The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1899-01-31

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reach Commodore Dewey might
have forced him to surrender.
But with the Philippines in our
possession we could engage in
foreign wars, if such wars should
ever become inevitable, and we
could supply our feet from coal
ing stations established on those
islands.
Some of >our statesmen, who
oppose the policy Of Imperialism,
claim that our country would find
it advantageous to hold only one
coaling station and one port in
the Philippines, and they are
advising our government to give
the inhabitants of the remaining
islands independence. But, if it
is for the interest of ourselves
and the Filipinos to hold part
of the islands, and educate and
enlighten the people, why should
we not hold all of them? We can
annex all of the islands as easily
as we can one, and if we can
teach the American language,
laws, and customs to part of
the natives, we can teach the
remainder of them also. And If
the possession of all of the Philip
pines will involve us in all Asia
tic questions, the possessions of
fewer islands will do the same.
Besides, as [ have said before,
humanity demands that the
Filipinos be protected from fur
Their misrule and oppression, and
if the United States can
annex and protect a part Of them
why not annex and protect them
all?
There is conviction in the
minds Of some of the opponents
of expansion that it will destroy
the Republic. They present as
examples the fall of Greece and
Rome, and tell us that no nation
can endure half republic and half
colony. But we know that no
nation endures forever, and as for
Rome, the question whether It's
downfall was due to annexation
of new territory has never been
settled.
It's opponents urge that annexa-
ton will involve responsibilities,
which the country is untitled to
undertake, and that it will divert
the attention of the nation from
It's domestic affairs, and from the
pursuit of it's own material and
moral interests; and especially
that it will interfere with it's
special mission, as the type and
example of republican institutions.
But we know that nations, like
individuals, cannot remain lsolat-
ed without deteriotion. The ma
ton which shirks it's responsible
ties to the other members of the
human race is wanting In one of
the principal elements OF great
ness. The absolute devotion of
any people to It's domestic politics
narrows the issues of public life,
gives them partisan and person
al character, and tends to a prov
incialism of sentiment and asplra-
ton. Greatness does not consist
in growing rich and prosperous,
it is only by mourning response
bilities, by struggling with OBJ
stacles, by confronting dangers,
and by conquering difficulties,
that nations justly win respect.
The Hon. Carl Schurz and others
fear the fearful increase in corrup-
ton, if we adopt expansion, but
Hon. Joseph Chamberlain, Brit
ish Minister Of Colonies, and a
true friend of the United State S,
says: "A colonial service may be
developed as single minded. as
pure, and as free from party bias
and personal greed, as is the sim
liar service in the United King
dom, or the naval and military
service IN the United States.
There was time in English his
tory when corruption was rife IN
politics and in public service; but
with the extension Of empire and
the increased sense of responsible
tv. the conscience of the nation
was stirred against the scandal,
and both at home and abroad,
public life has been freed from
this blighting pest. For many
xaars n1st there has been no IN