The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1899-12-23

day to find that James Madison, our
commissioner to France, sent there
only to purchase an outlet for our
commerce Mt the mouth of the Miss
issippi river had exceeded his instruc-
tions. had shattered all the time hon
ored theories of the Wings about the
unconstitutionality of acquiring land
except by the consent of its occupants,
and had purchased two-thirds of the
vast region lying between the Miss
issippi river and the Pacific ocean.
This region was peOpled by race
whom we have since either civilized
or eXterminated-mostl eNterminat-
ed. Were we right in subiugating the
red man and extending Christian
civilization over this vast region?
If we were, then we are right today
in our position relative to the Fill
pinos. In 1921 we expanded over Flor
ida, by purchase from Spain. 1t lay
but few degrees north of Luzon the
principal island of the Philippines, and
its population was Indians, runaway
slaves and Spaniards.. who were no
further advanced in the scale of ctVili-
cation than the Filipinos are today.
Did we make a mistake in our pur-
chase. and Is this region worse today
for the extension of our sovereignty?
In 1876 we expanded over Texas Have
it's people retrograded and have its
-
guished under our control? In 1867 we
acquired Alaska by purchase from
Russia, without asking the consent OF
those whom we were about to govern.
Have the Esquimo been oppressed by
this republic, and has the vast wealth.
of their mountains remained undeVel-
oped? In 1892 Hawaii, with climate
unrivalled and an agricultural wealth
seldom exceeded by a like area, knock
ed for admittance to our political fam
ily Did we err when in 1898, we ac-
Cepted them? In fact, has any people
suffered or any land deteriorated which
has once been swept by the tree
zephyrs which have kissed the royal
red. the loyal white. and the azure
blue of the Stars and Stripes?
THEY WANT OUR PRODUCTS.
These countries want all the -four and
timber which the Pacific Coast and the
great Mississippi valley can supply.
They want the raw cotton of the
south, and it is not optimistic to as
sumo that the time may come when the
| four hundred million people OF emma,
who wear almost exclusively cotton
garments, will take up the entire sur
| plus supply of the souths great staple
! of cotton, and thereby add wealth ana
| power to the southern half or our
country. These new markets want the
manufactured cotton, iron, steer ana
miscellaneous products of the north
and New England; and there is no
reason why there should not he de-
veloped among the Asiatic millions a
demand for the corn or Indian meal
which is the staple product of our CEN
| trail west
with the inventive ingenuity of the
! Yankee; the skill of the American me-
! Chanic; the wonderful productivenesS
of our vast agricultural areas and min
eral ranges; the building of the
| Nicaraguan Canal: the laying of cables
to Alaska, Hawaii the Philippines
Guam, Japan and China; and the in
evitable growth of our merchant
marine, l look forward to a wonderful
deVelOpment to a long era OF the
greatest prosperity this country or any
other country has ever known. We
are lust picking the shell of our time
honored insulation, and nOtwithstand-
ing the fears of the timid, the clarion
note of our trade and commerce Will
soon ring loud and clear in the
markets of the world, and at the same
time civilization will be extended and
humanity uplifted.
In conclusion permit me to repeat the
words of Prof. w. j. MCGEE, who says
that "if Cuba, Porto Rico, Alaska
Hawaii and the islands of the Philip
pines do not within quarter of cen
turv make America the foremost naVa
and shipping nation Of the earth, as
she is today the foremost agriculture
and manufacturing country, then eX'
perience stands for naught, history !:
a delusion, civilization a failure anC
| enlightenment a farce.