The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-03
CONVERSION OF THE CHRONICLE.

among the earliest and the foremost opponents
of colonization or annexation IN ASA. Al
Washington such arguments as have been attempted
TO excuse the acquisition of the Philippines under the
treaty of Paris have rested either upon plea OF tenn
porary expedency, which is the entering wedge OF
the nperiaists or upon imperial colonization itself
No member OF Congress, so far as we are informed,
has favored territorial organization Tor the Philip
pines with its necessary conconlitants OF Chinese
and Malay citizenship polygamy, Mohammedanism
and irredeemable ignorance and barbarism
But in this State, contrary to the views OF Con-
gressonal expansionsts as we have before observed
the Examiner and the Chronicle advocated annexa-
ton, pure and simple In the case of the Examiner,
assuming to represent its exclusive national policy"
which has been universally repudiated, the case is
probably hopeless That paper, after interval OF
silence, and apparently without point or reason, has
resumed its monopoly of flag -nailing. The Chron-
ice however, has always rested its attitude upon the
ground of the extension of trade and commerce, with
special reference to this State. The claim OF The
Call has been, and is that without entering into Euro
pean Asatic complications, and adhering rlg1dly
to our constitutional system the Union and part1cu-
arly the Pacific States would be the prime factor in
that Western movement that, in the twentieth cen
tury promises to transfer the scepter OF commercial
and financial activity from the Atlantic to the Pa
cifc Since the lower house of Congress has passed
the bill increasing the army to hundred thousand
men by majority of fortythree votes and as it has
become plain that the territorial incorporation of the
Philippines is impossible, it that the Chronicle
must now be considered as withdrawn from the
ranks of the expansonists. On January 80, under
the heading of mo Armies for the Tropics, it said
that unless the American people could hold the
Philippine group without an army they do not want
to hold it at ALL and in another article in the same
issue this declaration impressivey repeated: AS
for the Philippines, if they are going to call Tor
lsrge army we do not want them and, what is more,
we will not take them"
1t is gratifying to all true lovers of country TO
observe that not only at Washington but in many
ceners OF intelligence the advocates of the policy Of
expansion convertible into imperialism, are gradu-
ally finding their way back to the American concep-
ton of republican government This meets the
necessities Of patriotism without regard to party But
it is also evident that the effort OF Mr.. Bryan to de-
feat the Republican party in 1900 by patentng the
imperialistc issue for the Democratic organza-
ton is appreciated and understood. The overwhelm-
ing Republican successes of 1898 could be easily
overcome by the identification of the party with
treason to the constitution by the adoption
of policy in relation to foreign possessions that
would tend toward revolutionary change or modih-
cation OF our political system. AS the Chronicle OF
January 81 justly observes: IF anything now in
sight could stop the progress of Republicanism it
would be an attempt to make the cost OF taking care
oil new territories exceed their value trade pre-
serves If the Government creates 100000 900 army
to take care of islands, the trade OF which is
worth considerably smaller sum, disgust at the pol
icy must react against the President and his party
r 1900. The sentiment for a Greater
America is that rests upon the basis of larger
trade and more profit for the people and not upon
Gallo desire for empire and glory"
This Endorsement of the consistent attitude of The
Call though placed upon purely economical grounds,
is acceptable as evidence OF revivng sanity. The
surrender of the attempt to enforce American civil
cation upon population characterized by Spanish
Commissioner possessing the aptitude OF the mon
key tribe for liberty and for independence is not in
consistent with that ofter sentiment which for
than century has devoved upon the American ma
ton, through its natural and constitutional advance
ment the higher function of trustee for the human
We pleased at the outlook, and quite con-
tented leave the Examiner, in its gloomy isolation
to the congenial task of driving nails through the
American flag and into the forehead OF its former
leader.