The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1899-1900, 1899-08-30
REsURRECTED BOGIEs.
The Anti Expansion Cry Dates
From Jeferson's Day.
PAST EFFORTS 70 STOP PROGRESS.

tions of Those Given Against Every
Acquisition of Territory Since the Or
ganizaiion of the Union.
A story is told of a physician who,
as joke, told bright boy who was
bothering him, to go to a closet, in
which the doctor kept skeleton, and
help himself to candy. When the boy
opened the door the grinning skeleton,
with candle lighting up its hideous
jaws, swung into view He fed pre-
cipitately.
A few weeks afterward the doctors
assistant, who was convalescing from
an attack Of typhoid fever, was sitting
by the door on bright day, wearing
his winter overcoat with the collar
turned up He was hollow-syed and
very pale. AS the same boy came by
he called to him: Here, my boy, do
an errand for me-"
mo Stree" answered the boy shy
ing off. "You can't fool me the sec
ond time. know you, if you have
got your clothes on!"
The people of America can't be
fooled by the "bogie" arguments of the
past, resurrected for the present day
service of the anti-expansionists even
If they are directed against the acquis-
ition of the Philippines, instead of
Louisiana, California or Alaska, as
they have been heretofore. Solomon
said: There is nothing new under the
sum-" There are some things more
antiquated than others. About the
reasons urged against the retention Of
the Philippines there is an odor of
decay that makes it impossible to mis-
take them for a new product.
1t is highly amusing to the student
of history to hear Democrats in and
out of conventions talk about the duty
Of the United States "to adhere to the
traditional policy" of anti-expansion.
There is no such thing. There is no
traditional policy of anti-expansion.
The history Of the United States has
been one Of continuous expansion for
a century. To oppose expansion is to
oppose the traditional polity" of the
fathers.
The territory originally included in
the 13 states contained only S27,S44
square miles, with coast line of 1900
miles.
In 1903, IA years after the adoption
Of the constitution of the United
States, began the traditional policy"
of expansion.It was then that Presi-
dent Jefferson, the alleged father of
Democracy, through Mr.. Livingston,
our minister to France, purchased
Louisiana, whose territory aggregated
1,171,931 square miles, for $15,OOO,O 900,
from France. With this territory
there came to the United States about
125,OOO population, 10000 of whom
were negro slaves.
President Jefferson at first thought
an amendment to the constitution was
necessary to authorize the acquisition;
but he ultimately concluded it was not
and the territory was acquired, an
nexed, and the inhabitants became
subject to the United States without
amending the constitution.
During the discussion In congress
regarding this expansion policy, Rep
resentative Griswold of Connecticut
said:
1t is not consistent with the spirit Of a
republican form of government that It's
territory should be exceedingly large; for,
as you extend your limits you Increase the
difficulties arising from want of that sim
ilarlty of customs, habits and manners so
essential for Its support . The vast
and unmanageable extent which the acces-
sion OF Louisiana will give the United
States, the consequent dispersion of our
population, and the destruction of that
balance which 1t is so important to main
tain between the eastern and western
states, threaten at no very distant day
the subversion of our Union.
Here we find the origin Of the rea-
sons against acquiring the Philip
pines: mot consistent with the spirit
of republican form of government"
to increase its territory. To do so is
to increase the difficulties arising
from want of that similarity of GUS
toms, habits and manners, so essential
for its support" The territory would
be "unmanageable;" our people would
be dispersed" the balance of the
Union would be destroyed.
Representative Griffin Of Virginia
said in opposing the acquisition of
Louisiana:
fear the effect Of the vast extent of our
empire, l fear the effects OF the increased
value OF labor, the decrease In the value
Of lands and the influence of climate upon
our citizens who should migrate thlther.
fear that this Eden of the New World
Louisiana Territory win prove GENE.
terry for the bodies Of our citizens.
There we find fear Of the evil eff
fects of Gin perialism;" the evil effects
on labor, and the evil effects Of the
climate on our citizens, all Of which
are now urged against the acquisition
Of the Philippines.
Representative Josiah Quincy Of
Massachusetts argued vehemently
against the acquisition of Louisiana
on constitutional grounds, going so far
as to say that in doing so, "the bonds
Of the Union are virtually dissolved"
In discussing the matter he said:
WHY, sir, have already hoard Al alS