The times., 1898-12-26
MONDAY, DECEMBER IS. 1898.
Under the Law, of Necessity.

NUN IAA, pff 'sMbth %. 1898.
Under the Law of Necessity.
1t may be taken for granted that there
is not Il public man in America among
the few who are resisting the win of the
people in the matter of expansion, and
who incidentally oppose any increase in
our army because the policy Of expan-
sion will necessitate larger one, who
would deliberately propose to adopt
measures to prevent the extension of
American trade abroad. which is one of
the most prominent and even startling
phenomena of the worlds movement to-
day. We can say with entire truth that
commercial Europe is absolutely alarmed
at the invasion of its industrial markets
b. american manufacturers. England is
compelled to see our steel makers carry
of all the important contracts for street
railway equipment. Our rails. stru tlral
steel. plates and such things actually are
.iisplaclng English makes to the extent
OF the ability OF our concerns to fill or
iers. But the British are not nearly as
frightened by the prospect this opens as
are their Continental neighbors. The for
mer still have lines of trade wiki the
round world in which we do not COM
pete disastrously, and they are inclined
10 resignation, But ii is quite different
in Germany. There the report that Rus
s;a has ordered eighty thousand tons of
steel rails in the Emitted States. and the
fact that Americans are furnishing cleo
trical and many other sorts of machinery
for new plants throughout the Empire, az =
creating CONSERVATION among the indus
trial and financial classes. The leading
topic OF conversation everywhere is the
sudden rise and aggressiyeness of the
young giant of the West One of the
great financial magnates Of London is
said 10 have exclaimed the other day in
.iwe-struck tones: This is the first time
in the history of finance that New York
has been in n position TO dictate money
rates to London. Berlin and Paris"
Such things are significant and omin-
Gus. They mean that the thing we call
expansion is not matter of national
vanity or sentiment, but the manifesta-
tIon of an irresistible force, long sup
pressed by a vicious fiscal policy and q
conspiracy of monopolistic combinations
against legitimate production and indus
try. The Spanish war and its results
have furnished the opportunity TO break
the bonds that for years have held Amer
lean trade and agriculture fettered to the
interests of a favored class of monopo-
lists. The acquisition of colonial posses
sions in strategic commercial positions
has opened prospects for trade with the
Orient and South America never before
dreamed of. The incalculable possibili-
ties of American production are at last
crowned with the chance for 4 vast de-
Velopment. Agriculture and the mechan-
ic arts no longer feel that they must for
ever be held in bondage to an overcrowd-
cd home market, and the people are not
slow to reach the determination that
they shall not be.
When President Mckinley sent Admiral
Dewey TO Manila he uncorked the bottle
that held the Genius OF his country's des-
tiny and imperial grandeur. Hale. Hoar
and their like may try from now until the
day of doom TO squeeze that Genius back
. but they might as well essay TO bale out
the sea with sieve. They know it and
true TO their unpatriotie instincts. attempt
the next worst thing. Since they cannot
destroy the spirit of expansion, they will
worry II vita the bell, book and candle OF
obstruction.
No proposition could be more undeniablo
than that We must not expect to jump tc
the front of producing and trading ma
tions, taking money out of the pockets OF
Europe's captains Of industry and bread
out of the mouths of the Old World peo.
pie without encountering stern opposition
and intense animosity. States are but
larger men, and what man would see hi.
house invaded and his business taken from
him if he could help it? Are there man.
things the average man would fight fol
more quickly? No We may set il dowr
as beyond argument that to accomplish
the ends to which our boundless resource:
and the activity. enterprise and growing
necessities of our teeming millions impe
us, We must be strong enough in physica
force TO hold the position We Will shortl,
ATTAIN, or one ua!, ana perhaps not lont
distant one, there will be combination o
our rivals and terrible effort to crusl
our pretentions and power. We canno
afford to be weak If we would compe
Europe TO stand aside while We underbi,
its plants. force its population to buy ou
bread and destroy its competition in botl
hemispheres-
We must have a splendid and resistles
navy. the peer OF England's at least
Not necessarily this year or next, bu
soon. as history goes. We must hay'
an adequate, highly trained and efficien
army to garrison our coasts and TO defen,
our colonies. and we must hare and con
troll an American highway between tn,
Atlantic and Pacific. These things grant
ed. our standing will be secure. With
out them we should be as helpless agains
union Of those who naturally will be