The Delta independent., 1900-08-24

along the Mason and Dixon line. which
would have called for standing army
in the north and another in the south,
and would have turned back the clock
of progress and tolIed the death knell of
human liberty everywhere. But 10,
liberty and union triumphed. The
severed country united. 1t commenced
TO grow. Railways we're pushed to the
sunset. Alaska became ours. Hawaii
begged for adoption and We too., her in;
Guam joined the procession; the Phili-
ppines, just awake to the fact that one
American promise is worth more than
sixteen Spanish bonds, sees the star Of
hope rising and looks for peace. pros
perity and regeneration under the
benign influence OF American schools,
American commerce, American laws
and American justice. Ir this be i'm
perialism let the democrats make the
most of it.
1t comes with a poor grace from
modern socalled democrats to oppose
expansion-even island expansion
when that has been the traditional
policy OF the party from the days Of JET
ferson to the days OF Buchanan.
In 1s46 President Polk offered to
purchase Cuba from Spain for the sum
OF s1oo.Ooo.Ooo, though he had no
authority from congress TO make the
proposal and he certainly could not
have obtained the money without such
authority, had Spain accepted. But
tie offer was refused.
Again in 1854. under the administrat-
ion OF President Pierce. our then mini
sters TO England. France and Spain,
who were James Buchanan. James Y.
Mason ard Pierre Soule met at Ost nd.
issued the famous Ostend manifesto.
which in effect was that il Spain should
refuse to sell Cuba to the United States
for e130.O0O.0oo, I'VE should be justified
by every law. human divine. in wrestling
it from Spain il we possess the power"
This came TO nothing. but in the next
administration President Buchanan in
three Of his annual messages to congress
urged that Cuba ought to be made by
purchase a part OF the United States.
A bill for the purchase Of Cuba was
introduced during Buchanan's term by
Senator Slidell, but failed OF adoption.
In both the democratic platforms OF
ls6O-the Breckenridge and the Douglas
there we're pisnks favoring the annex
alton Of Cuba.
But not only did democratic presi-
dents favor the annexation Of Cuba, but
an effort was made by President Pierce
to annex Hawaii, and treaty OF annex
alton was made by our minister 10 the
Hawaiian Islands, David L. Gregg.
The pres dent did not approve OF some
OF the articles OF the treaty because
they provided for the immediate incor-
alton of the islands as an independent
state in the Union. He wished to re-
ceive them "a territory, leaving the
question OF statehood to future determi-
nation. The negotiations subsequently,
failed, owing TO the death Of the king OF
the islands. Forty-four years later
President Mckinley successfully estab
lished the policy initiated by President
Pierce.
The southern people are now and
always have been in favor Of expansion.
1t was through the influence OF the
south and OF southern statesmen that
Louisiana. Florida, Texas. California
and Oregon were acquired. Imperialism
is the traditional policy OF the south, if
expansion means imperialism. No part
Of the Union was more eager to free
Cuba from the Spanish oppression than
the south. 1t was the southern demo
Gratis in congress who united with the
republicans OF the northwest and west
to bring on the war.
Certainly there were no more gallant
soldiers in the war than General
Wheeler, General Fitzhugh Lee and
others " hose names are known through
out the country. With such record
in bringing on the war and fighting il
TO a successful issue why the south
should oppose President Mckinley for
attempting TO secure the results OF the
war is mere than can easily be under
stood. On the issue OF Imperialism the
south stands with Mckinley. Why
should it not support him.
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