Omaha daily bee., 1899-02-24
AN EMINENT .JrRIST ON EXPANSION.

AN EMINENT JURIST ON EXPANSION.
one Of the strongest contributions to
the discussion of the question of cx-
pansion was made by Justice Brewer
of the United States supreme court, in
an address before the Liberal club of
Buffalo last week. The eminent jurist
discussed the subject in n character.
istic judicial spirit, pointing out with
great force the dangers involved in pur-
suing a policy of territorial expansion.
The officially declared purpose of the
war with Spain, said Justice Brewer,
was the relief of an oppressed people
and that purpose ought never to be Tor
gotten. Two questions are presented:
First, because we have undertaken the
deliverance of the oppressed Cubans
from the domination of Spain are we
hereafter to assume the duty of forcibiy
emancipating all oppressed peoples, OF
were the circumstances surrounding II
interference in Cuban affairs such as
to make that simply an exception i'll
IL history and policy? Secondly, are
we 10 tAltlll Oul -! $1,000
purchase or otherwise over remote terri
tory and enter upon that career of CO.
lonial expansion which has become the
settled habit of European nations, or
are we to remain content with our COM
pact continental possessions and devote
our energies to the development of our
own resources and the building up of the
United States of America within those
limits along the lines of our past his
tory? While there are times in the his
tory of every nation when 1T should
give heed to the calls of humanity, it
does not follow therefrom that it is its
continuous obligation to be looking into
the affairs of other nations to see If
there are not wrongs to be righted, OPP
pressed that should be delivered and
struggling people set free? What has
been accomplished Justice Brewer said
should be accepted, yet while so doing
it is right and wise to consider what
shall be the future and whether that
which has been done shall become the
fixed habit and settled policy of the
nation. "What has been dom is II
thing. What shall be is another. We
have taken islands separated from us
by the waters of the ocean. Are we
thus to continually expand? Is such a
policy of expansion wise!"
In regard to the Philippines Justice
gave consideration to only two
of the several plans or policies that
have been proposed. These are the
holding of the islands as II colony Of the
United States and, on the other hand,
the Incorporation of the people of those
islands into our nationality as citizens
thereof. Each of these propositions, he
said, is frcighted with peril. A colonial
system would be a departure in the his
tory of this country, a~ntagonistic TO the
principles upon which the government
was founded, which have controlled its
life up to the present time and thep per-
lection of which has been the hope and
aspiration of every true American. To
introduce government by force over any
portion of the nation, said Justice
Brewer, sis to start the second quarter
of the second century of our life upon
principles which are the exact opposite
of those upon which we have hitherto
lived" Justice Brewer pointed out the
dangers involved in government by
force, the Introduction of which into
the life of the nation would precipitate a
conflict which, sooner or later, must in.
evitably result in trouble. The idea, he
said, of this nation going into the midst
races and people where things of
value have been heaped up during the
centuries and are possessed by those
ignorant of their value and appropriate
ing those things either by force or in
exchange in cheap trinkets and gew-
gawS is II filled with dangers. No
less dangerous would be the incorpora-
ton of millions of ignorant Malays into
our national life as fellow citizens, even
through the probationary stage of terri
torial existence.
In the union as it stands, said Justice
Brewer, we have elements of no slight
danger. With the problems resting upon
and burdening the nation is it wise to
throw upon it the awful problem of
dealing with millions of distant people?