The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-07
CROKER DIFFERS.
FROM COL, BRYAN
Advocates the Policy of
Expansion.
MUST NOT SELL PHILIPPINES
UNCLE SAM SHOULD HOLD ALL
TAKEN IN WAR OR PEACE.
The Nebraska Silverite Continues to
Declare That All Principles Of
American Law Are Being
Violated.
MUST NOT SELL PHILIPPINES
UNCLE SAM SHOULD HOLD ALL
TAKEN IN WAR OR PEACE.
Special Dispatch to The Call.

= ' ~ 1855
6.-The Journal will
Tomorrow print the
following statement
eiven out tonight
by Richard Crok-
er, the leader of
the Tammany Dem
ocracy:
l believe In expan-
sion. I believe in hold
Ing whatever possess
slons We have gained
by annexation, pur-
chase or war. This
policy Is not only pa
triotic. but it is the
only safe one to pur-
sue. Any other policy
would show weakness
on the part of the
United States and in
Vite foreign complica-
tons. This must be
avoided, hence our
policy must be vigor-
Gus.
jefferson was an ex-
pansionist. otherwise
he would not have
favored the acouisi-
ton of Louisiana.
with its foreign popu.
!ation, which, in JEFF
terson's time, was
quite as remote as the
Philippines. In this
age of steam and cleo
tricity distance is no
argument against ex-
pansion.
We spend millions
annually for mission
airy work in foreign
countries. Now we
nave a chance to
spend this money in
our own possessions
and make the people
OF our lands good.
law-abiding citizens
who In time will be
loyal to our constitu-
ton and our flag.
Take England, for eS-
ample. The people of
this little island come
pretty near owning
the universe. Are not
our people as intelli-
gent, as powerful and
as patriotic as the
English people? The
United States is the
only country on earth
superior to the Eng
fish. Why not Illus
trate to the world that
We are fully able to
cope with greater
problems than we
have had occasion to
In the past and in the
future dominate any
emergency?
We have a popula-
ton of eighty millions
of people; the country
teens with young men
full of life, hope and
ambition. Why not
give these young men
a chance to develop
our newly acquired
possessions and build
up a country rivaling
in grandeur and pa
triotism our own
United States?
l say by all means
hold on to all that
rightfully belongs to
US. If the great coun-
try west of the Rocky
Mountains were filled
with wild Indians at
the present moment,
how long would ii
take US to suppress
them and make them
respect our laws and
our constitution? The
same thing applies to
the Philippines or any
other country that
may fall into our
hands by the province
Of peace or war.
1t is an insult to the
American people and
to our flax even to
suggest that we aban-
don the peoples we
have released from
bondage, or what
would be more dis
graceful, that we
should offer to sell
them to the highest
bidder. Such a propo-
sition places the
American people in
the same category
with the Chinese, who
have neither patriot
ism nor a foreign pol
icy and are in conse-
quence utilized as a
doormat by the pow
erS of the world.
This Is too great a.
question to be con-
sidered as a mere
matter of dollars and
cents. Our people
want their rights pro-
tected; they will not
figure on the cost.
Bring 1t down to local
government, in the
case of street clean
ing. the cry is I'VE
want clean streets"
regardless of the cost.
They demand them as
their right. Just so
with our possessions
the people want the
properties acquired by
war protected. They
will pay for a stand
Ing army, a powerful
navy and the protec-
ton of our flag the
world over. regardless
of any monetary
consideration. They
have proved their
willingness to sacri-
flee their blood for the
honor of their coun-
try and their flag.
And when the ques-
ton is brought to an
issue they will arise
as one man and de-
mand expansion as a
citizens sacred right.
/ think the Is to /
question as outlined in
the Chicago platform
q decidedly dead is
sue. This was fully
demonstrated in the
last election. We did
not embody the 16 to l
question, and the re-
suit is that we elected
every one of our Con-
gressmen.