Evening star., 1900-09-17

the effort to remove some OF the evils con-
vice Of men who either think crookedly
or who advance remedies knowing them to
be ineffective. but deeming that they may,
by darkening counsel achieve for them
selves a spurious reputation for wisdom.
No good whatever Is subserved by indis-
Criminate denunciation Of corporations gen.
orally and Of all forms Of industrial COM
bination in particular: and when this pub
lie denunciation Is accompanied by private
membership in the great corporations de-
nounced, the effect Is, of course, to give an
air Of insincerity to the whole movement.
Nevertheless, there are real abuses, and
there is ample reason for striving to rem
edy these abuses. A crude or ill-considered
effort to remedy them would either be abb
sOlutely without effect or else would SIM
ply do damage.
The first thing to do is to find out the
capitalization, profits, and all else of i'm
portance to the public. is the most useful
measure. The mere fact of this publicity
would in itself remedy certain evils and
point out the remedies, and would at least
enable us to tell whether not certain
proposed remedies would be useful. The
state, acting in it's collective capacity,
would thus first find out the facts and then
be able to take such measures as wisdom
dictated. Much can be done by taxation.
Even more can be done by regulation. by
close supervision, and the unsparing eX-
anti-social elements. The separate state
governments can do a great deal, and
where they decline to cooperate the ma
tfonal government must step in.
Duty as a World Power.
While paying heed to the necessity OF
keeping our house in order at home, the
American people cannot, If they wish to
retain their self-respect refrain from doing
their duty as a great nation in the world
The history of the nation is in large part
the history of the nations expansion.
Liberty Hall. and the thirteen original
states declared themselves a nation, the
westward limit of the country was marked
by the Allegheny mountains Even during
the revolutionary war the work of expan-
sion went on. Kentucky, Tennessee and
the great northwest, then known as the
Illinois country, were conquered from our
white and Indian foes during the revolu-
tionary struggle. and were confirmed to us
by the treaty of peace in 17S3. Yet the
land thus confirmed was not then & ven to
us. 1t was held by an alien foe until the
army under Gen. Anthony Wayne freed
Ohio from the red man, while the trea lies
of Jay and Pinckney secured from thu
Spanish and British Natchez and Detroit.
In 1903, under President Jefferson. the
greatest single stride in expansion that we
ever took was taken by the purchase of the
Louisiana territory. This so-called Louis
lana, which included what are now the
states of Arkansas, Missouri, Louisiana,
Iowa, Minnesota. Kansas. Nebraska, North
and South Dakota, Idaho Montana and a
large part of Colorado and Utah, was ac-
quired by treaty and purchase under Presi-
dent Jefferson exactly and precisely as the
Philippines have been acquired by treaty
and purchase under President Mckinley.
The doctrine of "the consent of the govern
ed" the doctrine previously enunciated by
jefferson in the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, was not held by him or by any other
sane man to apply to the Indian tribes in
the Louisiana territory which he thus ac-
quired, and there was no vote taken ever
of the white inhabitants not to speak OF
the negroes and Indians, as to whether
they were willing that their territory should
be annexed. The great majority of the IN
fahitants, white and colored alike. were
bitterly opposed to the transfer. An armed
force of United States soldiers had to be
hastily sent into the territory to prevent
insurrection. President Jefferson sending
these troops to Louisiana for exactly me
same reasons and with exactly the same
purpose that President Mckinley has sent
troops to the Philippines.
Not Ready for SeIf-GOvernment.
jefferson distinctly stated that the LOU
isianians were mot fit or ready for self
government" and years elapsed before they
were given government. Jefferson ap-
pointing the governor and other officials
without any consultation with the inhab-
itants Of the newly acquired territory. The
doctrine that the Constitution follows the
flag" was not even considered either by
Jefferson or by any other serious party
leader for 1t never entered their heads
that a new territory should be governed
other than In the way in which the terri
tories of Ohio and Illinois had already been
governed under Washington and the elder
Adams; the theory known by this utterly
false and misleading phrase was only
struck out in political controversy at
much later date. for the sole purpose Of
justifying the extension of slavery into the
territories.
The parallel between what Jefferson did
with Louisiana and what is now being done
In the Philippines Is exact Jefferson, the
author of the Declaration of Independence
and of the consent of the governed doc
trine. saw no ircongruity between this and
the establishment Of government on COM
mon sense grounds in the new territory;
and he rallied at the sticklers for an impos-
sble application of his principle saying. in
language which at the present day applies
to the situation in the Philippines without
the change of a word, Though 1t is ac-
knOwledged that our new fellow citizens
are as yet incapable Of self-government as
children. yet some cannot bring themselves
to suspend its principles for a single mo-
ment." He intended that ultimately self
government should be introduced through
out the territory. but only as the different
parts became fit for 1t, and sooner This
Is just the policy that has been pursued
In no part OF the Louisiana purchase was
number of years; in one part of 1t, the In
dian territory, 1t has not yet been intro
duced. although nearly century has
elapsed. Over enormous tracts of 1t, in
Guiding the various Indian reservations
with a territory in the aggregate as large
as that OF the Philippines, the Constitution
has never yet followed the flag" the army
officer and the civilian agent still exercise
authority, without asking the consent of
the governed" We must proceed In the
philippines with the same wise caution.
taking each successive step as 1t becomes
desirable, and accommodating the details
OF our policy to the peculiar needs of the
SITUATION. But as soon as the present re-
volt Is put down and order established 1t
VIII undoubtedly be possible to give to the
Islands larger measure of self-goyern-
ment than Jefferson originally gave Lou
isiana.
The Acquisition of Florida.
The next great step In expansion was the
acquisition of Florida. This was partly
acquired by consent and partly by purchase.
Andrew Jackson being the most prominent
figure IN the acquisition. 1t was taken un-
der President Monroe. the aftertime Presi-
dent John Quincy Adams being active In
securing the purchase. AS in the case of
the philippines, Florida was acquired by
purchase from Spain, and in Florida the
Semlnoles, who had not been consulted In
the sale rebelled and waged war exactly as
some or the Tagals have rebelIed and
Waged war In the Philippines. The Semi
n a 1oe +1l g.