Mexico weekly ledger., 1899-02-16

the Union naturally and voluntarily
Sin the curse of human events"
First and last we have heard a vast
deal Of the marvellous rapidly with
which things have changed in the last
hundred years. We plume ourselves ex-
ceedingly upon the steam engine, the
electric car, the telegraph, the telephone
and kindred inventions which have, as
we say in our bloviations, annihilated
time and space. We are ever looking
forward eagerly, hopefully and impa-
tiently to the appearance Of the flying
machine, SO that we may cleaye the
blue ether after the n of our own
bald eagle.
But after mature elaboration / am
persuaded that the most astounding evil
dence Of the swiftness Of movement In
our age is the growth of expansion SEN
timent in America as manifested in
the apparent strength of the proposition
to annex the Philippine Islands in any
way or Tor any purpose whatsoever.
We have always boosted that we be-
longed to the most conservative race in
the world, and yet, judged by the revo-
luton Of public opinion on this subject
which has taken place within the last
year, we are a more mercurial people
than the French, at whose antics, crises
and gyrations we have laughed for gem
erations
Poison at work.
II ~ months ago any man had arisen
in either house or senate and declared
that we should annex these islands, he
would have been with one accord pro-
nounced o compos mentis and a ft
subject for the strait waistcoat, padded
cell and Cruel diet Of a lunatic asylum.
Now, SO astounding has been the change
which has come over the spirit Of n
dream, this preposterous and suicidal
proposition is supported with enthu-
siasm and even intolerance by many
men eminent in public life. distinguish
cd for their splendid talents, strong In
the affections Of the people and beloved
by reason of their services to their
country. Some Of the widest Of these
pr~opagandists of @ new gospel are men
who hitherto have been rated among
the most conservative Of our statesmen.
Students of human nature and experts
in psychology must marvel ct this
amazing phenomenon. What subtle
poison is working in the blood to pro-
duce a result 50 puEzling and 30 contra
dictory Of our history and traditional
The evil n himself must have laid a
spell upon the American mind for the
purpose of Turing to its destruction this
great republic, the last hope Of eonsti-
tutional government on the whole face
Of the earth.
The land hunger which is the pro-
pelling force in this inexplicable revolu-
ton in public opinion grows with what
itfeeds on. Hawaii was the appetizer"
for the full meal of innumerable courses.
That homeopathic dose of annexation
was like the first drink to a man with a
latent but abnormal thirst for spiritus
frumenti. When in the debate upon the
proposition to add those leprous islands
to our possessions 1t was suggested that
that was only the beginning Of a scheme
Of universal imperial aggrandizement
and territorial expansion, the idea was
rejected with scorn and spurned as ut
terly unworthy Of consideration. Never
theless, the men who then ~prophesied
that such would be the case were cor
rect, for many who were then loudest in
declaring that the annexation of Hawaii
did not presage further acquisitions and
who most solemnly protested that we
would be fully satisfied by grabbing
''the Gibraltar Of the Pacific" 80 call
ed, are now the most yociferous in ad-
vocating annexing 2, 900 islands in Ash
attic waters, inhabited by 1000, 600 or
10. O0o, oOo of Malay savages, who have
not advanced to the breechclout stage Of
civilization. In July, 1898, Hawaii,
''the Pearl Of the Pacific" was solemn
ly asseyerated to be the ne plus ultra,
the ultima thule. Of our hopes and aspi-
rations as land grabberA In January.
1899, u covetous eyes are fixed upon
the uttermost ends of the earth.