Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1899-04-13
EXPANSION.

EXPANSION.
From the San Francisco Argonaut. I
Concerning the question of expansion
and the search OF reasons for overrid-
ing weak countries in order that
American commerce may be promoted
aud American wealth increased, we
fad much better opportunities fer the
pronulgstiou Of the new faith in North
America tnan in Asia. If we are going
TO cut loose from all cur ancient trsdi
uous let Us do so protitaby, which
meaos TO say wisely. The fact that
Admiral Dewey happened TO De in
Asiatic waters with good fleet az the
ume of our trouble with Spain made it
expedleui for him to cripple Spain by
uestruy Ing 3 l-et at Manila. Then
7Qe had to seuu over an army to take
Mania itself from the Spanish soldiers.
.Aii tn!S @as proper warfare and hasten
go Tue downfall of Spain. But out OF
aat II lIcidont-ws may say sccident-
was born the infant giant, expansion,
which forthwith DEVELOPED wide
cnroet and lusty lung, with which it
shouted our traditions down the wind,
transforming US from gentle, pastoral
usople lnlo fierce medieval buccan
ueers.
Tne TASTE Of Philippine plunder was
ssvory-so saVory, tnueed, that we have
no. 10 Ken breath in our gorging to re-
h-ct that plunder more savory and
iu,cv hangs ready for our picking h.
,ur very doors Il we argue that We
must take, subdue, and assmilate the
Philippines because the natives can no,
govern themselves, We should reh CT
mat Ecuador has revolution on hanu,
with little hope OF ofsuppressiag the rebels
in the southern provinces. II We argue
that humanity demands that We govern
the FiIIpinos because they cannot gov.
erp themselves, we should remem Der
that the president of Bolivia has U5t
beeu forced to crawl blinking CUT OF
Oruro to face q threatening revolution.
If we assume that the Philippines need
the strong and benehceut government
thst bles, es US, we should look at Veue-
zuels. winch Is moDiizing large army
TO suppress revolution there. Ii we
deem il our Christian duly to force up
on the Philippines q government that
they do not want, we should be incon-
sistent not 10 treat Nicaragua with sim
liar condescension, for she is in the
hhro ss of revolution. and our
government has already threat
ened 10 intervene for the pro-
lection of American lives and property
there. II it is essential that we pre-
serve the Fiiipinos from anarchy, we
should be equally good 10 Honduras,
the scene OF recent revolutionary dis
orders that compelled the Uuited States
TO intervene.
And there are solder reasons than
those. Vast native wealth centres in
the southern republics, and it has been
most iuadequatelv developed. Ecuador
mas au area of 24S $40 quare miles and
a population of !, 900, 900; Bolivia, 77O,-
600 SQUARE miles and h population OF
more than 100000; Venezuela, 632..
695 square miles and population OF
more than 2,250, 600; Nicaragua, ~ oOo
SQUARE miles and a population OF near
~ 500 600; Honduras, 4706S square
miles and a population Of 5OO,0oo
True. the larger part OF the populatlou
IN each of these countries is aborlgines
snd hslf-breeds, but they are much
more tractable than the natives of the
Philippines. and are already under sub
lection.
The natural wealth of these repuo-
lies j. enormous, and some of 1t comes
to us. Ecuador IS not very r'ch III
minerals. but it exports cocoa, lnoia
rubber and coffee in large quantlties'
Bolivia contaius the famous silver mlues
of Potosi. and does thriving business
in rice india rubber, indigo, coca, co
cos ard cluchoUa bark, the last OF
which our feverish citizens consume ID
very large amounts. NenezuelH has
railroads ard fine navy, both OF
which would come handy. She has ex
cellent harbors and commerce, ana eA-
norts Indigo, cinchona, tonEa-oean7'
india rubber and cocoa nuts. Nica-
raons i somewhat backward, running
mostly TO bananas, coffee and lndla
ruhber. but the need OF that repuniic
for a canal is quite sufficient. Hon
dnras mas foe silver mines snd cotton,
sngsr. cocos nuts, coffee, tobacco and
indigo plantations. All these are worm
The value of the Nicaragua canal
would be more than doubled by the &C
Cnis;tion of these rich republics, and
the value of the natural resources III
these rich republics would be more ore
than doubled by the presence OF tne
Vicaraguan canal. With these re-
nnhlics in our possession We could
maintain Central America tlliing,
mining. producing militia that would
add TO the wealth of the country ano M
hold the caual against the world. we
corId ciye the people stable govern
ment snd thus secure their happiness
and enhance their prosperity. We
could add immeasurably to the com,
forts forts of our own people. We conlc
nave perfectly safe basis ioF tne ue'
velopment ge, of gu commerce.
Ana then, our greed advanclDe WIN WIN
our prosperity, we could first drd 1ueS ,a'
Mexico away, and then turn an eye 20,
1rard rho Southern Gross. Peru ana