Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-01-12
CROKER FOR EXPANSION.
Believes We Should Hold All that We
Have Acquired by Annexation,
Purchaaa or War.


New York, Jan. THE Journal and
Advertiser to-day prints the following
statement, given out last night by
Richard Croker:
II believe in expansion; / believe in
holding whatever possessions we have
gained by annexation or war.
This policy is not only patriotic,
but it the only safe one to pursue.
Any other policy would show weak
ness on the part of the United States
and invite foreign complications. This
must be vigorous.
Jefferson Was an Expanionist.
Jefferson was an expanSionist,
otherwise he would not have favored
the acquisition of Louisiana, with its
foreign population, which, in Jeffer-
sons time, was quite as remote as the
Philippines. In this age of steam and
electricity, distance is no argument
against expansion.
Foreign Missionary Work on Our Own
Territory.
1--WE spend millions annually for
missionary work in foreign countries.
Now we have chance to spend this
money in our own possessions, and
make the people of our own lands
good, lawabiding citizens, who in time
will be loyal to our constitution and
our flag. Take England for example.
The people of this little isle come
pretty near owning the universe. Are
not our people as intelligent, as pow
erful and as patriotic as the English
Sc he
only country on earth superior to the
English. Why not illustrate to the world
that we are fully able to cope with
greater problems than we have had &C.
casion to in the past, and in the future
dominate any emergency?
Give Our Young Men Chance.
1--WE have a population of eighty
millions of people; the country teens
with young men full of life, hope and
ambition. Why not give these young
men a chance to develop our newly-ac-
quired possessions, and build up a
country rivaling in grandeur and pa
triotism our own United States?
Il say by all means hold on to all
that rightfully belongs to US. If the
great country west of the Rocky
mountains were filled with wild In
dams at the present moment, how
long would it take US to suppress
them and make them respect our laws
and our constitution? The same thing
applies to the Philippines and any
country that may fall into our hands
by the province of peace or war.
An Insult to People and Flag.
ut is an insult to the American peo-
pie and to our flag even to suggest
that we abandon the peoples we have
released from bondage, or what would
be more disgraceful. that we should
offer to sell them to the highest bid
der. Such a proposition places the
American people in the same category
With the Chinese, who gave neither
patriotism nor a foreign policy, and
are in consequence utilized as a door
mat by the powers of the world.
riot a Mere Question of Dollars and Cents.
This is too great a question to be
considered as mere matter of dollars
and cents. Our people want their
rights protected; they will not figure
on the cost. Bring it down to local
government. In the case of street
cleaning, the cry is we want clean
Streets regardless of the cost. They
demand them as their right. just so
with our possessions, the people want
the properties acquired by war pro-
tected. They will pay for the stand
ing army, powerful navy and the
protection of our flag the world OVER
regardless of any monetary consider
alton. They have proved their will
ingness to sacrifice their blood for the
honor of their country and their flag.
And when the question is brought to
an issue they will arise as one man
and demand expansion as a citizens
.;-rI