New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-29
1.-THE TRACKS OF OUR FOREFATHERS."

Interest In the nntl-expanson views expressed
by Mr. Charles Francis Adams Is chleny que 10
the contrast which he cOmpels between himsei
and his eminent grandfather. one Of the most
farseeng and courageous expansionists the
United States has known Mr.. Charles Francis
Adams Is out with a policy for dealing with our
new possessions. He admits that the nntl-ex-
panslOnist Is at disadvantage as mere
shouter of negatlOns and so he proposes posi-
tive plan as n solution for the problems when
he admits are on our hands. That policy IL
summed I'D in two wOrds-"Hands or" And
the most perfect example Of its beneficent re-
suits is the island of Hayti. Mr.. Adams points
out that we have left that island to anarchy
and that In so doing we followed the true Amer
lean policy He grants that the people of Cuba,
Porto Rico and the Philippines are UNITED NJ
present to maintain a government but he OBJ
jects to "tutelage" as un-American and urges
the "hands-off' policy under which we are to
form a ring, keep ourselves and other nations
out of the arena and let the barbarans fight 1t
out and learn by suffering how to behave.
Having relieved the Spanish islanus from the
dominion of Spain, we should declare concern
ling them n policy Of hands off, both on our
"own part and on the part Of other Powers
1--WE should say that the independence OF those
Islands Is guaranteed by us under the treaty
1--WE have entered into, and then leave them,
"tust ms we have left Hayti and just as we
cleft Mexico, to adopt for themselves such
form of government ms the people thereof are
crime for" And II they are not ripe for forming
any government ut all, why, so much the worse
for them. At any rate, 1t is utterly contrary to
American tradition to take control Of the Phil
ippines or even Porto Rico and Cuba, and Mr..
Adams is insstent that we should follow Burkes
advice and set our feet "in the tracks of our
forefathcrs, where we can neither wander nor
stumble"
It might be thought that Hayti was hardly
a happy example by which to commend the
"bands-off" policy but since Mr. Adams wishes
us in Cuba to follow President Jefferson's plan
of aiding Toussaint LOuverture to defy France
and then leaving the freed blacks to anarchy 1t
Is to be admitted the instance is well chosen.
For his purpose it is much better than Florida,
which was lurking-place Of nuisances and dis
order disturbing to our peace, and which we
did take and put in 'tutelage"; or Louisiana.
which was settled with people who wept when
they saw the American flag run up, but who
were kept in "tutelage" until they learned to
walk our way and not left to stumble along like
the Haytians. Mr. Adams, Of course, will say
that one hundred miles Of water separate US
from Cuba and 1t takes Ave hours to 60 there,
whereas it took only few days or weeks to go
through the swamps or down the rivers from
American settlements to Louisiana or Florida.
True, the distinction may be made that these
islands stand in a different relation to us from
foreign communities on the continent which we
did not leave to walk alone" Perhaps Mr..
Adams thinks that the water assmlates them
to Hayti rather than to Florida, and therefore
advocates turning Cuba and Porto Rico loose.
following "in the tracks OF our fOrefathers." AT
any rate, he thinks it would violate the Decla-
ration of Independence and the Monroe Doctrine.
IL not the law Of gravitation and the atomic
theory, for us not to keep our "hands or them,
or rather not to take our hands off and leave
them to stew in their own juice. But the real
author OF the Monroe Doctrine did not quite
agree with him. John Quincy Adams. when
Secretary Of State, in 1923, wrote to our Minis
ter to Spain:
The islands Of Cuba and Forto Rico still re-
main nominally and so far really dependent on
her (Spainl that she yet possesses the power
OF transferring her own dominion over them. to-
gether with the possession OF them, to others.
These islands, from their local position are nat
ural appendages to the North American conti-
nent and one Of them (Cuba). almost In sight OF
our shores, from q multitude Of considerations
has become object OF transcendent impor-
lance to the commercial and political interests
OF our Union. II IL scarcely possible to
resist the conviction that the annexation of
Cuba TO our Federal Republic will be indispensa-
Bile to the continuance and integrity Of the
Union itself. But there laws Of po-
litical as we'll al physical gravitation and II an
apple. severed by the tempest from its native
tree, cannot choose but fall to the ground Cuba.
forcibly dsjoined from It's unnatural connection
with Spain and incapable OF self-support. can
gravitate only toward the North American
Union which. by the same law Of nature. can
not cast her of from Its bosom.
That was the "hands-off" policy Of John
Quincy Adams with regard to islands in which
We have an interest or which fall into our
hands. A. Charles Francis Adams wisely says.
"Why cannot we, too, be content to set our feet