Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1899-02-04

ed, will be OF interest to our readers.
The whole controversy arises from the
proposed retention OF the Philippines,
many able speakers and writer's arraying
themselves against such course. Their
arguments briefly stated are, that it will
| cause us an immeasurable amount of ex.
pense and trouble; that it is unconstitn-
tional that the Atlantic on the one side
and the Pacific on the other are our nat
ural, god-given boundaries as a nation :;
that we have already millions OF acres OF
unoccupied land waiting for settlement;
that lncalculable evil will grow out of
political association with an alien race
that the vulnerability OF these new pos
sessions to attack by foreign enemies on
account OF their remoteness, is a fatal
objection and lastly that we are violating
the fundamental principle OF our govern
ment in attempting to govern this new
territory without the consent of the gov
erned".
from an exhaustive treatise OH this
subject by'John Bach McMaster, histor-
ian, we learn that these objections, with
the exception OF the last, are merely ech-
oes OF the speeches from the lips of anti
expansion orators oil along down our
political history from 1903 to the present
time. AT that early date when Presi-
dent Jefferson's treaty for the purchase
OF the vast region known rs the Louisi-
ana tract was under discussion, Senator
Van Camp is quoted rs saying: eff this
new unbounded world is made a part of
the Union, which it can not be unless the
constitution is altered, it will be greatest
curse that can bsfall us. We have al
ready territory enough, any one can see
that the Mississippi river is the natural
boundary of the United States''.
Tie was supported by other senators.
who pointed out the great danger there
would be of the citizens of the then tbir-
teen states settling in thls new TERRITORY
and being thus removed to such an inn
mense distance from the Capitol that
they would set up seperate and indie
pendent government. The expansion
lsta prevailed however but the dispute
was still kept up and it was claimed
that we had no constitutional right to
expand the territory OF the United States
beyond the boundaries fixed in the treaty
with Great Britain, or beyond the limits
OF the thirteen states when the constitu.
ton Was framed. This was the position
taken by senator John Quincy. lyon
have no right, he said in a speech be-
lore congress, ito throw the liberties and
proper ties ot our citizens IN hotchpotrh
with the wild men on the Missouri. nor
with the mixed race of Anglo Hispano-
Galio-Americans who bask on the sands
at tn" mouth of the Mississippi. Bv
what authority shall these border ruff
ans be allowed to pour in upon this floor
anu vote On the manageal.nt OF affairs
along this seaboard, fifteen hundred
miles from their homes? If this bill il
passed it will be death blow to the
constitution.
The bill was, however, passed, and
since then twenty states lying outside OF
the original limits OF the Union have
been admitted. In 1924 the same oues-
ton came up again, under President
Munroe, when bill was introduced to
define the limits of the far-otf Oregon,
and establish therein a territorial govern.
ment. Mr.. Dickerson, the leader of the
in congress, declared
that Oregon can never become a state.
1t viii have to remain colony, and
colonization system is something the
United States had never vet adopted.
and hope never will. Have we not al
ready hundreds of millions OF acres of
fertile lands within our borders still un-
occupied? II we plant a colony in Ore.
gon We must protect it, and that too at
an enormous expense. And what adj
vantage can we expect in return? Alb
soluteiy nothing. We will simply make
n vulnerable point where an enemy can
easily reach us, and where we cannot
possibly defend ourselves" What
wonderful similarity there is between
this ancient pessimistie prophecy Of Mr..
Dickerson and the late press reports OF
the speeches of Hoar, Hale, Bryan, and
Schurz along these very lines. In Oc-
tober. 1912, DR.. Whitman started on his
heroic ride that has become memorable
in the annals OF history. to save this
Oregon empire from British domain.
Five months later he rode into Washing
ton City, and argued here and nleadad