New-York tribune., 1900-07-01
AMERICANS AND THEIR RIGHTS.

The Little American finds it passing strange
that every step toward expansion is clearly the
work of the Higher Powers. In strict truth the
American people have not wanted any part of
the many responsibilities that have fallen upon
them. They wanted only to set Cuba free not
generally taking into account that they could
not do anything of the sort without undertaking
TO provide good government for Cuba as long as
it might need to have them do So They SINH
larly failed to consider that they would have to
provide government in like manner for Porto
Rico. AS to the Philippines. Americans in gen.
eral never dreamed of acquiring sovereignty
there until Dewey had taken everything, and
neither Dewey nor anybody else comprehended
how much he had In fact taken until some time
later. And comes this worst tangle of all
the tangles, the Chinese outbreak against the
restraints which civilization was compelled to
impose What part therein Americans have
already taken or may take before full informa.
ton can be obtained is quite matter of con-
lecture.
To the Little American it is of no use to sug
geSt that these vast responsibilities cannot be
lightly disregarded. The country is small enough
for anything in his view. 1t can be suddenly
picked by destiny to create a new world for
millions of long oppressed inhabitants in Span
isb islands and can cOntemptuously decline the
L
jobs of all sorts from the cash point of view
Serious obligations, even the most solemn
duties. he reckons tricks of the demagogue
Some trace of patriotic feeling a man must
have, and some vestige of Willingness to do good
in the world, in order to confront with satsfac-
ton and pride task which does not imme-
diately and visibly pay The Little American
considers that the trade of the country is big
enough already, at least with the islands for
merly Spanish, and that there is any reason to
expect bigger trade as the legitimate fruit of
honest. kindly and legitimately helpful political
relations he cannot believe. Either 1t is q cor
rupt job or there is nothing in it,
1t is of no to open history for the enlight-
enment of the Little American The expansion
of British trade over all the world appears to
him even now only a frightful crime, opium and
whsl<ey having been actually included among
the things sold else incalculable peril
from which such wiser nations as France,
Spain. Italy and Germany have in some meas
ure been guarded. One can find within an
hours walk in New York the person who resists
his country's greatness every plea under the
sun, thinly disguised Iaziness and selhshness
being the most frequent. II is never possible to
establish profitable and lasting relations of
amity without some serious effort and sacrifice
on one side or the other The Little American
begins by believing that the country will get
cheated in any friendship, and will assuredly
get cheated worse with every increase of kindly
feeling or mutual assistance.
Destiny is cruel though, and makes it hard
for even the Little American to refrain from
humane and friendly acts when II begins by
locking up hundreds of Christian men, women
and children, missionaries and their families
enterprising men of business and their depen
dents, and placing all of them at the mercy of
Chinese mOb so that the first step toward sue
cor has to excuse IL so simple motive as com
mon humanity. But for that perhaps the Little
Americans would rise up in their wrath and
denounce the President for having anything
whatever to do with the Chinese business. But