Evening star., 1898-09-03
OUR CAPTURED ISLANDS.
Some Objections to Their Retention
Are Answered.

SOmc oDJecV1OnS 10 InC1F neIenI1On
Are Answered.
To the Editor of The Evening Star;
The objection most frequently used against
the retention Of the captured islands is that
''it would be reversion of the fixed policy
of the government" AS a statement of
fact this will not bear the light of history.
At the time of the adoption of the Consti-
tuition the area of the United States
but little over 10000 square miles. Four
teen years from that date, in 1903, expan-
sion began by the acquisition of the PROV
ince of Louisiana" embracing more than
million square miles. Sixteen years later
QS19 10000 square miles were added by
the cession of what Is now the state of
Florida and portions of Alabama and Mis-
sissippi bordering on the Gulf of Mexico.
The annexation of Texas followed in 1915,
adding more than 100000 square miles.
As a result of the war with Mexico. we
gained, by the treaty of Guadalupe Hidal-
go, in 1S4S, 100000 square miles, and by the
Gadsden treaty in 1853, about $4,000 square
miles TIE latest acquisition was Alaska, in
1867, containing 553,OUO square miles So
that we now possess something over four
times the territory embraced in the original
domain.
To the ordinary mind this record of events
would appear to demonstrate a policy of
expansion.
Another objection strongly urged is that
were the territory now held by conquest
permanently annexed it would bring to
an undesirable and dangerous population
ignorant of our language, unacquainted
with our laws and institutions, and, by
reason of vicious customs and habits dill
ficult to control. Well. we have had toler-
ably fair success in our experiments with
peoples quite as ignorant of our language
laws and institutions and customs. What
was the character of the population of the
province of Louisiana at the date Of pIr-
chase? Very few Americans-mostly Span
iards, French and Indians. This region now
embraces the states of Louisiana, Arkan-
sas, Missouri, Iowa. North and South Da-
kota, Nebraska, Kansas. Montana, 1daho
Washington, Oregon the greater part OF
Minnesota, nearly all of Wyoming, por-
ton of Colorado and the Indian and Okla
homa territories, sustaining population of
more than twelve million as happy, enlight-
ened and prosperous people as any upon
the face of the earth. The Florida tract
was peopled by Spaniards and savages en-
tirely. In 1873. when Great Britain ceded
it to Spain, there were about 250OO English
Inhabitants, but they Immediately emil
grated to the states at the north. Still
Florida was organized under a territorial
form of government in 1922 and admit
ted as state in 1S45. The Mexican
territory was in still more unpromising
condition. There was a much larger pop
ulation-nearly half a million-and of a
most bewidering mixture of races-Span-
iards. Mexicans, Indians, Creoles, Zambos,
negroes, mulattOeS ana a SpflnKilnS OIL
French and Americans. The states carved
out of this territory have a population of
about five million, thoroughly American
In the meantime there have come to US
from all the nationaiities of Europe mil
lions of people speaking languages differ
ent from ours and totally unacquainted
with our system of government to mingle
in every state with the existing popula-
tionS. 1t is argued again, that 1t would be
a violation of the declared purpose of the
war to retain permanently these ISLANDS.
The declared purpose related to Cuba alone:
the government pledged itself to secure
stable government for the people of Cuba.
Nothing has yet been done in contravention
of that pledge But no man in his senses,
with knowledge of the present condition or
that people, would say that a stable gov
ernment could be secured by the withdraw
al of our military forces and reGnquish-
ment of all control on the part of our gov
ernment Immediately upon the evacuation
of the island by the Spanish troops.
AS to the other islands, ley are in about
the same condition as that of the con-
quered Mexican territory at the close of
the war. The declared purpose of that
was to aid the Texans in establishing their
claims to disputed tract of land lying be-
tween the Nueces river and the Rio Grande.
The results of the war far transcended
the declared purpose, we have seen. The
sole purpose declared by the United States
in prosecuting the war of the rebellion was
to perpetuate the Union and crush the
power of secession. The result was this
ana very mucn more. Inc .Iearu
Mr.. Lincoln, in public speech at C4ncin-
natl. while on his way to Washington to
be inaugurated President, disavow in most
distinct and emphatic terms any intention
or desire to interfere in any manner with
the institution of slavery in the states
where it existed. But by far the most i'm
portant result of that war was, every
one knows, the absolute extinction Of
slavery in all the states.
There has been and there will be no
pledge violated, no new policy adopted, and
We may presume new method of deal
ing with newly acquired territory. The
old methods have proved successful and
therefore trustworthy. Territorial gov
ernments will probably be organized at
first. heretofore, with an executive and
judiciary of national appointment and
legislature elected by the people train
ing school for the citizens to fit them
selves for the exercise of the full powers
and privileges of state citizenship. 1t may
take good while, 1t may not. Texas was
admitted as a state in the year of her
annexation, and California two years after
annexation, while New Mexico has been in
training under the territorial form of gov
ernment forty-eight years.
l must depend upon ambition Of the peo-
pie and their aptness to learn.
Being assured of the past, we may trust
the future and confidently rely upon the
wisdom and good judgment when the ter
ritory may be prepared to be received into
the family of states. BENZ. p. DAVIS.
September 3, 1898.