The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1899-01-14
SENATOR HOAR AND EXPANSION.

When distinguished men like Senator
Hoar, of Massachusetts,, Ex-senator
Edmunds and other great leaders OF
the Republican party. in the calm
judgment Of ripenel years, and with
the fearlessness of men actuated By
L consciousness that they are doing
their duty to their country, raise
their voices against what they believe
to be opposed to the principles OF
their party and dangerous 10 the
nation, it is well to weigh what they say
before condelnniug them, however mis-
guided We may believe them to be They
have been far too long in public life to
be charged with a lack of patriot
ism or fidelity to Republican principles
or leave themselves open to a suspicion
of insncerity or ignorance. Senator
iIoar, as he says, stood at The cradle
of the Republican party, AMI he
has, for fifty years, believed reli.iously
III its great PRINCIPLES and doctrines,
and he declines to follow lis hearse to
the political grave into which he be-
lieves the policy Of expansion is sure
to bury It. We viii therefore not ques-
ton his motives in taking the stand he
aid Ii .Iis speech in the senate on Mon
dav last, nor shall We deny that We share
to some extent in the fears he enter
tains. This is a great nation, capable.
If put to the test, Of accomplishing. great
things; but there is such a thing as even
our-to use 4 western pLrase-biting off
more than we can chew, or it would be
coed for Us to chew. This is the posi-
ton in which we are placed, according
to Senator Hoar and other wcll-mearing
Americans, IN regard to the Philippines:
We have undertaken a difficult and a
dangerous task, nnwarranted bv ma
tional considerations or sanctioned bv
tho constitution or by the PRINCIPLES Of
the Republican party.
But surprising that we admit that the
policy Of expansion is opposed 70 the
constitution, the teachings of the fathers
of the nation and those who stood at
the cradle Of the Republican party.
Is it not possible, nay more, is it not a
fact, that the nation has grown at
pace never predicted By its founders.
and that the constitution, the teachings
OF the fathers, and the principles of
even the Republican party need amend
ing to meet the necessities of the times.
The fathers of the nation were wise
men, they saw with prophetic ewes.
great future for America, but they did
not see it as We see it to-day. so that we
are not bound to confue ourselves
within the narrow limits of their pro-
phetic vision. They were the prophets
Of the old law, which has outlived it's
usefulness; we are the preachers Of a
new faith, the tenets of which are
expansive enough to admit Of the Ut
most national development Those who
cannot subscribe to those tonets be-
long, like Senator Hoar, to the old faith,
TO the political drones. the doubtin.
Thomases, who cannot see, or Who re-
fuse to see, the star OF destiny beckon-
ing the nation onward to mighty fu-
ture pregnant with good to humanity
instead Of national death But they
cannot stop the nation III its onward
march any more than they can stop the
ebb and flow of the ocean tide. So We
say, truce TO musty political creeds, a
truce to old fogy notions, a truce
to predictions Of evil. Expansion s
the law of life, the law of progress, III
ever has been the law of the Republi-
can party. it is the law OF the Repub,i-
can party TO-DAY and will continue to
be for al time, but it must not
fail to be attended with honesty Of pur-
pose, a love OF Justice, better ciyiliza-
ton, or i cannot endure the test of ex-
perence. Nations no more than men
can violate the laws Of God with i'm
punity and prosper. BY their evil
deeds they hasten Of their own des-
truction.
The moral is. be lust.