Evening star., 1898-12-09
DR.. HILL \ ON EXPANSION
Assistant Secretary Of State Responds to
Toast at Banquet.
Declares There is Nothing Novel in
Present ideas Regarding
New Territories.

DR.. David j. Hill, assistant secretary of
state, spoke on the Greater America at
banquet given by the chamber of COM
merce at Rochester n. Y, last night. He
said. in part:
Now that victory has placed the fate
of 12,G00.0O0 human beings in the hands of
conquering nation, with what right does
a spirit of criticism which derives its in
spiration from conditions that have ceased,
stamp with the word imperialism the mag
nanimity of this republic in extending the
sheltering wings of its protection over those
whom the war has liberated from oppres-
sion and misery?
What now will our national legislators
do with the territories ceded by Spain to
the United States? Will they restore them
to the vengeance of the Nanquished? viii
they leave them to the occupation and par
tition of other powers? Will they abandon
them to their own ineXperience and inter-
nal discord? Or will they attempt to es-
tablish within them the conditions of peace
and self-government?
There is nothing novel in the idea Of
territorial expansion, which has marked
every period of our national history. Only
little strip of territory along the At
lantic seaboard was peopied by the vic
torlous colonies at the close of the war
of independence. but the American conf
mfssioners were instructed to claim for
the colonies the whole area east of the
Mississippi. Franklin. the most astute
diplomatist of his time coveted in addition
the whole of Canada
In 1903 jefferson strained the Constitu-
ton to the breaking point, as he believed.
10 secure the purchase of the great prov
!, ince of Louisiana, which at one stroke
doubled the area OF the country. His op-
ponents considered his act not only
constitutional, but in effect a dissolution of
the Union, and historian has accused him
of making himself monarch of the new ter~
the power of its old kings
jackson did not hesitate to invade and
conquer Florida for the peace of the ma
tion. Texas came into the Union by revo-
tuition. and the entire tract, which
forms the prosperous states stretching from
Mexico to Oregon, was the fruit of war
and forced opinion.
Thus, by continued territorial expansion,
the better part of this continent has be
come incorporated into the United STATES,
and from a few scattered settlements along
out eastern coast great nation has b"en
formed bounded by Two oceans with wide
spread commerce over both. and not one
human being in all this vast continental
area regrets for moment the historic ne
cessities which have given to our united
republic a common law and a common
liberty.
Having won from nature and untitled
claimants the possession of what is most
desirable upon this continent, shall we
henceforth renounce all dominion upon the
sea? Shall We declare that the ocean
whose broad bosom makes the whole world
one, has only perils for our commerce ard
our polity?
Jefferson, indeed, oHce said that our ma
tional ambition should be limited to posses
sions that would not need a navy to defend
them but that was long ago
Gould he cont template the map of the
United States today. an area connecting the
two great oceans of the temperate zone.
and believe in the presencs of modern bat
tie ships, that our present territories could
be defended without navy? Could he
imagine that the late could have been
conducted. or that our seaboard cities could
have escaped destruction without a navy?
Would he not rather believe that. with
friendly neighhors on the north and south
and our points of exposure. chiefly on our
coasts, our principal need of defense is a
still greater navy?
The destiny of nations is not determined
by the individual viii, nor can national du-
ties be measured by private standards. Ma
tions grow by nbeying the instinct of dcvel-
opment, an instinct plared in them by
Him who holdeth the sea In the hollow
of His hand. Their greatness Is not the
breadth of their heritage, nor IN the fertili-
~ of their lands, nor in the wealth of their
mines"
In conclusion, Mr.. HiH said: A giants
task now confrontS the American people
but their history gives the assurance that
they Will not trenDoe before it,