The times., 1899-07-02
SUNDAY, JULY 2, 1899.
We Cherish the Mugwump.

The Mugwump ''Harper's Weekly sees
long list of frightful ills ahead if We do
not draw out of the Philippines immedi-
ately, or If. having cowardly surrendered
the advantage We now have, We expand
smother inch.
War is not inevitable in China"
sapiently observes our timid Mugwump
contemporary in English that savors of
Carl Schurz. The question for us is
whether We shall Join in the struggle, not
for the maintenance of interests of COM
paratively little value or for the vindica-
tion of honor unassailed, but for the some
thing vague in the future, something prob
lematical; the result OF the contest. so far
as Americans at home are concerned, being
principally radical change in our insti-
tutions, which, as they exist, have made
the American citizen what he is, for the
replacement of all OF which We have been
proud by burdensome militarism, and by
q strong central power which will gradually
and inevitably make the Government more
and more and the individual less and less?
These are the reflections which are sug-
gested TO by the British situation in
China, and by our own uncertain problem
n the Philippines"
These are the reflections" which show
how badly deranged are the minds of the
Atkinsons. the Hoars. the Schurzes, and
all the Larry Godkins of this country.
These are the reflections which show
That they are as ignorant of the history
of their country and the splendid character
Of their country's institutions as they are
ignorant of the wonderful composite type
Of humanity that comprises American citi-
Eenship.
We dare say that in 1903 the Godkins and
Echurzes and Atkinsons went up and down
the narrow strip Of land along the Atlantic
Seaboard. which then composed the United
States OF America, wringing their hands
and crying out loudly in woe that because
the mighty brain OF Jefferson had con-
ceived the idea of expanding this Govern
ments domain across the Mississippi, with
an arm stretching northwest TO the Pacific,
"a radical change in our institutions" was
about to be wrought and "a burdensome
militarism' was about TO be imposed upon
= the nation because OF the necessity Of sub
DUNG a few thousand savages before the
by the whites.
And few years later, when the indomi-
table Andrew Jackson, the second great
Democrat in the line of succession to JEFF
ferson conducted victorious campaign
into Florida and showed the Spanish pos
SCISSORS OF the peninsula the wisdom OF
ceding that territory TO the United States,
while there was chance to drive a bar
gain-we suspect that even then the piping
voices of the George Fred williamses
cried out In hysterical protest against
Expansion"
Then. in less than thirty years afterward.
they had another excuse to indulge their
overheated fancy in Mother Shipton
prophecy. What a dreadfully radical
rhange was wrought in our institutions by
the annexation OF Texas it requires the
superior wisdom Of the Mugwump "Har-
per's Weekly to describe. And, OF course
when we had to go to war under a Demo-
cratic Administration. with Mexico. in or
der TO straighten the boundary line of
Texas and as an incidental result acquired
California, Arizona New Mexico. Nevada.
and part OF Colorado. to say nothing OF
odd pieces OF territory that lay In the path
OF our triumphel march of expansion, the
squeamish undergraduates OF that period
saw with their inaamed mental vision
growing up a, Washington "a strange CEN
tral power which would gradually and in
evitably make the Government more and
more and the individual less and less
We hope that none of the mugwump clan
now seeing trouble and tribulation ahead
will be made less and less By our ex-
pansion across the Pacific. They contribute
too much to the gayety of nations to be
dwarfed into such insignihcance as they
see awaiting US all unless We turn tail
and run. Particularly do We need them in
the silly season. such as this. II We should
lose them the nation would be deprived o.
one Of its chief joys-and Aguinaldo would
have to look elsewhere for aid and COM
fort