The Elbert County tribune., 1900-04-12
Another Convert.

Man must learn TO take Things as
they are. He cannot have them just
as he would prefer them. This is one
OF the first great lessons Of life. There
are In this country many people who
stand for expansion. because. us they
nee 1t, there Is nothing better to stand
for. Some Of them opposed war with
Spain when trouble was brewing, and
did not hesitate to say that adventur-
Gus Americans were being sent to Cuba
with deliberate purpose to encourage
war and bring about the annexation of
the island to the United States. They
spoke out in meeting and warned the
American people that they We're being
misled by party ranters and desperate
demagogues. who have never in the
history OF the world hesitated to resort
even to war itself when they dared
and deemed 1t n promising means of
winning the offices. The warnings did
no good. The noisy spectators in real
estate and In public offices stood like
wild witches about the bubbllng pot.
stirred the trouble. tore their hair,
screamed for war War came and GER
tain results came OF It The results
were hardly known before the indomit-
able party whooper set about to con
vert them to base campaign uses. He
would use the difficulties which came
OF the struggle for party purposes. On
the other hand, the courageous and pa
triotic citizen who opposed the war
stood ready to take up the rsponsibili-
ties which came of II and TO make the
best Of them. 1t will be remembered
that Bishop Potter was widely quoted
by the anti-expansionists before he
went to the Philippines. He stood op-
posed to expansion. Now II the anti
expansionists who favorably quoted
him as excellent authority are disposed
to deal In truth rather than In preju-
dice, they will give us much promi.
nence to his changed views as they did
to his earlier ones, for he has been In
the Philippines and knows whereof he
speaks. Some of his impressions can
be CLEANED from the following state
ment made by him:
"On the whole, l think | have consid-
erably changed my Views as to the
right and duty Of a superior nation to
govern a weaker. Everywhere through
out the East the problem is the same
to bring the people to see and recog-
riva tho Sunarinrit,- nf xpbat ,.-o l,,.,.,
as civilization and give them the op-
portunity TO adopt II. The better class
OF Flliplnos are satisfied that Ameri-
can occupation means increased pros
perlty."
That Is to say, Bishop Potter Is n
convert. He was misled after the war
by men who sought to employ even the
sad results OF the struggle us political
capital He has seen the islands and
considered the conditions for himself,
and now declares II the duty of the
people of this country to take the re-
suits and by courageous and conscien-
tious work proceed to make the best of
them. The News believes that faithful
work In this direction will lead In due
time to great and lasting benefits; but
II the News did not believe this it
would nevertheless feel bound. under
all the circumstances, to stand up for
expansion as a sacred duty which the
American people, through their leaders,
have brought upon themselves. We
must do our duty, whether 1t pays or
not, but In the matters now at hand
we have nothing to lose by taking re-
suits rs we find them and by going on
with what we have in haud.-Galves
ton News pem.).