Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1898-05-27
We are Drifting.

When the advancement OF the
United States, during the last cen
tury, is considered, we can congratu-
late ourselves upon her progress.
That progress, Notwithstanding the
fact that we have passed through
several wars, has been constant and
satisfactory. 1t is to be attributed,
in a great measure, to the fact that
we have been isolated from other
countries and have attended strictly
to our own business. We have now
reached a very high position among
the nations of the world. May we
not apprehend that we are approach
ing the zenith?
five understand the cause of this
war, it was not the blowing up OF the
Maine. That was an outrage, IN
itself sufficient to bring about the
war. but with comnehdable conserva-
tism, the United States eliminated 1t,
as one of those questions which could
be settled by arbitration. The cause
of the war as claimed by the govern
ment is that Spain was inhumanly
cruel to the people of Cuba, and the
United States in order to end this
cruelty declared war. The Spaniards
were starving the reconcentrados and
the United States stepped in and be-
came, or sought to become, the pro-
tectors of those people.
After war was declared, Spain had
a large feet in the Pacific Ocean
which threatened our western coast.
The United States government or
dered Commodore Dewey TO capture
or destroy that fleet. He promptly
obeyed the order and destroyed the
feet, but in doing so gained posi-
ton from which it is a very easy task
to capture the Philippine Islands. To
do so, however, and to hold them
will require large force of men.
Should this policy be opposed by
Spain we would be compelled to
carry on war at a distance Of over
5000 miles from our own land, at
great expense and at the probable
loss of a large body Of men.
The question naturally occurs,
would we not have been stronger i'll
our feet, after destroying the Spanish |
feet in the China Sea, had returned
to the Pacific coast? There would
have been no necessity of giving even
that coast any further protection and
our whole attention could have been
given to the rescue Of Cuba from
Spain. The Philippine Islands will
add no strength to the United States, |
but may be the cause of foreign COM
plications that may prove embarrass-
ing. If the object be to secure these
islands as part of OAr colonial pos
sessions, we may well consider the |
cost. With Cuba and Porto Rico in |
the Atlantic, Hiwaii and Philippine
in the Pacific and one more small |
island on the eastern border Of the
Atlantic, it might become our boast |
that the sun never sets upon America,
but would we not be drifting into the |
footsteps of other nations that became J
powerful, seized foreign territories, |
boosted of their power, reached their
zenith, and gradually became the
prey of others ?
We are drifting rapidly into new
and one of the great dangers
that threaten us is that we soon will
be divided into two classes: one
that Iobora ond tho othap that
lives at the expense ofthe govern
nent. We are now enjoying liberty. |
In our effort to gain power, are we
not in danger of sacrificing the
liberties which we now have ? These |
ire questions which should interest
'ur people, and all should be ready |
% ask the question "Whither ar e
we drifting ?"