Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1899-01-05
The Question of Expansion.

yer issue. Deader still, 70 use IA Yul
gar expression, * the question of pro
lection or free trade The Republican
idea has beeome triumphant in botf
directions, or so il appears at present
We are confronted with a new matter
Of immense importance not only to our.
selves but to the world and to genera
tons yet unborn What shall be the
policy Of this country toward those ter
ritories that we have compelled Spain
TO cvacuate? So far as this refers to
Porto Rico, the question is already SET
tied, whether rightly or wrongly. We
have taken It outright and nobody even
comments about it. Our requirement
OF this island we have justified as pure
ly in lieu Of war indemnity. We
made no pretext Of invading that is
land to liberate its oppressed people
They were making no complaint We
desired to wrest the island from Spain
to prevent her making il a war base
We kept it because she could pay US
in nothing but land She was "land
poor"
The situation Of Cuba is peculiar.
The war was undertaken by us to put
an end to the conditions there, which
had become intolerable to us. We
gave a quasi promise not to annex Gu
ba, and the truth is that we wish we
hadn't been so proiuse with orr prom
ises 1t is apparent that at present,
anyway, the "Cubans are no more fit
for selfgovernment than hell is for a
powder factory, permitting us to quote
Gen. Skaters remark. To prevent
anarchy and at the request of large
number of the more influential citizens
of Cuba, we have decided TO continue
military occupation of the island until
such time as it is apparent that its peo-
pie are better able to assume the gov
eminent themselves We are to decide
when this happy state arrives. and it |
is safe to say the decision viii not be |
But il the future of Cuba and Porto
Rico alone were to be considered. we
should have little occasion to worry.
Far over the Pacific, half way around
he globe, 4 vastly greater problem
,)ntronts us. What ought we TO do,
with the Philippines Mind we do
lot ask, What shall we Go with them?
The answer to that is on every tongue,
Utmost, keep them" But what ought
We, under all the circumstances, to do.
o as best to promote our own welfare
nd at the same time discharge all the
obligations that we owe. The aues-
ion is so broad and seriou, that ear
lest patriots may well differ about it.
Just where do we stand in regard to
hese distant islands? When the war
With Spain broke out, they were un-in
isputed possession of Spain, and one
I her richest and oldest colonies She !;
ad been having to deal with a formi-
able Instruction in the largest of the ,
stands, but by methods of her own had /
ucceeded in quelling it. Had the i
american Pacific squadron been sta
oned near our coast when war was
eclared instead of happening to be in !
ne proximity OF the Philippines, We [
hould have had no troublesome terri
'rial problem in that quarter. Spain ,
lso had squadron there and in order /
} protect our Pacific coast il became I
ecessary to destroy it as speedily as s
ossible Dewey found his foe in Ma
lila harbor and destroyed him, in ac-
Drdance with orders. At that mo- a
tent the prospect opened of being able Y
cripple the enemy in a way not con- '
siyed of when war opened. With a I
Oh colony at his feet, il would have i
cen anything but patriotic for Dewey p
have sailed away home. leaving the '
lemy in complete possession of every
ing in the Pacific, save his ships.
hich might easily have been replaced I
time. In war it is always consider
advisable to harm your enemy
herever you can reach him. Troops
ere accordingly sent to support our
'et and Manila, the capital of the
CUP, fell into their hands.
But in the meantime new complica-
ms had arisen. Encouraged by the =.
essence Of the Americans and aided
them in material ways, the Phil
pine Instruction again broke out
d in the crippled condition of the n
made great Roadway. so
At soon the Spaniards were confined
Manila itself and it becamea ques-
n whether the insurgents would not u
pture that city before our troops
aid Instead of beinrallies. the FIJI