Middletown transcript., 1898-08-20

Wtuiu Ut3 tu1V WO Ouh Oh'J "eNN'
them as territories, and eventually
must take them in as States, with thei
population of mixed and inferior races
That is hardly an effective argument
When this country was an infant,
still in its cradle, George Washington
gave the child some very good advice
told him TO beware of entangling alli'
ances, to stay at home, and attend tc
his own business. Under the circum.
stances this was all very good. But
the infant has been growing. and the
republic is now one Of the most power.
ful nations in the world, end yet from
its infant days until now, good, cUnsel-
valive people have Eeen repeating the
advice Of Washington. 1t was repeat
ed again and again when we were talk
ing about purchasing Louisiana, and
many Senators and Congressman be-
came hysitrical and predicted the fall
of the republic if that WAS done. The
same thing took place when We pur-
chased Florida, and again whtn we got
1000. 600 square miles from Mexico,
and still again when we bought Alaska.
These ideas about violating the Consti-
tuition and wrecking the republic were
promulgated by our great and wise
statesmen on all these previous Occa-
sions, but after all the Constitution
seems to have borne the strain. There
seems to be as much liberty now as
there was then, and in fact great deal
more. Our territories have given US
no trouble, while they have greatly
added to our population and vastly in
creased our wealth.
Beside this, the statement of the
olden time, the wise men with whom
wisdom. was supposed to have perished,
could not and did not imagine the i'm
provements that would take place after
they were gone. In their time, practi-
caily speaking, it was further from
New York to Buffalo than it is now
from New York to San Francisco, and
as far as the trans sportation of intelli-
gence is concerned, San Francisco is as
near New York as it would have been
In their day had it been just across the
Harlem river. Taking intO considera-
tion the railways. the telegraphs and
the telephones, this country now, with
its area of 3,5O0,OOO square miles, is
not as large as the thirteen original
colonies were; that is to say, the dis.
tances are more easily travelled and
more easily overcome. In those days
it required months and mon his to cross
the continent. Now it is the work of
four or five days.
CONSTITUTION CAN STAND FXPAN-
SION.
Yet, when we come TO talk about
annexing lhe Hawaiian islands, the
advice Of George Washington was
again repeated, and the older the SEN
atOr the fOnder he was of his advice.
These Senators had the idea that the
Constitution, having nothing 10 favor
Of it, must contain something, at least
in spirit. against it. OF. course our
fathers had no idea of the growth of
the republic. We have, because with
Us it is matter of experience. Idon't
see that Alaska has imperiled any of
the liberties of New York. We need
not admit Alaska as a State unless it
has population emitting it to admis-
sion, and we are not bound TO take the |
Sandwich Islands until the people are
civilized, until they are fit companions |
of free men and free women. 1t may
be that good many Of our citizens
will 60 to the Sandwich Islands, and |
that, in short time, the people will be |
ready 10 be admitted as State. All |
this The Constitution can stand, and in |
it there is no danger of Imperialism.
] believe in national growth. AS
rule the prosperous farmer wants the
land that adjDins him, and I think
prosperous nation has the ambition OF |
growth. 1t is better to expand than
to shriVel; and, if our Constitution is
too narrow to spread over the territory
that we have the courage 10 acquire,
why, we can make broader one. It
is very easy matter to make consti-
tuition, and no humsn happiness, no
prosperity, no progress should be sacri-
feed for the sake of piece of paper i
writing on it; because there is plenty
Of paper, and plenty Of men to do the
writing, and plenty Of people to say
what t! g writing should be. l take
mole interest in people than so in
constitutions. l regard constitutions
as secondary; they are means to an end,
but the dear old conservative gentle
men seem TO regard constitutions as
ends in themselves.
have read what ex-President
Cleveland had to say on this important
subject, and am happy to say that ]
entirely disagree with him. So. too,
disagree with Senator Edmunds and
with Mr.. Bryan and with Senator
Hoar, and with al the other gentlemen
who wish to stop the growth of the re.
public. I want it to grow. Some
times have thought that there only
air enough on this hemisphere to float
one flag, and In time that dream
may come true.
DESTINY OF sPAIN's ISLANDS.
As to the final destiny of the island
possessions won from Spain, my idea is
that the PhilippineIslanGs will finally
be free, protected, it may be, for a long
time by the United States. think
Cuba will come to US for protection,
naturally, and. SO far as 1 am con-
cerned, / want Cuba, only when Cuba
wants US. l think that Porto Rico