The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-03-06

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portanee that must be my apology for
speaking chiefly upon this question.
! The cautions and paternal. admoni-
tons of George Washington, which are
among our most precious traditions,
We're spoken at a time and under con-
ditions SO different from those existing
now that they are to our national life
as inadequate as was the old dispense
ton to the followers of Christ at the
coming Of the Christian era. Wise
conservative, even statesmanlike, then
they furnish no guide for the teening
restless, ambitious millions whol now in
habit vast continent of whose geo.
graphy, much less of whose future cap
abilities and resources, he had not even
dreamed. Changes asl profound as have
taken place here have also been going
on since the Revolution in all other
countries of the globe, and this fact
must not be lost sight of in the discus
slon- Between us and them have arisen
relations, the result of our phenomenal
growth, which omniscience alone could
fathom, and which were a sealed book
to the Father of his Country
The weakest of nations, then strug-
CLING for national life; with our form al
government still in the crucible, our
hope rested in being left alone to mold
into form the discordant elements OF
our permanent Government and an in
dissoluble Union
! Washington looked not beyond this.
His great soul found peace in the
thought that his countrymen would be
permitted to build up a nation isolated
and apart from the jealousies, caprices
and intrigues of European countries
His dream of empire found its western
limit at the Mississippi River and.
strangely, he saw no menace in the fact
that we We're surrounded on the north
west and south by contiguous territory
acknowledging the sovereignty of three
OF the leading European Powers.
The dream of Washington was Utop-
ian. The isolated Union he erected in
his patriotic Imagination and recon-
mended to- his countrymen when one of
the weakest nations, was not the
| Union which has now become the rich
est and most powerful nation on the
earth.
By the treaty of 1888 our western
boundary was extended to the Missis-
sippi River. and of the entire continents
OF North and South America we laid
claim only to a little over 5 per cent
AS the account then stood (omitting
fractions), Spain claimed sovereignty
over 40 per cent, Great Britain "A. Por-
tugal 70, Russia 3. France 1.
The 8 per cent. or 100000 square
miles. claimed but not occupied by the
United States in the year 1900, have
expanded to about "a per cent of the
area of all the Americas Excluding our
recent aequisitions). or 1902. 800 square
miles, while largely through the per-
meating moral influence of free govern
ment in the United States and Canada
republics have displaced the tyranny of
Spain and Portugal in Central and
South America; and to-day, with the
exception of less than 5 per cent. the
Americas have passed under the sway
OF republican institutions, and mon
arehism. and despotism have been for
ever eXtirpated.
90 back with me moment. George
Washington died December IA. 1893
Inc hablllments of mourning We're
| scarcely laid aside when the statesmen
OF that period addressed themselves
most seriously to the problem Of ter
Iltorlal expansion. In 1903, four years
after the death of Washington, Jeffer-
son consummated the louisiana pur-
chase, more than doubling our then
domain Monroe negotiated a treaty
with Spain in 1919 by which we ac-
quired the whole of Florida. In the
administration of President Polk we
received Texas into the Union; and by
the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo we
acquired what is now New Mexico
Arizona and California.
The Gadsden purchase came in 1853
during the administration of President
Pierce, and in 1867 we purchased
Alaska.
And, now, Mr.. President, let me go
back again and take up another thread
In our history which has the deepest
significance and is necessary part of
that policy which leads inevitably to
our active interposition in aiding to
direct the desinies of the Orient.
The league known as the Holy ALI
ance was concluded in 1915. Its de-
clared purpose was not so far-reach-
ing as its real objects proved to be, for
it finally arrogated to itself the tight
ito put an end to the system of repre-
sentative governments in Europe and
to destroy 1.-The liberty of the press -
1t proposed also to crush out the strug-
Cling republics of South America, which
our Government had recognized. 1t is
not commonly SO understood, but the
student of history will tell you that
the popular sentiment of England led
her Premier to say to our Government
that England would stand by US if we
W01l6 rQciCf "a q nj Of he
to overthrow the Spanish American
republics
Mr.. Monroe was fortunate in having
ex-Presidents Madison and Jefferson
with whom he could advise, and John
Quincy Adams as his Secretary of
State. Mr.. Jefferson said: Our first
and fundamental maxim should be
never to entangle ourselves in the broils
Europe to intermeddle with els
Atlantic affairs. While Europe
is laboring to become the domici;e of
despotism, our endeavor should be to
make our hemisphere one of freedom.
One nation Great Britain), most of all,
could disturb us in this pursuit: she
now offers to lead, aid and accompany
US in it, BY acceding to her PROPOSE
bring her mighty weight into the scale
of free government. and emancipate a
continent with a stroke. Great
Britain is the nation which can do us
the most harm of any one or all on
EARTH and with her on our side we
need not fear the world. With her.
then, we should most sodulously cherish
cordial friendship, and nothing would
20 nit of h q N
to be fighting once more side by side
in the Sapoa calaap (AnrlaJ1ce