The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-23
PERvERsIons BY ExPahsioNIsTs.

though not official was nevertheless carefully
restrained and read in connection with his pub
lie acts and closely interpreted would be less open to
demonstration than the meaningless resolution on
cur policy in Asia lately adopted by the Senate OF the
United States. In popular sense, however, it may
be construed implying views that would not STAND
the test of analysis or historical criticism
The expansion newspapers-at least OF them
read it embracing three propostons-F1rst, that
the United States provdentally drawn into rela
tons with the Philippines; second, that it thus con-
tracted an obligation to become the hberator or
of the Fipinos; and, third, that Tor these
reasons it is plain duty to subdue their rebel
ton against the supposed authority we have bought
from Spain, and, when they prepared to receive
IT. to compel them to accept free government framed
at Washington.
These deductions extracted by the expansienists
from the Presidents speech, are inconsistent both
with law and with fact, and, in themselves and apart
from the argument they misrepresent would place Our
country in unenviable position before the world
When the Maine destroyed, if we had boiled
and declared war, our logic would have been
weak, but our patriotism strong. We held our tenn
per and submitted the tragedy TO commission, which
failed to bring in judgment against Spain. The war
begun against the protests OF some public men OF
ndubtable patriotism, and at first did not even COM
mand the hearty approval Of the President himself
Cuba and the necessity of avoiding breaches OF neu
tralty. The sole expressed purpose OF the war was
to drive Spain out of Cuba and enable the Cubans
to set UP an independent government The acquis-
ton of the Philippines the conquest OF Spanish
colony, Porto Rico, not within the declara-
tons OF Government expressly or by implication,
as placed ourselves on record Our hrst effort
destroy the naval power OF Spain Tor the pro-
lection of our own sea coast, both the Atlantic
and Pacific. This more than half accomplished
by following and destroying the Spanish fleet in
Manila Bay, by general consent OF the most ex-
traordnary feats recorded in naval warfare. But
did not then designer at least acknowledge the de-
sign-to capture the Philippines. True, Manila was
at our mercy, but independently OF our own sent-
mental proclamatons the archipelago, without gross
inconsistency on our part, was not in condition to
be captured The Filipnos had long been in rebel
lion against Spain and had maintained their cause
with equal to that OF Garcia and Gomez in
Cuba. Our objective point Cuba, and Cuba
alone and only Cuba for the Cubans We were con-
Quoting the first that had been projected, we
constantly assumed, solely for humanity and without
thought of material gain. In fact, occupied the
attitude of the Don Quixote of nations. When
arrived in Manila encouraged the Filipinos, who
had not invited to become their rescuers lib
orators only because they produced diversions in
favor and because the destruction of Spanish author
ity there helped in Atlantic campaign and
reciprocay helped the Filipinos in their home
struggle for independence. There at that time
no evidence of any special providence driving into
the necessity OF Gberating rescung many OF the
Fpinos as might survive after we had bombarded
them in the name of the Declaration of Independence
and the constitution of the United States. On the
contrary they were deuded into the belief that
meant what we said and the entire plan of using the
extinguished title OF Spain, through purchase of
money as pretext for our enforced benefactions,
repeatedly declined, and the basis of conquered
possession, afterthought not only grossly in
congruous with our institutions and with his
tory but breach of national faith urged under
the false pretense of extending trade and commerce
by SPECTATORS who saw wealth abroad by employers
who wanted cheap labor at home by ambitious
soldiers who coveted military distinction and by
politicians who sought to alay internal discomfort
and advance schemes inmical to American ciyiliza-
ton, while the eye of the people fixed upon
Asiatic iridescence.
1t is this unwarrantabe scheme into which the
pansionsts seek impress their President elected by
manhood suffrage.