The record-union., 1899-02-12
OUR NEW POSSESSIONS AM
THEIR MANAGEMENT.

A. Lawrence Lowell has an ingenious
argument in the last Atlantic Month
ly'' upon Colonial expansion of the
United States, the points of which are
possessed of peculiar interest at the
present time, even If it is conceded
that some are susceptible of satisfac-
tory answer, which, however, is by no
means to be implied from the sugges-
ton.
In brief, Mr.. Lowell's claim is that
we of the United States are in the
position of the man who forecloses up
on an estate to satisfy a small just
entire property thrown upon his hands.
Having taken the step beyond the sea,
all after considerations must be had
soberly and without prejudice. But
this is not the first time the United
States has acquired what are COM
monty known as colonies. Colonial ex-
plot usually means oppressive conquest
in the first instance, selfish possession,
etc. But properly a colony is terri
tory without political purpose, but
which is an integral part of the mother
country. 1t is a new land to which
people may go if they choose, and carry
with them the protection of the parent
State.
This definition by Mr.. Lowell is
sound. No exception can be taken to
it. Now we have established colonies
by purchase and by conquest, and of
the latter class we have California, as
an example. In our colonization things
have run smoothly as a rule. But now
that the greater part of the soil has
been occupied, that is, except the arid
and the mountain high attitudes, we
may be said to be approaching the limit
of our capacity to spread within the
continent One-half our people now
live in communities that once were in
colonies or territories. Though the ac
QUESTION of the Spanish colonies, was
an accident, because we did not wage
the war for the purpose, yet Mr.. Lowell
believes the evidences uphold the
statement that the question Of expan
sion was bound to come upon us, and
that very soon Home expansion has
been checked by occupation Of the most
of the best agricultural area; that di-
minishes the demand for labor, for
Western lands will not absorb farm
hands at the same rate as in the past.
The tendency, therefore, will be a
decrease of wages. Notwithstanding the
fact that manufacturers find larger
foreign market, for that he holds will
tend to establish wage scale more
nearly level with that of Europe. But
without pausing at this time to dispute
that proposition with the essayist we
follow along the line of his ingenious
argument to note the conclusions at
which he arrives. The filling up of
vacant lands diminishes the chances Of
those who labor with their heads as
we'll as those who engage in manual
labor. immigration has heretofore
largely supplied the labor demand. That
will decrease greatly as a natural re-
suit of land occupation, so the proper
,tion of men who have been educated
to head work will become larger, and
consequently the competition in the
work they are capable of doing will
be sharper.
The Anglo-Saxon race is an expan-
sive and sef-reliant one Self-reliance
fits man to cope with new conditions;
so colonists must be allowed to make
their way as best their surroundings
permit, untrammeled by administrative
regulations. He here points out as a
notable fact that Germans do not flock
to their own colonies. That a tendency
to push out and dc for themselves
should die out among people where
it has been so dominant, because the
country is filing up, he thinks is not
to be contemplated, and he notes the
rush to the Klondike and other new
regions in evidence.
If we had not had the war with
Spain, we would still have had the
question Of expansion in some con-
crete form, and it would have been
ultimately answered in the affirmative.
How far, then, are the causes of our
expansion in the past applicable to our
new possessions? We have held our
Territories to be in tutelage as infant
States. so to speak. But Alaska is an
exception; Utah was long kept out be-
cause of a local reason, and New Mex
leo remains a Territory, though she
has larger population than is needed
for Statehood. But the Territory, as
rule. has been looked upon in our
policy as an infant State. and this has
rested upon the basis of the doctrine
of human equality, which, however, has
two meanings; one refers to civil, the
other to political rights. But no one
contends that all men are equal in the
exact sense, for assuredly no one holds