The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-17
AN EPOCH IN OUR HISTORY
NEW views OF WAR, EXPA NSION
AND IMPERIALISM.

spain"-The Legacy Left as Result OF
the War-Colonial Systems Discussed.
Last evening at College street hall,
under the auspices of the Phi Beta
Kappa society of Yale university, Prof.
William G. Sumner delivered brilliant
c1squlsition upon the political influence
OF our late war with Spain. The sub
Ject was '"The Conquest of the United
States by Spain" He spoke in part as
follows
with Spain's name there is associat-
ed an idea of defniteness, of purpose,
OF national unity, while the name of
America suggests quite the opposite.
Spain was the first of the imperlalistic
states: her conquests furnish the basis
for the theories of the anti-expansion-
lists and the unionists. The year 1898
marks an epoch in the history of the
United States. The historians fifty years
hence will make that year the turning
point Of an important period. War ex-
pansion and imperialism ever have been
questions of craftsmanship and nothing
else.
THE state must not be imperilled by
the impulsive plunging Of statesmen in
to these imbroglios for nothing other
than political interests. Private enter
prise entails and retards progress. Lib
erty must be preserved. This embarka-
ton upon such a sea Of troubles Is it's
surest foe. We are self-governed peo-
pie and compare ourselves proudly to
other nations. The Russians have self
government; that an acquiesence
In a powerful aristocracy.
"This Hispano-American war was
precipitated by party who abandoned
sobriety, threw off all generalization,
raised up sensationalism. The national
press is tickling the national vanity.
revelng in extravaganza and fantasy.
The penalty must be suffered; the bane-
full influence of the press.
lis expansion a fact? The powers
that be- say it is, because they will be
relieved. Senator Foraker says we
must hold the Philippines no longer
than to teach their people self-govern-
ment. Shall we pay twenty million
dollars for the privilege of tutor
ing these barbarians and semi bar
barians how to practice liberty and
self government? Where the states
man lays down the historian takes up.
Democracy needs moral courage. The
trucking to popularity practiced by the
press, pulpit and platform is the secret
poison in American political society
Self-government is not struggle to get
Offices, display of flags, the celebra-
ton of the Fourth of July. Spain
boosted of her colonies, her gold mines,
her armies, her fleets and her debts.
Her pride was mixed with defeat; she
was weakened in her industry and COM
merce and the status of her people.
Shall we barter the stamina of our peo-
pie for military glory? Let us rememb-r
the Pharisaic hate: the French idea
that from Paris must come all the taste
and thought; the German idea that
they are instituted to exercise our ris-
Ing notions of egotism; SPANS preten-
sion to divine charge to spread the true
religion, civilize us and all the nations
of the globe. We are called nation of
money erabbers and mercenaries. Then
the international ridicule, reputation
and fiendish delight in mutual SANDER.
Spain hates our religion, our manners
and customs.
"She leaves us as legacy the task OF
SURPRISING rebellions, at which she IS
SO adept. May we not suffer the pol1tl-
cal atavism-her depravity, her degen-
eracy? American liberty is so good pc
cause it allows her people to live out
their own ideas, have their own ways.
SPANISH islands can never be the resi-
dence of American families. Inc Span
ish citizen establishes himself there, |
even to the tropics as an adventurer to
accumulate large fortune rapidly; and |
it is fair to assume that our people, 90 |
far as the large fortunes are concerned, |
will do likewise. What kind of col
onial system shall we establish? Not
the Spanish system of developing her
outside colonies-her exclusion Of all |
foreigners and determination of the
aborigincs. She is we'll rid of her col
onies and now she may devote all her
energies and talents to internal inn
provement and be regenerated. But
what will become of the state which
takes her colonies? Shall we become af-
ficted with her disease? We should j
learn from her. Shall we let our new I
colonies help govern us? No. Are they
fit for self-government? This we must
consider we'll. The United States Is
confederation of peculiar and artificial
form Our theory is not theologic but
politically philospphic. We need in
tention' most not extension We are
told to learn from Mexico. That coun
try is now under a dictator. When the
dictator dies what will become of Mex
leo? Our neighbors are asking who we
will attack next. We must keep large
standing army to avoid going over this
same thing again. Franklin hit the nail
on the head when he bewaled the pest
o. glory
"Our constitution, our organic law,
framed for America, her people, her in
situations, Is not applicable to these
newly acquired colonies, but we shall
never cast it aside, nor shall we loan
our own corner stone to be used in the
building of any other structure crisis
though it be. Shall we initiate Eng |
lish colonial policy: have large body
Of trained diplomats, useful for no other
purpose under the sun? Our colonies
will revolt as her colonies have, and we
~ Il. r,~a Dr-Fi CTS 10