Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1899-08-23
EXPANSION.

country on correct lines, nothing can
be said. We have seen fruit trees grow
50 rapidly--ezpand so quickly, that the
object of their ives--the production
OF fruit. was a miscarriage. We have
seen children develop so that they
amounted 10 nothing in life, save as
freaks in dime museum We have
seen cities in the West expand so
quickly as to be out of proportion to
the resources upon which they must
depent for their existence.
After all, growth and development
must be on correct, on healthy lines.
Our government was based on certain
we'll defined principles. The equality
OF all before the law-the consent OF
the governed--and no taxation with
out representation, were admittedly,
fundamental principle
Later on, we agreed that no entang-
ling alliances sh '.t ne formed.
ALI expansion. r>~ 4 N develop
ment on these basic ii 5, is in the in
terests of our people, and country.
All expansion not in conformity with
these fundamental doctrines, will eth
or be injurious to us as a country or
will tend to change Our country from
a:republic to another form of govern
ment.
When England, ike Spain, sought to
retain her revolving colonies, France
gave US helping hand, just as we
gave the Cubans our aid. But France
did'not, because Of thaFaid, attempt to
dictate our policy of government, nor
did she ask that we should allow their
government, to conduct our govern
ment, until the expenses incurred by
the French had been returned to then
The right OF conquest, of force, is an
old idea, and our principles Of govern
ment are directly in antagonism to the
idea that might makes right.
We do believe, that it would be Ad-
yantageous to Cuba and Porto Rico, to
belong to our union of States, yet, if
the people Of the West Indies,prefer
government of their own, it lily be-
comes us to annex them, until they
have lawfully expressed desire to be-
come part of our government:
We believe that it would be advan-
tageous 10 our Union; but we would
be destroying our very foundation prin
ciples if we attempted to cosrce her.
A thousand and one times more force
ful does the objections become, when
we study the Philippine question.
Eleven thousand miles away, tropical
e,and an unwilling people, and en-
tangIing alliances with monarchieal
governments must follow, if we are to
keep them.
Perhaps the greatest objection to the
Philippine question lies in the fact
that in country where it was once
our boast that all were equal, and every
man a sovereign, no one knows what
the present administration proposes to
do with the Philippine Islands.
We ore told that we have paid for
them, hence they are ours, but il you
buy a stolen horse, the law does not
give you the ownership Of the stolen
property, We are told that we must
subjugate them, that they are in open,
defiant, rebellion. Why must we sub
iugate thein' Why coerce themi II
the principle, that the consent OF the
majority must be given in lawful man
ner before we have the right to govern
them, then we have no right to sub.
jugate them. We revolted, and did
rebel against the English government,
because the doctrine Of taxation with
out representation was unjust. Have
the Filipincs not the same right? And
how can these people be in rebellion,
when they have never known or ac-
copied our authority to govern them?
This country has always treated with
the American Indian--we have bought
and paid them for their lands; surely
we ought to 10 at least as much for the
Filipinos.
Now that we have grown to be
powerful country, shall we leave the
that we have followed that
have made Jus great Shall we deny
to others the freedom that we have en-
ioyed! Shall we collect duties and
taxes from people that will have
voice in our government, AMI bat lit
in their own? Shall we make entang-
ling alliances, offensive ali defensive, |