The age-herald., 1900-06-24

trampled that attempt underfoot should, however be accepted as an assurance that there is to be no retrogression in that sys- tenn of Americanism which rests upon the principle that in all grave affairs of these continents the will of this republic is the final law.
 Any attempt to defeat the prompt con- structlea of the Nicaraguan canal by chaining It's fortunes to the dead heresy revived in the Hay-P Pauncefote treaty will be followed, no doubt, by an outburst of popular condemnation equal to the of fense.
 ''Hasing now defined the point of view from which all American statesmen charged with the conduct of our foreign affairs must hereafter deal with in the in- ternational relations of this republic, an attempt will be made to consider briefly from that point of view, two pending prob lems now pressing for solution. The rain bow-chasers who scorning legitimate chances of wealth at home, exhaust their energies in seeking pots of gold in un- known lands, may be fairly entrusted with those Quixotic dreamers of the imperialis- tic school who, after closing their eyes to burning and urgent question at our very doors, are expendng blood and treasure in order to secure unnecessary responsibi- fties of government in tropical archipel- ago eight thousand miles from our western shores. For three-quarters of a century AHleiltdh SldleSIHtI 5eSptCldily southern statesmen, have mad their eyes fixed upon fruitful and historic isle which as a part of our coast line stands the bull wark erected by nature for our protec- tion against the navies of the European world. Captain Mahan, our greatest naval strategist has recently demonstrated the fact that Cuba is at once the key to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean sea, a key which must inevitably control the in- ter-oceanic canal, no matter whether 1t be- gins at Greytown Colon. By the decree of political law Cuba Is part of this con- tinent by the decree of political law she must inevitably become a part of the American system.
 ''If you ask me if I, as a Democrat, have the right to make that assertion, I am ready with my answer, because the found- CT of the Democratic party has answered it for me. In his famous letter of October 24, 1923, in which he laid down the foundations of the new American system for President Monroe, Jefferson was careful to say at the outset that Cuba must be a part of it. His exact words were these: But we have first to ask ourselves a question. Do we wish to acquire to our confederacy any one or more of the Spanish provinces? l candidly confess that l have ever looked upon Cuba as the most interesting addition which could ever be made to our system of states. The control which, with Florida point this island would give us oyer the Gulf of Mex
 
 ing on it. would fill up the measure of our political well being
 'Of all the prophetic visions that ever foated through the luminous mind of the Sage of Monticello, there Is not one more remarkable than this, in which he so clearly foretold the future necessity to the United States of Cuba as the key to the Gulf of Mexico and the countries and isth- mus bordering on it. But you will no doubt say to me that Jefferson was lib- erty-loving statesman who advocated in- dependence and the right of local self-goy- ernment as the heritage of every people. In the words of the Declaration of Inde- pendence: "To secure these rights, govern ments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed
 T cannot admit foF moment that Jef- ferson ever contemplated the admission of Cuba into our political system on any other basis: certainly I would never advo- cate it's submission upon any other basis If the Cuban people and ourselves, for the advancement of our mutual interests, could