The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-08-16

: More About Expansion" !
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BY ENOcH KNIGHT

dpproNeu VI our purpose 10 Seuu Inc Span
| lard from the North American continen
| and It's natural belongings. 1t is true thu
war was not begun for this, but its justin
cation has SO plainly followed from events
that the propriety of our attitude is nj
longer a question even TO be discussed
What we shall do with Cuba and Porte
Rico cannot be fully foretold, but they are
ours to have and to do with what is just and
right, and only time can disclose this
Nor should We find the uncertainty Of OIL
course in the future any real cause Of dis
may. Something has happened to us that
we did not half understand, and 1t has car.
ried us out of bearings, as all tremendous
events are sure to do. In the Gains of at
fairs we have little difficulty in keeping IN
understood ways. We can figure out re-
suits from known causes, for these are
everyday affairs. But these are events
that come we know not how or why, that
larry us Off our feet.
"Come as the winds come when forests are
rended,
Come as the waves come when navies are
stranded"
We do not have to look far for parallel
to the pressing problem that is before us
now. The rebellion brought us even more
quick changes and harder questions to an
swer. The convention that nominated
Lincoln sopnenly and specifically declared
that the Republican party would not inter-
fere with any domestic institution of the
South. For months the war was fought
upon this basis. General Phelps, one Of the
best and bravest officers of the army who
rrst commanded the land forces in con-
junction with Farragut In opening the
lower Mississippi, refused to send back 70
their masters the slaves coming into our
lines. He was rebuked and relieved of his
command and went to his home in ver-
mont to end his days in obscurity. A little
later General Butler made himself famous
by declaring that the negro was contra
band of war and the name stuck to the race
Tor twenty years. Both generals did the
same thing. One was disgraced. the other
honored And why? Simply because events
we're outrunning political calculations. out
running them so fast that slavery. which
we were, by party decree, to protect, was
killed by that same party's decree, all in a
few short months.
And even when this was done the end
was scarcely nearer; for our real troubles,
and our greatest surprises and dsappoint-
ments came with reconstruction, as De
1ocqueville had predicted fifty years before
The writer of this recalls with great Vivid
ness the incidents related above as
70 the political changes, for he was with
the forces helping to work out the prob
lens that were arising.
Another personal memory comes in here
In the Maine state convention of 1861, an
extremist among the Republicans intro
duced resolution looking to the subjuga-
ton Of the slave power in certain conting-
encies. In an instant Mr.. Blaine was on HIS
feet and made one of the most impa ssioned
speeches Of his life, begging the convention
TO table the resolution, which 1t at once did
The fact is that no man Of any party or
section measured the consequences Of the
war or even its probable dimensions. Mr.
Seward remarked after Lees surrender:
well, said in the beginning that the war
would go on ninety days, and stuck to 1t
four years"
Now, 1t is not only no discredit to be
wrong, in the sense of being unable to
know the outcome of momentous events
hut 1t is manly and honest to admit the err
ror. 1t is only deplorable to be wrong when
one has the means of knowing and doing
the right and safe thing. Secretary Seward
was a brave and able man, but he was as
helpless as all the rest when the pent-up
tide of passion and wrath burst upon us in
1861. Mr.. Blaine was the brightest and
readiest man of his time but he confessed
his utter inability to think fast enough to
keep pace with the unfolding events of the
rebellion or the swiftly rising problems of
reconstruction that followed
In peace things grow. In strife they are
In chaos. One state is evolution the other
J evolution. If things had come out in Cuba
as we hoped force would exist there today
which could be trusted and built upon. But
the whole future Of the West Indies now is
sealed book. Still we must not despair of
it, or doubt, even; for the genius of our peo-
pie Will be equal 10 whatever comes, and we
shall be all the stronger from having new
experience. Already the whole nation is
united on the doctrine that these islands
peace and the future good of all concerned.
ard not only is our own land united with
new bond and a new hope, but the whole
English race approves and applauds the
new policy. They who did not support the
war on humanitarian groundseand these
were many-dd come to support our inter-
ference on the ground of our right 10 de-
mand the cessatio Of strife In our sight and
hearing that injured our whole people
The law will always interfere with individ-
ual rights when in conflict with the public
peace. The policeman may not question the
authority of parent to punish the child in
the home but will Interfere with system
attic cruelty that disturbs the neighbor-
hood. 1t may be safely assumed that the
people come at last to see things in their
true light and perspective, and will always
support the government in honest lines.
But we are compelled to confess that our
leadership is not always wise or sincere.
Why did the senate insist upon the recog-
milton of unconditional Cuban independ-
ence? Did not Senator Foraker know that
his representations as to the Cuban army
and government were unreliable? Did he
have any facts for his fiery and unframed
talk? Not one ground was solid. not one
statement sound or sane; and onlcC, the COM
mon sense and the persistent begging of
President Mckinley kept the nation from
one of the most disastrous and humiliatins
moves ever made by congress.
All of this shows the danger to the coun-
try of attempts to define large affairs by
our marrow observations at any given mo-