The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-09-21
should claim to have a voice in the dis

should claim to have a voice in the dis
position of far Eastern affairs, and in
order TO make her voice heard IT is OBJ
ViouSly' desirable that she should be in
possession of a naval base of her own.
The precarousness of a fleet with no
base to rely upon in times of emergency
has been proved by the experience of
Admiral Dewey, whose fleet would
have been utterly helpless had the
Spaniards been strong enough 10 stand
the first attack. 1t is very natural,
then, that the Americans shOLld desire
to take advantage of the fortune of the
present war and to take permanent
possession of the territory now ocCu-
pied by their fleet and army.
OUR RESPONSIBILITY.
In establishing herself i'm the Philip
pines the United States will certainly
incur a very heavy responsibility; but
it is not In the nature of the American
people, of juvenile light heartedness
and sansuine temperament, to shrink
from any undertaking whatever The
acquisition of a territory far removed
from American shores is no doubt a de-
Walton from the traditional policy of
the Union. But America seems to be
destined sooner or later to step for
warG as an active factor in interna-
tionai politics OF course il would be
exceedingly advantageous and proiita-
BILE to cultivate commercial relations
with other nations without At the same
time entering into political entangle'
ments; only ii is too advantage Gus and
profitabln to be practicable IN this age
of commercial rivalry, backed by ar
mics and nav les, ls well as by political
intrigues. Again. owing to the great
revolution wrought by steam and cleo
tricity in the meanS of communication
and transportation, it Is no longer pos
sible to adhere to the policy of Contin-
ing the sphere of political activity to
the American continent. America
cannot be now regarded as separated
from the rest of the world. If she de-
sires to secure markets for her COM
modities, shr cannot avoid having DO
litical relations With foreign nations,
and her sphere of political activity
must of necessity be coeXtensiVc with
that of her commerce.
The Monroe doctrine was, in one
sense, a deviation from the policy of no
political relations. for it aims at eX
ercising the political influence Of the
United states in preventing the Ell
croachment OF European powers upon
the western hemisphere. Indeed, the
United States has long been "A potent
factor in America. The energetic and
enterprising spirit of the growing ma
ton cannot he confined forever within
the limits of its own continent. and
now further deviation from the origi-
nal policy is about to take place. The
new departure is in the same direction
as the Monroe doctrine, and only goes
far beyond it, The self-imposed re
strictions of the Monroe doctrine q
tn be broken off; but the claim
political influence is not 10 be
doned. The pl esent war is very 81
cant, because It was begun ol
strength Of the Monroe doctrine
most likely to end in the confirm
Of a new national policy. The ann
tipn Of Hawaii has already been #,
fected as a side issue of the war Thu
the Americans viii retain at least a
part of the Philippines is a proba biity
~ the highest degree, Henceforward
10" United States will be an important
actor In International politics, not only
with regard to the American CONT
nent. but with regard to the world I'm
general and the far east in particu-
lar. Who knows but that the twentieth