The Portland daily press., 1900-04-28

before we made these last additions to
our domsin. During that time we have
had material growth which IL without
parallel In the history OF the world.
Our population has more than doubled
ana our industries have quadrupled. Our
rational wealth has multiplied three
fold, and our amazing producing power
has noms to equal ong-half that Of all the
rest of the world put together.
Could this great Internal upbuilding
20 on without requiring external develop.
mentsP Gould this nation grow faster
than ever before, and faster than any
other nation has ever grown. without
leading to extensionp Yet, though We
had Como for more than thirty years
without any enlargement OF our bound
aries, ne did not aim at these recent 40
euisitions. Our fathers went forth OK.
pressiy 10 secure greater tsrritory. They
deliberately sought expansion. But We
did not seek what has come to Us. IL has
come as the tnescapable consequence OF
the war. It has come with the RESPONSE
bility CT our matohless success, and that
responsibility We shall not shirk. IL has
oome with tue glorious advance OF Amer
loan prestige and power In the world,
with tire obligations which We could not
have avoided without dishonor and cow
ardioe and that duty to ourselves and &C
civilization the American peo pie will
bravely ana manfully accept.
But while these new acquisitions die
not come Of our seeking, they are emf
nently OF our serving. They are directly
| In the lire Of our indispenf able CONNER
| cial DEVELOPMENT. Porto Rico AZ our pos
session and Cuba az our ward stand at
the gateway OF the Caribbsan sea and the
Isthmian camel, which open the trade OF
south America. Hawaii and the Philip
pines oom mand the Pacific and the
Orient. There Is destiny beyond our
own volition In this history. Our previ-
Gus expansions were contiguous and oon-
tinental. 1heu wa wanted room. Now
we want commerce. Then We wanted
land for Industrial upbuilding. Now We
waut the sea and sea footholds for com- :
mercial Communication. The onuar
| march OF the republic has been In the line
| of logical development. First ths tmme-
diats and proximnte expansion needed
| for the creation Of a mighty nation OF un.
bounded resources, and now tbs remoter
expansion needed az the key to the necss-
sary commercial outlets for productive
power which stands unrivaled In all the
world. We did not seek or dream OF
these additions, but II the rost presoient
Btatssmanship bad planned them they
could not have been more opportune or
better selectsd In tas unfolding OF our
national part In the advance OF commerce
and oivili zasion.
We shall give our new peoples liberty.
good government and lightsnment be-
yond anything they have eveE before en-
ioysd. We shall take them BY the hand
and lead them forward ON the pathways
OF pre gress and prosperity. Bat they are
net yet prepared for absorption in our
political system. They must have the
iar2est freedom without impsiring our
own. Our noble constitution 10 fully
adapted 60 the new requirements. 1t has
stood every test In tbs past. 1t carried
fferson against his own doubts through
kka al n nj
| Union through Its supreme trial. lt Is
| no lese EQUAL to the domands OF this
hour. 1t arms Congress with full liberty
and power to legiAlate as justice aud
wisdom shall dictate for cur new posses-
siops. In the exercise or that power Con-
eress Is bound by the limitations OF DER
| free instit utionF, but net by the hmita-
tions Of the charter OF the Union OF
| states.
Starting out a. We are OH the new
path ways, the final action reached by
Congress In the case of Porto Rico is In
oalculably valuable in It's settlement Of
principle and policy. The universal SEN
| timent or the country for the largest gen.
erosity to Che suffering brothers OF Porto
| Rico was immensely ore4itable to the
heart OF the American people. am
proud of the noble impulses or my coun-
| try meD, and ] am proud OF the deliber-
| ate and carefully considered action OF
| Congress. 1t was more liberal than the
people asked 1t gave the largest meas
ure Of generosity ever given by any gov
ernJuRnt to any people. 1t was far more
munihcent than II 10 had extended our
own laws. At the same time, while re.
lisving the Porto Ricsns OF all burdens
and showering benefits upon them, 1t
did not fall into the miStaks Of stripping
Congress Of Authority to deal with each
situation as ats own conditions require.
and the maintenance Of that authority IL
supremacy important In the future direc-
| tion of this great problem.
.Congressoan Cousins, responding ia
the toast "Grant" paid glowing tribute
| to the memory of Grant. The venerable
widow was yisibly affected.