The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-06-30
COLONIAL POSSESSIONS.

That class of Republican politicians
who see in the agitation for territorial
acquisition the only hope of keeping their
party in power; that body of bondholders
and spectators, who see i'll foreign wars
opportunities of escaping all taxation
and for enrichment by controlling fat
contracts; and that class of Adventures
who expect to go to the colonies as office
holders and enrich themselves by rob
bling the people as Weyler has done in
Cuba-there is no appeal based upon a
high plane that can be addressed to them
to surrender the notion of large terri
torial acquisitions. They will do nothing
but initiate the silversmiths and cry out
Great is Diana of the Ephesians."
There are patriotic men, however, who
are dazzled by the grandeur Of belonging
to nation that has its ships in every
sea, who are in danger of pulling the
chestnuts out of the fire for the three
selfish classes named. For the benefit
of such, and for the strengthening of the
convictions of those who antagonize the
new policy of Imperialism, the following
from the pen of Macauley is presented
1t is an unanswerable argument against
the policy which now endanger the
Republic:
There are some who assert that. in a
military and political point of view, the
West Indies are of great Importance to
this country. This is a common, but
monstrous misrepresentation. We
venture to say that colonial empire
has been one OF the greatest curses of
modern Europe. What nation has it
ever strengthened? What nation has it
ever enriched? What have been its
fruits? Wars OF frequent occurrence
and immense cost, fettered trade, law
ish expenditure, clashing jurisdiction.
corruption in governments and indi
gence among the people. What have
Mexico and Peru done for Spain, the
Brazils for Portugal, Batavia for Hol-
land! Or, if the experience of others is
lost upon us, shall we not profit by our
own? What have we not sacrificed to
our infatuated passion for trans-Atlan-
tic dominion? This it is that has so
often led us to risk our own smiling gar
dens and dear fresides for some snowy
desert or infectious morass con the 9th
err side of the globe. This inspired us
with the project of conquering Ameri-
ca This induced us to resign all the
advantages of our insular situation-to
embroil ourselves in the intrigues and
fight the battles of half the continent
to form coalitions which were instant
~ broken and to give subsidies which
were never earned. This gave birth to
the fractricidal war against American
liberty with all its disgraceful defeats
and all its barren victories, and all the
massacres of the Indian hatchet, and
all the bloody contracts of the Hessian
slaughter house. This it was which
in the war against the French republic
induced us to send thousands and tens
of thousands of our bravest troops to
die i'm West Indian hospitals. while the
armies of our enemies were pouring
over the Rhine and the Alps. When
a colonial acquisition has been in pros
pect we have thought no expenditure ex
trayagant, no interference perilous
Gold has been to us as dust. and blood
as water Shall we never learn wis
dom? Shall we never cease to prose
cute pursuit wilder than the widest
dream of alchemy. with all the ere
dulity and all the profusion of Sir Epi
cure Mammon!
Those who maintain that settle
ments so remote conduce to the mill
tary or maritime power of nations, d.
in the face of history. The colonies OF
Spain We're far more extensive anf
populous than ours. Has Spain, at an,
time within the last two centuries, beer
match for England either by land OF