The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1898-08-20
KEEP ALL WE HAVE.
Ex-senator Regain of Texas Favors thu
Retention of All Islands.


II am in favor of the annexation
of Cuba, the taking of Puerto Rico
and the keeping OF the Philippine
islands"
John H. Regain, formerly United
States senator, chairman OF the state
railroad commission Of Texas, and
one Of the leaders of the democratic
party in Texas, so spoke while dis.
cussing territorial expansion in an
interview at Chicago one day this
week.
"Of the entire 14OO islands of the
Philippine group, would you favor
keeping all?" was asked.
Eyes. Our army and navy are
there. After the war is over would
not sell them. They belong in this
nation and we need them. | would
establish over the Philippines an
American protectorate. We know
that there, as in Cuba, the native is
not capable of self.government as
we undertand the term. Europe
does not understand our dual form
of government, does not compre-
bend the protection Of life and
property, civil rights, freedom Of
thought, speech and action for our
citizens. How, then, should the ma
tive of the Philippines or the Cuban
understand it?
INCREASE IN AREA OF FREEDOM.
"But the establishment of an
American protectorate over the Phil.
ippines would make them subject
to the laws Of our institutions. It
would leave for them q local gov.
eminent of their own which they
might conduct so long as it was
consistent with the law Of the re-
public. We will be compelled to
keep strong garrisons and strong
feet at the islands for years, but in
retaining them we will have extend
ed the boundaries of constitutional
government just that much and in.
creased the area in which the Free
dom Of man is recognized by just so
many square miles. We will have
held islands which to as are a ne.
cessity in the future progress Of
life. We will have raised one more
barrier against any future encroach-
ments Of real imperialism-mon-
archial government.
II confess that it is true We as
sumo new responsibilities in taking
the Philippines, but our growth has
prepared Us for those added duties.
We can not afford to be timid in
this hour.
"The policy you advocate, Mr..
Regain, is not imperialism"
JEFFERSON An IMPERIALIsr.
swell, if it is, then Thomas Jeffer-
son, the founder of the democratic
party, must have been one Of the
rankest of ilnperialists. and the
party must individually stand for
what not only he advocated, but
what the party worked for through
presidency after presidency, proceed
ing the war. Jefferson negotiated
what is known 40 the Louisiana
purchase. Our area then 1903 was
about SOC, 900 square miles and he
added TO it more than / ,20O, 900
square miles, and the people JUST.
fed him in his course.
AFTER his time and almost down
to the outbreak of the war the pur-
chase and annexation Of Cuba were
urged repeatedly upon both presi-
dent and congress.
I've represent constitutional gov
eminent in the highest form now
known to man; it is our privilege
and right to not only extend that
go far rs Ne can but Ne
must defend il with Z strength, q
Of power no nation Ut the
worlds history has put forth before.
We have. it Is true. large unoccupied
areas Of land ia this country which
arc yet to b settled. We arc not
land poor and if msse land was jn-l