The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-11-16
TERRITORIAL EXPANSIONS
Some Views on This Subject by Hon.
Henry Z. Ide, late Chief Justice
OF Samoa.
ST. JoBNtBURy, VI, Nov. 1, 1898
ARTHUR RoPBs. ESQ,
Editor OF VERMONT WATERMAN,
MnNrpurrRp Vr

ARTHUR hOPhb. MO-
Editor Of VERMONT WATERMAN,
MONTPELIER, VT.
Dear Sir:-Replying to your request to
give my views upon the policy OF territorial
expansion OF the United states, L am Of the
opinion that the question Is hardly an open
one at this late date. While our public
men have officially and theoretically long
declared II a. "entangling foreign alliances"
and expansion Of territory we're alien to the
policy and theory OF our government, yet
practically much of the marvelcu' progress
that has made us one of the great nations OF
the earth has come from national action at
variance with such declared policy and
theory. BY far the greater portion OF the
territory now owing permanent allegiance
to our flag came to us az accretions from
other nations, in the face OF our often de-
clared policy The intellectually valuable
States extending from the Gulf of Mexico to
Brit sh America came by the Louisiana pur-
chase in 1903. In 1919 Florida came to us
from Spain, and all that Is now Oregon and
Washington was added. This latter terri
tory had then become contiguous to our
own by virtue OF the Louisiana purchase,
but in point OF accessibility was far more
remote from our capital than Luzon is to-
day. From 1916 to 1S48 we annexed the i'm
mense area OF Texas, California. Utah, Me-
vada, Arizona, New Mexico and part OF
Colorado. In 1853 came the Gadsden pur-
chase. In 1867 the great resources of Alas
ka were added, no portion of its territory
being contiguous to any before belonging to
us. But few years earlier, Japan was, as
expressed by Secretary Seward, compelled
into making treaty with the United
States" and Commodore Perry, with our
navy opened the door OF that hermit coun.
try to all OF its era-makiDg progress. For
many years past our country has joined
with European atoms in the maintenance
of an international court in Egypt. In 1873
we entered into a treaty with Samoa, secur-
ing the right to maintain coaltng station
in Pago-Pago, one of the safest harbors in
the South Pacific, and in 1889 joined with
England and Germany in protectorate
over the " hole Samoan Group. In 1898 we
annexed Hawaii ana Porto Rico. All this
is past, irrevocably past. 1t is history. We
cannot undo it, IL we would. We cannot
turn back the'dal OF time. But nothing is
more clear than that we would not II we
could.
The historical events thus briefly sketch
ed represent such additions to our resourc.
es, population and national gre atness, and
to the sum total of civilization, opportunity
for individual development, commercial, re.
ligious and political liberty, and progress of
the human race, az to take them out of the
domain Of discussion or doubt, except for
the moment as to the two most recent ac-
qusitions. Yet each successive step in this
national progress has been bitterly opposed
in its day by wise and conservative men,
who feared to depart from the paths which
our fathers had blszed for us in the fot ests
But as the forests have been cleared away,
larger vistas have opened before us, and
wider range of vision has eventually APP.
proved each broadening Of our sphere of
nation al influence. The conditions which
existed when we had no Pacific coast, aud
our whole area consisted of portion of the
Atlantic coast with a largely unexplored
interior, and means Of communication were
of the most primitive character and our Da-
tional stability and capacity to survive do
att
have all passed away. Our country now
extends across a whole continent, from
ocean TO ocean, its population, institutions
and commerce, internal aud external, have
become new factors in the worlds history.
Electricity and steam Rave largely annihi-
lated distance. and the Civil War and its
results have established us on solid basis
as a Nation. The point of view has utterly
changed.
Conservative men may still be conserva-
tive, but they can not wisely disregard the
tremendous changes that time has wrought.
New conditions call for re-adjustments of
political thought. What WAS the highest
wisdom of satesmanship at the close of the
eighteenth century may easily be folly at
the close of the nineteenth. Without de-
parting too widely from our conservative
policy of non-interference in the affairs of
foreign nations, we must look at the ques-
ton of what are our own affairs from the
standpoint of today, and not from that OF
hundred years ago. We are no longer isO-
lated. We are in touch with the great ma
tions of the earth, and must bear our Tart
in the work of civilization. We have not
been wanting in statesman who have seen
coming events far in the distant future. In
1923 Mr.. Adams az Secretary of State in
structed our minister to Great Britain thus:
I'm looking to the probable course OF events
for the short period of half a century, it is
scarcely possible to resist the conviction
that the annexation of Cuba to our Federal
Republic will be indispensable.
II an apple, severed by the tempest from
its native tree, cannot choose but fall to the
ground, Cuba, forcibly disjoined from its
own unnatural connection with Spain, and
incapable OF self support, can gravitate
only towards the American Union, which,
by the same law of nature, can not cast her
off from its bosom" In the same year,
Thomas jefferson wrote to President Mon
roe, 81 would not Immediately go to war
for it, (Cuba) because the first war on other
accounts will give it to us, or the is aud will
give itself to us when able to do So" In
1858 Edward Everett, just leaving the Sec
reiary OF States othce, wrote to Lord John
Russell, "When | cast my thoughts back
upon our brief history as Nation, | GER
tainly am not led to think that the United
States have reached the final limits OF their
growth. The island of Cuba lies
at our doors. 1t commands the approach
to the Gulf of Mexico, which washes the
|
trance to that great river which drains half
| the North American continent, and with
its tributaries forms the largest system Of
! internal water communication in the world.
| it keeps watch at the doorway OF our inter-
course with California by the Isthmus
route. Can Spanish rule there
| long continue? Can it resist the mighty
current in the fortunes of the world?" For
fifty years, nearly every Secretary of State
| has had occasion to insist that 1.-THE condi-
ton of Cuba is mainly an American ques-
ton" Nothing is more apparent than that
we have assumed a moral responsibility for
good government in Cuba, of which we can
not divest ourself. The performance Of
the duties thus necessarily, and historically
considered, logically imposed upon us,
whatever form it may assume, is expansion.
Tits here, now at hand. The part of wis
dom would seem to be to ecognize the con-
dlions, and devote our highest energies to
the best development of free institutions in
the land for which we have made ourselves
guardian.
Everyone recognizes the necessity Of a
canal across the Isthmus, connecting our
Atlantic and Pacific coas t., and controlled
| by Americans, The conviction that it must