The Irish standard., 1898-09-24
pines does not come within the domain

of legitimate territorial expansion.
ial expansion has been one of the dis
tinctive characteristics Of our political
and economic development, but if y6n
stop to consider, you will recall that
every expansion with the exception of
Alaska, has been an acquisition of con-
tiguous territory, either wholly unoccu-
pied Except by scattering tribes of IN
dians) or sparsely settled, like New
Mexico and Louisiana, by few Span
iards and Frenchmen, who have become
American citizens in fact and in spirit.
Sucn expansion l call legitimate. 1t
has not violated the spirit of our insti-
tntionS. That spirit the keystone of
our whole political fabric. is intelligent
local selfgovernment This we have
extended to all cur acquired territories.
Could we ever expect to have intelligent
local self-government among the ten
millions of barbarian Filipinos?"
Further on IN the interview Mr.
Lind said the inhabitants of the ORR
entail Islands were inferior to those of
Cuba and Porto Rico, the latter belong
ing to the races which have already be-
come an integral part of our national
makeup, while the Filipinos contain a
mixed people Of a lower scale Of civil
lization. who can only be governed by
military despotism such as England
exercises in India. Does any sober
minded American" said Mr. Lind.
relish the idea of making military
despolism permanent feature of our
political ORGANISING" He thought that
from a mi'itaE point of view it would
be source of weakness to the republic
to govern the Philippines in that way,
and millions OF his countrymen agree
with him.
referring to those who are clamoring
for the gobbling mp of Spanish territory
in the Orient Mr., Lind declared in plain
words that they are not the men who
bear the burdens of society," who are it's
malnstay in times of peace and it's de-
Tenders in the hour of danger" As IL
replying to the recent address of j. ].
Hill at the reception to Senator Davis.
the champion of the producing classes
said that the advocates of territorial
expansion and imperial sway were the
representatives OF corporate interests,
moneyed adventures and their paid
retainers. who expect to obtain subsidies
for telegraph and transportation
schemes. to make money out of govern
ment contracts and to succeed the Span-
ish grandees in exploiting the islands
and the natives"
In conclusion Mr.. Lind said "rhe
differences between our present and
historical policy of expansion and the
proposed imperial policy may be briefly
summarized as follows: The one was
the inevitable result of our national
growth and development, it's effect and
purpose. local self-government ana civil
lization. The proposed imperial policy
is dictated by greed. Its aim is profit,
its maintenance is to be by force"
ernor of Minnesota to the readers of the
Irish Standard and ask them to weigh
and consider them from an American
standpoint. The trusts and corpora
tions that have been amassing their mil
lions with the aid of Republican legis-
lation al the expense of the toilers and
tillers of the lana are now urging the
Mckinley administration to extend
their piratical sway thousands of miles
beyond the western coast of the United
States for their sole use and benefit, and
the administration which these cormor-
ants placed in power will attend to
their interests and naugurate new de-
parture in governmental policy to en-
able them to prey on other people be-
sides their own.