Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-25
EXPANSION,
Countries Flourish Only So Long as
They Grow.

Countries Flourish Only So Long as
They Grow.
From the burlington tConn.) Register.
Among all the arguments against expan-
sion the widest and woolest Is furnished
by correspondent of the New York Times
That newspaper, by the way, prints with
out distinction innumerable letters from
those who disagree with its policies, as well
as the usual encomiums of a papers polit-
ical tendencies which the less Independent
journals are SO ready to print So that the
letters in the Times alone are liberal edu-
cation to those who wish to hear both side
of que stion.
But to return to this particular communi-
cation. The writer goes as far back INTO
ancient history as he can get, saying:
so far as archaeologists are able to des-
ignate, about 1900 years ago the Pharaolis
of Egypt expanded their empire to the
south and east. In the dim and misty past
the Chaldeans moved out to Ur, built Baby.
Ion, and expanded in every direction Later
The Assyrian empire built Nineveh and cx-
panded over a goodly portion of Asia Miner
Then came the Modes Of Echanta and the
Persans out of Persepoiis and expanded
Judea fiourished like a green bay tree un-
Ger Solomon and expanded. Tyre sent out
colonies, and one Of them-Carthage-ex-
banded rather wildly under Alexander
Rome arose in all her glory and expanded
over InOSt OF lne KNOWN world. Parth1a
arose and expanded over Mesopot ami A.
Genghis Khan erected and expanded Tar
tar empire, and Tamerlane, his descendant
expanded his heritage into the empire of
the Moguls. Mohammed and his descend
ants built and expanded a wonderful en-
pire, with Its seat Of authority at Bagdad
Charlemagne revived the name Of Rome II.
the west, and Napoleon expanded his
French empire over most Of western Eur
ope. Where are all of those countries tina:
have 'expanded? Will the most rabid i'm
periaiist please tell what has become O.
them?'
We should like to add another question
to that Of the Times correspondent viii
the most rabid' anti-imperiaist please
tell US what has become of the countries
that have not "expanded?' Where are they
today? He seems to have mentioned al
most every nation of olden time and a few
that are more modern. in his effort to dis
credit the Expansion" theory and what
has he proved? Simply that nations, like
dogs, have their day and, expanding or con-
tracing, give way to the influence of the
period. A nation must either progress or
stagnate. Almost without exception when
the nations the correspondent has men,
toned ceased to grow. to EXPAND" when
stagnation succeeded enterprise when ac-
tivity gave place to lethargy, they fell
The correspondent proves too mucli
Logically speaking he would have the
United States go back to the time when the
American Union comprised a narrow strip
along the Atlantic coast. Our expansion
during the last hundred years has been ali
wrong. according to his theory. Expansion
is dangerous Every foot Of land added to
American soil brings us nearer the fate of
Egypt. of Carthage, of Greece of Rome.
The best thing for US, then, would be TO
undo as far as possible. the mischief our
fathers wrought. Cede the Louisiana terri
tory back to the French bought as 1t was
by millions of gold and in violation of the
precept which commands us first to secure
the consent of the governed" Cede Tex
as and the California territory back to Mex
leo, secured, as they WERE at the point of
the sword. Cede Florida back to Spain;
give the northwest territory over to the
British claimants: cede Alaska back to Rus
sia. Then, of course, give up Porto Rico.
Guam, Hawaii. Tutuila and the Philippines,
and we will be In a position to talk about
the evils of expansion.
If expansion endangers the republic we
have been in mortal peril during the whole
Of the century that Is fast closing.