The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-12-10
THEY ARE NOT PARALLEL CASES.

The promoters of extension Of terri
! tory to the uttermost bounds of the Garth
F.! in view of imperial sway and "our mani
| fest destiny are wont to assert that
there is nothing new about the policy of
acquiring the far-away Philippines, and
that 1t is in accord with the policies pur-
sued by previous administrations. They
| cite the purchase of Louisiana and of
Alaska as notable instances to show
there is no deviation from established
precedent in the new departure. An
| article in the st. Paul Globe will con-
vince any one but an inveterate expan-
sionist that the cases are far from heing
analogous. The territories acquired by
purchase from France and Russia are on
the American continent, while that from
Spain is located thousands of miles be-
You'd our borders. The Globe shows
quite clearly that there is no similarity
in other respects between the purchase
from Spain by compusion and the two
purchases referred to by the advocates
or expansion. We extract the following
from our st. Paul contemporary and di-
direct the attention of our readers to it,
THE constitution gave Jefferson no
express power to purchase louisiana"
says John Fisks, the historian, "but this
purchase was SO clearly for the good OF
the nation that people generally ap-
plauded it," Jefferson overdrew his Wis
IDLE deposit of power, but that he did not
overdraw his credit was proved by his
reelection.
1t will be noticed that Mr.. Fiske says
approved by the people," not by the
party. When the president draws upon
his credit his action must be so free
from class interest, so free from parti-
san motives and so obviously for the
good of the country, that party utter
ances blend into the nations approval
When Jefferson bought Louisiana the
government was but learning to walk;
the great territory was in the hands Of
the French, held by Napoleon as a new
foothold for his empire. But he could
not keep it because England was prepar-
ing to fight him. Jefferson's purchase
was in action what the Monroe doctrine
was in words. '"rhese United States will
like the European powers better If they
keep their distance" was the import of
the Monroe doctrine-a creed to which
all citizens of the United States have
subscribed. Therefore any additions of
continental territory made during the
various administrations have been but
varied expressions of the Monroe doc
trine, and in such actions the presidents
have not overdrawn their credit
Is the policy of Mckinley, as ex-
pressed in the peace treaty whose
terms he has dictated, a carrying out or
a reversal of the spirit Of the Monroe doc
trine? Is he using this constitutional
credit upon which Jefferson, Jackson,
and Lincoln drew for the interests of his
party or the interests of the people? JEFF
fcrson and Monroe annexed continental
territories to get rid, as far as possible.
of monarchical neighbors. Mckinley de-
mands Porto Rico, Guam, one of the Car
dimes, and all of the Philippines, and
makes us next door governmental neigh
bors to European and Asiatic nations
Like Jefferson and Jackson he had
credit, but whether he has ruined it in
class interest people, not party will
tell him in 1900.