The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-03-30

| 1t affords US a safe experiment with our
possessions at the very beginning of our
experience as an administering power. For
nation of 100000 of people with an
imperial continent for its home, and prac-
| ticed in all the arts of industry, cannot
suffer in compeitio with a little island
smaller than a single county of Texas,
100 miles from our shores, and peopled
| by less than one-seventieth of our numper
of inhabitants, poverty stricken and pros
trate, ignorant of the meaning of self
government. and beholding modern civil
iZation as through a glass darkly. If the
American republic, just embarked upon
! tn. grandest world career of all time,
I fears competition, with the least of its
! possessions, let US strike our colors as a
sovereign power, tack from our course
marked out by the high inspiration of
great events. put back to the port Of de-
cay, go out of commission and let the
mighty voyage on which we started be
sailed by holder hearts, loftier faiths and
| eyes Of clearer vision.
land the reciprocity recommended by
the president in his first message gives US
an experiment in colonial administration
right at the outset, that is absolutely in
valuable and that will not occur again;
an experiment that cannot injure us. and
yet reveals all the results of reciprocal
exchange of products between us and our
own possessions as completely as if that
course had been pursued as to all, just as
a drop of some new compound in the
chemists test tube marvelously reveals
oil ,1r1fo al q
gallon of it had been examined, which, if
dangerous, would have destroyed the ex-
pertinent and the experimental, too. 1t
may be that reciprocity with Porto Rico
will reveal consequences so damaging, If
experienced in larger measure, that 1t will
be abolished even there, and never again
proposed in the development of our policy
as an administrator of government in our
Island possessions. 1t may be that 1t Will
show the fears Of many to be groundless,
and discover benefits and blessings IN
dreamed of even by its advocates, and
thus furnish. a light for our now uniilu
mined pathway as an administrator Of
insular possessions But to continue. a
tariff between the republic and territory
belonging to the United States is to
leave unsolved all the problems before US
and unanswered all the speculation in
which it is our duty to indulge in thinking
out the best way. as statesmen should.
to administer our ocean empire
Great and fateful as this reason Is.
there is another charged with yet nc,e
destiny determining consequences. 1t is
the effect OF our action on he attn
American-the Spanish-America mind,
over which our influence has been x "
ing for quarter OF a century, ani g-air7
the welfare Of the republic requires si'l
become dominant and controlling Il sa5
been the dream OF American statesmen
FOR three-Quarte 5 Of a century 10 moke
tie great republic the friends and protzc-
cor OF the weaker South American lepub-
lies. until finally the colors OF ou- Gag
might intertwine with theirs the syml,.l
Of Trutual trus-. mutual affection. mutual
trade. mutual prcPserity. and mutual de-
Tense. Our growing influence in South
America Is fraught with blessings 10 the
republic. second only 20 the trade OF the
golden Orient This great advantage.
this long-fostered Influence in South
America. we propose % foster still We
have appropriated the s. saoe ready
money suggested By the president We
viii adopt a civil government AMI recip-
rocsl trade And thus, by a generosity
without precedent. we establish forever
our friendship with all L@asin-Arerica.
which Republican statesmen have -
long. so patiently and 50 painfully beea
erecting Why viii Latin-Americsas -
pleased by this oourse7 WHY. senators.
think Of the circumstance. This islzn8 z
beauty ard natural wealth came - as
ike 4 bride 20 the arms q he- hei1wes
Whs-s Luzon resisted Porto Rsco satlrnlf-
tes-s7o. she did zot submit she weirsnes
rs Where Cuba was and IS QssrTelzszzas
ard turbulent. Porto Rico vas ard e {
tranquil aas meek aaa utsers 10 nT0.es. I
even IN her hunger We Do not -sn-r5 /
Faro Rico q her uEfsness for ssaf 1-og- !
t-rue7z; she Assets l. he<sest. and asks /: