The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-24
AN EARNEST ExPANsIoNIsT.
Maurice Thompson Expresses His
Views I'm Vigorous Terms.

New York Independent
A pile of white paper before US and
great inkhorn from which we are TO dip
the record of new century We are to
dig the Isthmian canal we are TO fulfill
that keen prophecy of William III. Seward.
which foretold our splendid commercial
and moral influence on the Pacific and in
the rich East We are already writing the
title OF our great story. "Expansion;" we
are already setting our civilization-plant-
ing ourselves-in front of Asia, not as
despoiiers. but as builders. If any far
sighted and trustworthy statesman thinks
that are going 10 let Cuba stand across
the gateway of the gulf and OF our canal.
an absolutely Independent national govern
ment, free to make treaties. alliances and
commercial, military and political agree
ments without our sovereign dictation and
supervision, that statesman is in a momen-
tary hallucination from which he will be-
times emerge. 1t has never been the tenn
per of Anglo-Saxon civilization to expend
vast treasure and precious blood in order
to bolster up and perpetuate another and
inferior civilization 10 antagonize and
worry Ii indefinitely. We are not going TO
do that in the case of Cuba; that island
and its people will be given the same Con
sent of the governed that was given TO
the Southern States after the great war
between the North and South A mil0er
and more righteous reconstruction
period is now fulfilling itself in Cuba. in
Porto Rico. in the Philippines. We have
had experience in conquering and being
conquered The North conquered. the
South was conquered. There was no CON
sent of the governed In the South when
her States and her people, smashed by
cannon and pierced with bayonet and
scared with fire, bowed to government
dictated by their cohqueror. The flag flung
itself over them on high: who dared TO pull
1T down? Thank God, no man. no State, no
nation dared pull IL down. Who will pull IL
down in Cuba, in Porto Rico. in the Philip
pines?
Was there ever truly great statesman.
or stateswoman, who was cosmopolite
in temper, theory or practice? My country
first and last, and all the time-that was
Caesars, that was Elizabeth's. that was
Washingtons, that was Gladstones. that
was Bismarck's confession OF faith and
rule of action. No great objector" TO his
country's expansion and fulhlment of
greatest glory ever has come down the
ages beside the men who upheld the flag.
1t is not in human nature God bless it. to
pay twenty million dollars for some islands
and then ''sail away and leave them 10 be
gobbled by Germany. The independence OF
the Philippine islands, the independence or
Cuba or of Porto Rico is an impossibility.
and impossibilities do not happen. If Cuba
shall be in the long run as Independent as
X.
well bless the name of the United States.
as all good Americans do. What a gain
over Spanish rule is the benehcent shadow
of the flag we all bow to and love, IL our
civilization is not good enough for Cubans.
Porto Ricans and Filipinos is II fit for us2
Shame upon the thought that our rule in
those islands would not be better than any
other rule under heaven. Let us suppose
that President Mckinley should adopt Mr..
Bryan's suggestion and put IL into a mes
sage to Congress. Stripped 10 the skin IL
would read thus: 1--WE are not honest and
enlightened enough TO give the fflipinos
better government than Aguinaldo can give
them. In fact, Aguinaldo is a better
statesman than any, or all OF you, gentle
men. Therefore | recommend an absolute
abandonment of the islands that We have
bought and subjected to the flag Who
would be proud of him? What would his
tory do with him?
The heap of white paper Is before US. the
fresh thoughts have burst their buds in
our stimulated national brafr, there IS
something 10 be written. George Washing-
ton-glory forever 10 MS name.-is no. 20
it: even Daniel Webster and Henry Clay
of the later greater generation can have
nothing TO do with It, The world mas
moved II is now Bryan or McKiniey-that
is. 1T is Reputation OF the future and fac
ing TO the rear, or it is keeping step TO the
throbs of patriotic progress We arc 10
expand, or we are TO collapse Inc man
afraid of his country and OF Its influence
and its honorable intentions Is 10 be In the
saddle: or the man who feels full conf
dence in the flag. in the justice OF which
IL Is the emblem. in the fairness and honor
of our government wherever extended. is TO
lead us One principle or the other-the
principle of faith in our civilization wher-
ever planted, of faith in our race wherever
IL migrates, of glory in our breed where
ere II Is propagated: or the principle or
self-accusation and abasement before the
world and acknowledgment or inemciency
and inferiority-is to prevail.
npmnCr4f Democrat.
IL you please, glad to follow and fight for
the time honored principles upon which 1t
was bred and trained My breed OF men
we're not Wings when the war with Mexico
was on. We freed Mexico and took in
Texas, as had already ''assimilated"
Florida and Louisiana. We were expan-
sionists I'm spite of Hosea Bigelow and
Thomas Corwin. We do not see in Mr..
Bryan the sort Of Democracy with which
our veins were bullying when the great
Pacific gold-slope was overshadowed by
the Democratic flag of expansion. We
were not 'imperialists" when Tom Corwin
said that he would. were he a Mexican,
welcome US with bloody hands TO hospi-
table graves" we were only expansions
lists" + am still that kind OF a Democrat.
I of that old party whose love OF coun-
try was sufficient TO uphold the nag while
the boys stormed the moon and annexed
the stars. / will vote for ran that says:
who dares take down the fagy and L
will vote for 70 other. Let the record on
the white paper SO read. Youns men OF
America who this year cast their first vote
for President OF the United States have q
record TO make for themselves. The or.
portunity now offered does not come FIRE.
ouently An epoch is opening. The youth
OF to-day should be able to read the signs.
A first vote against the outward rush OF
American power commerce. moral In
fiuence civilization. government will not
be happy foundation for a political life
not q bright act 10 point back at when the
flag shall be shining. as n is sure 20 do. a
fixed star in the Orient Remember young
gentlemen. the fate that befel Thomas Cor
win and his followers, Remember yallan-
digham. Take fresh thought and begin
the record on the side OF the flag