The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-11
PEOPLE AND POLITICS.
BY an Observer.

in his academic gown, used to we'll nigh
strain his imagination In All effort to get
the eagles beak deep in tho Atlantic,
while his tail famed the breezcs OF the
Rocky Mountains and ono wing brushed
tho SHOWS from the Canadian frontier
while the other dipped into the torrid
waters OF the Gulf. But this has become
a small and circumscribed area for the
great American bird. The man that
would keep him I'm such a close cage
would have him beating out his wings
and breaking his martial spirit. Leaving
the Golden Gate, we so cut over the
placid Pacific and strike our dominions
in Hawaii There the savage Islander.
tho Chinese cooley and the cunning IT.
tle jap have all been herde1 beneath
the folds of the American flag. Passing
on through thousands OF leagues OF sea.
we still search for the uttermost borders
OF the greet American republic. We take
under our protection and incorporate
INTO our system of government eight NH
lions OF little brown and yellow men that
swarm over some fourteen hundred Is
lands off the Asia coast like so many
ants on n village OF aat-hills. Bat that
is not all. Dropping down into the An
TILES we make a sovereign State OF
Puerto Rico and hold with one mana
tightly 10 Cuba, while with the otner we
caress and WOO her into statehood. me
war is over. The treaty commissioners
ba,e done their work: the facts are
given 10 the world; the United states or
America takes 10000 square miles OF the
earth's surface and adopts as her enid
ron some 100000 OF the earth's inhaoi-
tants-inhabitants for the most part win
unkempt hair and only girle ABOUT
their loins.
Our republic Is In a state OF change
Down The steps of the White HOUSE, az
washington comes MEMBER OF VIZ
cahinct and as he shifts the breezes AZ
tha front door. he announces 10 the
,omblel reporters: II am an lInpeil@-
tst" what glowing hours IN Caolhes
y,oy,s these daysl How Jefferson o'u
e.,av mare that gnawcd the bark OH ol
the ample tree while he walked IL, u -,
hi, oath OF Office would open her
I'm amazemant TO see things soins =" "a
thev now go at Washington. "o
conservative liberty lovers ina 80,
Jealous Of the slightest sugS 7s''o., -, .,
tralized power in one sfea' 49, - "a
our country have had many tune their
shock their feelings and perFeI. ,sts
,r,rcinles had they been livinS 10 80
i,on1 tour. hut. in all these years notnihs
has so completely swept them from ~. -,
r,oorinrs as the present "raVlsilI i",.,
- tho Kingdom OF Spain. me NJ ~
States Of America It is no longer ~" ~
NOR strokes Ike the present an" .
80 sbould be the United Earth NJ"
for Canada and for MeNlco'
what a fine time for the STUDY Oh ms -
-, Gid patrick Henry: Il nave n'
, .o, hy which my feet are guided e DT
oont the lamp of experience a.
,,noricons turn TO their histories io'
tber, read how great republics nav pa
nered at home and in reaching ou' CT"
crashing after dominion aDIo5u lit
Tho seeds Of death In the oouS 49,,
~, g., dra season reaped the poisonous
anu !" Athens had her Syracuse; Rome
rad an Antonius who bestowed lhe pa,
,isIe ~ Roman citizen on all the mohsIe'
,.taot< ond tan tribes of the earth ina
Ill beneath the Empire OF Rome A.
~ such far-reachlng ambition on .i0
~ Of Athens. after such wholesale IN
pS,o,.,,oration of inccngruous cltizehsnlP
ON the mart Of Rome, Athens cas-"
o,l,st and the Roman Empire went 10
otoccs we may be but at the besihhils,
and under a civilization that' WIN 10
MYRIAD inventions, has maue GU -
81 Governing and Of living upon tne -
80, ditfetent from that in ancient tlihe7'
but, at least, we may proh' py p'''
amples.
No nosit,on IS as difficult to maintain
conservative position. corserNa-
s,,.a man simply stands firm without 'n0
t,,sn;ration and the hot-blood OF run
80. tack He does not have over nun
tho rainbows OF hope; he knows ulp "i9
10 bes. and while he does not ny 20
tiers ne knows not Of. yet his opponents
a. least have the advantage o. MN Al
pointing with great dehnlteness 10 49,
defect i'm his present position re
noinfed out with jeers as wise olu wv
Who prefers on some dead limp 70 ~
tha cbiuv hours OF night away, rather
~, on the wing of the lark 10 meet
the morning in the golden chaHoel9 "a
the East. .,..-,,s,io Nv
was talking with an enthusiastic eN-
the other day. man "ho |
lived In the golden dreams OF empire,
and he gave expression 70 TINS very |
nointed smile. characterizing all those |
who would raise a warning voice ~ 'N''
ori,icol time Said he, You remind me |
In talking about past principles OF tnls
republic and about the WORKOUT con
stitit,ion under which we live or Il man
mat runs his engine with the heaoilshl
~, the tender always looking back over |
~, t.ock that he has traversed, never |
leaking into the future where ne Is run
ning" The smile was very good one |
,,,,t II there was ever a wild engine |
bounding on into the dark without |
beadIipht TO guard and warn the tnrot- |
ttcman of obstacles and danger. that !
our good republic to-day. we |
40 no, even know that the rails are lald !
ahead of US. but on we 80. our GOOD CON
Juctor Mr.. Mckinley. feeling conhaehI
49, be Ia taking US somewhere, whether |
h Is the destination we desire or not
Shall the Senate ratify the President |
roatyo To fan to do so would put our 1
.ounfrv in a very awkward light before |
-ha whole world. and would require me |
.auing together again of the treaty com
nissioners and prolong deHcate an"
,cute situation that invites all the the
dangerous and destructive complications |
Rut should the Senate ratity the fresl-
Tents treaty, 1t raises Immediately
hundred difficult, embarrassing ana per-
nanent troubles. Let us look Tor mo
nent at the practical Workings OF our
lew empire. In the first place We cum
Almost see our noble American states
brtrkinp into mere insignihcance. while
n once washington bulges out with pow
r. and Importance. The \ Of the Ma
ion becomes a larger capital, while the
of the State shrinks into small plca'
great budgets come In De-
ore Congress providing for an enormous
lavy. which, IN the glow Of our present
ride. we are so tempted 10 heye. Along
with this comes the demand for elapo-
ate and extensive coast fortlhcauons'