The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-07

An a~nti-expansion contemporary asks
this hypothetical question : " What 10 our
title to the Philippines worth II the natives
confront US with our own Declaration Of In
dependence and q firm determination to
govern themselves7"
The question is as old as the century.
No less q statesman han the author
Of the Declaration was called upon to
solve it. for it was involved in the
Louisiana purchase. from the earliest con-
ception Of that greatest Of all national
acquisitions down to the moment APonEoN
signed the treaty and his representatives
surrendered the possession Of New Orleans
and the whole Mississippi country to the
agents OF JEFFERSON. JEFFERSON boldly
bought the title, and, great constitutional
lawyer though he was-framer OF constitu-
tions and Columbus Of the principles that
underlie all genuinely democratic organic
frameworks OF government-he merged the
lesser question in the greater one and as
sumed full responsibility for an act which,
in its results, as we see them unfolded to-
day. has contributed more TO change the
destinies Of the world and to make better
the condition of humanity than probably
lldS HI IlC SllS x z u hll IL 0LdttSLlCu
OF the nineteenth century.
The title thus bought by JEFFERSON with
out consulting the wishes OF those whom
the transfer Immediately affected, he took
every precaution possible to defend. not
only against those who were to live under
it in the new conditions then unknown to
them, but against the whole world. AL this
is clearly set forth in his messages to Con-
gress, in his other State papers and in his
private correspondence on public questions.
His repeated recommendations to the ma
tional Legislature with respect to the clas-
sification OF the militia into "middle-aged
and married men for home service and
young men for distant service" had in
view the defence Of Louisiana. He
went 80 far in this direction as to
urge Congress again and again to mako
gifts OF land on the western bank Of tho
Mississippi to thirty thousand volunteer
soldiers to induce them to settle there and
thus become a ready organized force to
hold the new territory In the Union and to
maintain the title he had purchased against
foreign aggression or domestic Instruction
OF either former French or Spanish sub
jects that might be dissatisfied with the
new orders. JEFFERSON, in his lofty con-
structive craftsmanship, did not allow his
policy to be trammelled by a forced and
unnatural construction OF a phrase in an
that he had himself framed to
meet exigencies widely M fundamentally
different from those which then con-
fronted him. And in so doing he was in
nowise inconsistent, for the extension over
the Mississippi region Of the equal laws,
equal rights INT equal privileges Of the
republic was to its inhabitants the conces-
sion'for the first time In their history OF
the free government which is the basic
principle OF the Declaration. True, they
were required to undergo a certain tutelage
to attain to it, but from the 7ery first they
participated in all its substantial benefits.
Whatever may be the ultimate fate of the
Philippines, there is high precedent for
holding them subject to our laws. The
Louisiana precedent does not stand alone.
Following it, came the Florida, California
and Alaska precedents. Which one OF
these possessions would not to-day put
forth all its resources to make good its
title, were it threatened. to be held as part
OF the United States? So will it be in q few
years with the Philippines. The title TO
those islands Is all right.