Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-02-09

IN psychology must marvel at rnfs
amazing phenomenon What subtle
poison is working in the blood to pro-
duce result so puzzling and so contra
dictory of our history and traditions?
The evil one himself must have laid
spell upon the American mind for the
purpose of Turing to its destruction this
great republic, the last hope Of eonsti-
tutional government on the whole face
of the earth.
The land hunger which is the pro-
pelling force in this inexplicable revolu-
tion in public opinion grows with what
it feeds on. Hawaii was the appetizer
for the full meal of innumerable courses.
That homeopathic dose of annexation
was like the first drink TO a man with
latent but abnormal thirst for spiritus
frumenti. When in the debate upon the
proposition to add those leprous islands
to our possessions it was suggested that
that was only the beginning of a scheme
of universal imperial aggrandizement
and territorial expansion, the idea was
rejected with scOrn and spurned as ut
terly unworthy of consideration. Never
theless, the men who then prophesied
that such would be the case were cor
rect, for many who were then loudest in
declaring that the annexation of Hawaii
did not presage further acquisitions and
who most solemnly protested that we
would be fully satisfied by grabbing
s'the Gibraltar of the Pacific, SO call
ed, are now the most vociferous in adj
vocating annexing ?, 600 islands in Asi-
attic waters. inhabited by 8, 600, 900 or
10, 900, 900 Of Malay sayayes, who have
not advanced to the breechclout stage OF
civilization. In July, 1898. Hawaii,
the Pearl Of the Pacific. was solemn
ly asseverated to be the ne plus ultra,
the ultima thule, of our hopes and aspi-
rations as land grabbers. In January,
1899, our eovetous eyes are fixed upon
the uttermost ends of the earth.
The Lion's whelps.
But yesterday we were happy, con-
servative, self contained people. Today
we are the mest feverish. reckless, am
bilious adventures known among men.
This time last year we were at peace
and desirous of remaining at peace with
all the world. Now we are staggering
all over creation with a chip upon our
shoulder inviting somebody or anybody
except Eagland--to knock it off In
the closing days of Cleveland 5 last adj
ministration the heroic spirit of seventy
six famed up and we were ready to beard
the British lion in his den over the
Venezuelan question. Now we are proud
to be called his whelps. and instead
of twisting his tail after the fashion of
the elder time we tenderly fondle his
name and propose going man hunting
and land hunting with him When we
celebrated the Christmas of 1898, we
were in position as free from danger of
quarrel as any nation that ever existed.
Now we are thrusting ourselves into a
hazardous and unnatural position in
which wars and rumors of wars will
murder sleep and forever destroy our
peace of mind. The historian Of our
times will be compelled to tax his in
genuity to the utmost in order to ex-
plain this most wonderous transforma-
tion which has swept veteran statesmen
off their feet, overthrown the traditions
of century. reversed the history Of a
mighty people and thrown president
| into mysteries.
Happy the man who can express a
great truth in few words Such a one
is my friend and colleague ON the COM
mittee on foreign affairs, Hon. William
NJ Howard of Georgia, who possesses a
rare Judicial mind. Not long since he
said to me, Hawaii was the Thermop-
yla of this contest about expansion. "
And he was right. He might have talked
for an entire week. but he could never
have stated the case more forcibly. He
told the whole mournful and disastrous
story in precisely nine words.