Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1899-02-24
A Short CatechiSm on the
Cuban War for the His
tOrV C12SS.
tory Glass;.

Q. What else? A. Spain treated the
inhabitants cruelty in trying to suppress
rebellion.
O. How did the war result? A. Spain
was badly defeated.
L. Why was she defeated? A. Be-
cause we had better guns and better men
to aim them.
Q. When the war was over, what did
the Government do for the Cubans! A.
Not much of anything, except to allow
charitably disposed citizens to feed q few
of the starving people.
Q. Then the war was not all entire
success? A. Oh, yes, for it opened
way for us toe1pand.
0. Why did we need to expand' A.
because there was not enough room IN
the United States for al! the politicians
who wanted jobs This is not the reas-
on usually published.
Q. How did it happen that the op-
portunity to expand came just at the
right time when it was needed? A. Some
say 1t was providential.
0. How can we be sure that it was
providential? A. Because Dewey sunk
one Spanish fleet without losing man,
and Schley sunk another with the loss OF
one killed
0. What does that prove? A. 1t
proves that 1t is our manifest destiny to
expand.
O. What connection have these two
naval victories with expansion? A The
one gave us control of Manila and the
other of Cuba and Porto Rico.
0. What kind of control' A. Posses
session by right of conquest.
o. Did we declare a war of conquest!
A. No, we declared war to help the Gu
bans and the president said that we did
not desire to acquire territory; but that
was before he knew that we needed to
expand.
O. When did we find that out! A.
The newspapers found it out during the
week beginning May 1, 1898; the relig-
ious newspapers and the ministers (some
of them) found it out about July 4; the
president found it out when he he heard
the crowds applaud his remarks at var
ious railroad dcpots in the West.
o. Are you sure that was the time the
president made up his mind to expand!
A. The newspapers say so.
Q. Why do the religious newspapers
want to cxpund? A Because they
think missionaries should be sent to the
Philippines.
O. But why cannot missionaries be
sent to the Philippines under a United
Suites protcctorate without annexing
the islands? A. Nobody knows.
| Q. What other argument is there for
expansion? A. The commercial argu-
ment. The annual revenue of the Phil
pines under Spanish rule has been about
$14,OOO,OO0.
! o. What has been the net revenue,
after expenses of administration were
paid? A. 1t is stated at less than $780,
900.
0. What is the largest revenue that
the United States could expect under the
best government? A. Possibly as much
as $1O,OOO,OOO.
| @. What would be the cost of the
army and navy necessary to conquer the
rebelious savagcs of the archipelago! A.
Not less than $50, 100000 year, and
probably much more. After the islands
were pacifcd, the annual expense would
be at least $50, 100000.
0. Where is the profit of the United
States coming from, especially as she has
promised Spain $50, 100000 in advance!
A. Nobody knows.
0. Who will pay the bills? A. Every
body who buys tea, patent medicines,
money orders, or uses checks or express
receipts or kilograms.
0. Will these taxes bc sufficient? A..
Probably liOt, tuSy Will htt'S w w III
creased or new ones added.
0. Is there any other argument for
expansion? A. Yes, the American flag
must never be hauled down.
O. Does not that depend on the rcas-
on for which the flag is hauled up. A..
No.
0. What is the logical support of this
argument? A. There is none. But it
sounds well.
o. Will it not be necessary to haul
down the American flag in Cuba when
TIL. inhabitants are ready for selfgovern-
mcnt, if the presidents promise is full
filled? A. Some say that we shall have
to annex Cuba before we get through
0. If we annex the Philippines what
J shall we do with them? A, Govern
them as colony.
O. Will their representatives have a
voice in the government of the United
St,trs2 A. or course not, except pos