The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-08-08
THE YEAR OF oppoRrUNrrr.
Ex-senator snnders OF Montana on the Ma.
toms Destiny and Duty.

on which we shall compose our differences with
Spain are, with a single possible exception, the
most momentous question with which Amcri-
can statesmunship has had to denl during the
nineteenth century. In this era Of verbal fiat
ulency. Of exaggerated speech where adjectives
nre the lRboring oar. l speak soberly and adj
vlsedly. | would not belittle that great cir
cumstance when Mr.. jefferson obtained for us
by an extra Constitutional act everything west
OF the Mississippi River and north OF latitude
420, which was certainly no mean event, for it
added to the country an imperial domain and
the acquisition Of Florida may not be belittled.
The addition OF Texas to the republic was n
great event with varying motives. but in It's re-
suits rojolcinRly benignant, and commends to
his countrymen the memory Of President y-
Ter. Andrew jackson Is gratefully remembered
for Florida. The acquisition by President Polk
OF California. Arizona, New Mexico. Utah and
parts OF Colorado and Wyoming rounded out
our geographical possessions. added dignity
to the republic, carried inspiring political
conceptions to people heretofore unused to
them. and gave the country courage and
strength and a theatre for enterprise which
has had u direct and reflex influence upon the
character OF all our countrymcn. The Gadsden
purchase. among our minor acquisitions. after
much controversy has come to be universally
approved. The addition OF Alaska to our pos
sessions, which ut the date Of the event was
excused rather than approved. has even added
to the fame OF Mr.. Seward and aug
mented tho gratitude OF the people to
TINT illustrious statesman. The inclusion OF
the Hawaiian Islands within the possessions
OF the republic Ia OF too recent date to per-
nit OF history as to its results. but even now
those blue ink spots on the Northern Pacific
Ocean are profoundly appreciated and cherished
by nearly all our citizens. Except Alaska and
these islands, all our conquests have adjoined
the republic, The battle cry with which the
Democrats rallied their serried hosts to victory
in 1914. "Fifty-four forty or fight" would
have been woven into actual history had our
title to that domain been free from doubt. and
possibly that doubt would have been impotent
had there been knowledge Of the value OF that
vast and remote region. Its abandonment lost
the Democratic party much Of its prestige. and
increasing regret is felt as its development dis
closes its vast resources, which even now day
by day arc being revealed, and as we contem-
plate the fact that its possession would have
given us exclusively the Pacific coast from
Mexico to the Arctic Ocean.
Each Of these acquisitions has met with siren
uous opposition and the actors in these events
have each been the victims OF contemporaneous
condemnation. At a later day their country
men have realized the wisdom OF their deeds
and gratefully given them the full need of
praise. In this statement l Of course omit the
event OF the other day. but there is no reason
to suppose that tho addition Of the "Cannibal
Islands" OF our childhood will prove an excep-
tion to the long chapter OF national enlarge
ment with uniformly approving results us to
the public judgment. No man anywhere has
ever proposed to return these possessions to
their former owners. Absurd statesmen have
arisen seeking out almost everything ridicu-
lous as a remedy for existing evils. but to amel-
iorate present evils no one has ever limited
that a REIMBURSEMENT Of our after acquired"
territory was for an instant admissible.
The lesson Of all this seems plain. There is
an entire sameness in all argument against ma
tional geographical expansion. The invention
Of the epithet imperialism" is a change OF
form rather than substance, and is born OF the
necessities Of this busy era when SO much
presses for consideration on so many persons
who are inca pacitated to reason. and who there
fore refute by a sheer.
To say fifty what shall be the terms Of our set
Element OF this war with Spain we must pro-
coed on the hypothesis that we can dictate
those terms absolutely. She lies at our feet,
conceited but not proud in any noble concep-
ton. vain but not scli-respecting. Our very
conquest imposes upon us the imperative duty
to deal justly. But to determine what is JUS.
tice we must have a clear conception Of what
Spain is, and Of what the United States OF
AIltTlct are. SIilll Cuu ut u'ScTlpeu III u Sln'
gle sentence. She is a projection of the M,
teenth century into the twentieth that tolls
the whole story. That she has within her Dor
ders good men and women may be admitted
hut their condition is one OF exceeding pathos
1t is not merely justice to Spain that we have
to consider: our vision must be Of such scope
as to compass our duty in this solemn ~exigency
to mankind.
great many nations are striving to amelio'
rate human conditions. and in settling this
question We must have regard to them. Ii
short. we are forbidden by solemn considers
tions to act on the impulse Of pity, which II
many cxiRencies OF human life is q most credit
able motive. We must lift ourselves to the higt
level OF duty. The United States stands fol
the emancipation Of the common people from
the thraldom of the dark ages. 1t has a clcar
, conception OF their rights and is resolute fo
their vindication. 1t is a happy fact that som'
|, other nations are moved by a like impulse. anC
!, with some disadvantages are laEorinG in TIM
same direction; but our country is clearly il
i, the van OF this benignnnt PROCESSION. Withou
: thought a hundred days ago that such n crisis
4 was imminent. 1t is now thrust upon us to de
. terminc what manner Of u nation We shall b.
in the expanding future. We cannot dodge thi
question II we would. 1t is a great ext
= gency and a great opportunity. II We pre-
: termit 1t now. it may recur n century hence: bu
: it can never come back to US for reconsidera
\ ton under such favorable conditions. IT w
wait for the centuries In their events to toss Il
4 us again such an opportunity. we shall find
world under different conditions. Then on
kinsmen across the sen will have planted thei
2 banner and their institutions in every lonRi
v tude and zone. In the fierce rivalry for the oc
r cupation OF the lands OF barbarous tribes Of
n which to plant representative institutions. W
may rest assured the banner Of some natiol
will be firmly planted on all regions which ma
minister to the pride. the patriotism, the phi
lanthropy. the ambition Of mankind.
{ These nations will each represent an idea
@ but grouping them 1t may he said they will b
n divided into two hosts: one representing arbi
trary forms OF government. md one dcmocrati
Y institutions. Nations, like men. have cal nj
ties and duties. and like men they may per
n form or shirk the duty. Ordinarily it is "A lut
OF each to live; and. except in exiGencies sci