The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-10-24
Mr.. Croker Speaks Like Patriot.

The Hon. RICHARD CROKER shares with
his candidate for Governor the distinction
Of having been one Of the earliest and most
enthusiastic Of American expansionists.
Indeed. Mr.. CRokER's formal declaration
in favor of " imperialism perhaps inspired
that OF Mr.. ~SrASCHFIELD. preceding 1t by
exactly forty days. Furthermore. Mr.,
CRoKER's emphatic deliveranCe on the
subject Of the Philippines was recorded
more than three months before the great
JefTersonian dinner az which so many OF
the present supporters Of Mr.. BRYAN pleaded
for the ~resolute maintenance Of American
sovereignty in the Philippines.
The date of the Amherst dinner speech OF
SrANCHFIEID was February 10, 1899. The
date of the Jeffersonian dinner was April 10
Of that same year. But on January O. 1899,
Mr.. CROKER prepared Il signed statement
10 the public which was printed in the Nelr
York journal Of January :. and his views
then so clearly and vigorously expressed
are of contemporaneous human interest.
We now quote the Hon. RICHARD CROKEs's
" words on hat occasion:
Ibeneve 10 expansion. ! bsllevei in holding what,
ever possessions We have gained by annexation.
purchase or war.
"Ihl, policy IS not only patriotic butitis the only
safe one 10 pursue. ANY other policy would show
weakness on the part OF the United States and invite
foreign complications. This mus, be avoided, hence
our poiiry must be vigorous.
" Every patriotic American. and every Democrat,
In particular. should favor expansion.
" JEFFERSON was an eXpanslonlSt. other wise he
would not have favored the acquisition OF Louisiana
with rs foreign population which In ~JRPFRRSoS's
time was quite as remote as the Philippines. In this
age Of steam and electricity distance IS no argument
against expansion
The Hon. RICHARD CROKER went on 20
demonstrate in a very convincing fashion
that tine difficulty Of the problem in the
Philippines should be only an additional
incentive 70 American enterprise:
spend millions annually for missionary work
in foreign countries. now We have a chance 10 spend
this money in our own possessions and make the
people OF our new lands good. law abiding cltlze MS
who IN time will b- loyal to our Constitution ana our
nag. Take England for example. The people of
this little isle come pretty near owning the universe.
Are not our people as in,ell gent, as powerful ana as
patriotic as the English people The United STATES
is the only country on earth superior to the English.
Why not illustrate to the world that We nte fully able
To cope with greater problems than We have had oc.
caslon to in the past, and In the future dominate any
emergency
We now come 10 the most interesting
part Of Mr.. CRoKFR's argument. His
generous solicitude for the future Of the
young men Of the nation the generation
so frequently referred 10 by Mr.. BRYAN as
ARslLoM appears here for the first time.
But Mr.. CRoKER's proposition ia not that
the interests Of the young men can be
promoted best by the abolition Of Trusts;
it il that We should keep the Philippines
rs a colonial field for their energy and an
outlet for their Astounding enterprise:
" We have a population OF 100000 q Of people:
the country teens with young men full of he, hope
and ambition. Why not give these young men a
chance to develop our newly acquired possessions.
and build NJ q country tyalling In grandeur and
patriotism our own United States"
The rebellious FIipinos, he says. must be
put down at any cost of money or blood.
With growing oarnestness. the Hon. RICH
ARD CROKER continues:
" say ny all means hold on to all that r~ightfully
belongs to us. Itthc great country west Of the Rocky
Mountains was Hllcd with Wild Indians at the present
moment. how long would It take Us TO suppress them
and make them respect oar laws and our COnStitu.
ton The same thing applies to the Philippines,
aud any other country that may fall into our hands
hy the province ~ peac" ~ war. The people
want the properties acquired by war protected. They
Will pay 'or a standing army. a powerful navy and
TIE protection u our nag the world over regardless
~ any monetary consideration. They have proved
their willingness to sacrifice their blood for the honor
al their country and their flag. And when the ques.
ton j. brought 20 an issue they will arise as on. man
and demand expansion as a cItlzcn'S sacred right
Who can help liking RICHARD CROKER
better after reading these manly words?
His remarkable sagaCity. his direct and
swift appreciation of the main factor, per-
cclvcl early in 1890 the nations oppor-
tluity and the duty Of American patriotism:
and he FASTENED To register his views in
the nervous. forCib!e rhetoric which his
pen commands whenever his intellectual
interest is fully engaged. Hold the Philip
pines; give our young men n chance there;
put down instruction no matter how big
an army and how costly a naval establish
ment are required: expansion is American