conjunction with Admiral
Dewey in front of Manila have
clearly demonstrated. Did they
not utterly pat TO rout the Spanish
forces and actually capture 1000
prisoners9 Is there any better
argument for paying Spain S2o,-
600, 900 for these islands than tor
Cuba and Porto Rico9 Did not
Spain receive the price tor all she
has lost, when she blew up the
Maine and accepted war with us9
Twenty million dollars is
whole lot oi money. When this
money gets into the United States
Treasury every cent Of it has been
taken from the earnings of the
American people. A war in which
the Justly vanquished receive a
solatium Of twenty million dollars
is indeed a novelty. The United
States has never been in the habit
of paying indemnity to nations
with whom it has been compelled
TO fight.
There are some individuals who
claim that these people are not
capable of self government. What
do they know about it9 Did not
England say the same thing about
US in I7762 Does not Aguinaldo
positively say that he will fight tor
the freedom oil his country until
the last man in his army is dead1
Is not this patriotic declaration1
Shall we, the present generation OF
this great and glorious republic,
proud to stand in front OF all human
progress, be less wise, less open
hearted than were our iorefathers
in recognizing, fostering, and up
holding freedom, liberty and re-
publican form of government
wherever it may be set up1 Are
we to depart from this old tradi.
tional policY1 Are we going to
upset our constitution and impair
our own llbertles9 The first duty
OF the American people is to them
selves, and this is said in no spirit
of selfshness or indifference to
mankind. On the contrary the
highest service the American peo-
pie can render to mankind and to
liberty is to preserve unstained and
unchanged the Republic as it came
to US from the fathers. It IS by
example and not by guns or by
bayonets that the great work Of
America for humanity is TO be ac-
complished.
The danger to which we are
exposed is that we are to be trans
a A. 4