The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-09-01
sRidiculous."


The Republican newspapers are now finding ex-
cuse for the conquest of the Philippines and ex-
pansion OF our country in present directions in
the purchase and annexation of the Louisiana
purchase under that good old Democrat, Thomas
Jefferson. There Is no comparison what
ever between expansion OF territory in the Louis
lana purchase and the Philippine conquest.
Louisiana was a contiguous territory, covering a
wild, unpeopled and unbroken stretch Of contin.
entail territory. Acquisition of it did not con-
template the sub'ection of an alien people to au.
tocratio rule. On the day that territory came
into the possession Of the United States it en-.
tered upon its destiny a land Of liberty and
Of free, popular, constitutional government.
There ia no Democrat who Is opposed to expan.
sion OF the Jeffersonian kind. jefferson sought
TO expand, and he did, as a matter Of fact, ox.
pand, the republic. lie did not propose to form
an outlying colony TO be governed as a satrapy
The comparison between the Louisiana
purchase and the Philippine purchase is ridicu.
lous.-The Tmrs
" EFT rs SEE how ridiculous
this comparison is. The en-
- tire facts in the case were
presented by Hon. William
Dudley Foulke In an article printed on
this page in The Tribune of Aug. 81.
For the benefit of any who may not
have read this instructive contribution
we now recapitulate some of it's sall-
ent facts:
The Louisiana purchase cost SIS,
900; for the Philippines Spain received
$20,OO0O0O. Fifteen millions in Jeffer-
sons time meant n good deal more
than 500, 1000, 900 mean today,
New Orleans then had 1000 inhabt-
ants, mostly French, Creoles and half
breeds. Not one of them was asked to
give his consent to the transfer.
The first government provided for
the Louisiana purchase put the ap-
pointment of all officers in the hands
of the president, without reference to
the senate. He had absolute and un-
limited power. No emperor ever had
a greater.
Later the purchase was divided into
known as the Territory of Orleans. a
territorial government was established,
in the formation of which/the inhabit-
ants had no share whatever. The gov
ernor secretary, legislative council and
judicial officers all were appointed by
the president. Jefferson, in December,
1903, declared the natives TO be "as in
capable of self-goYernment as chill
dren;" hence he governed them as Nc
Kinley is governing the Filipinos, lead
ing them up. step by step, to self
government, as fast as they showed
fitness for IT. The only difference is
that in both Porto Rico and the Phil
ippines larger liberties are accorded to
the natives than We're accorded under
Jefferson's scheme. As Mr.. Foulke well
says:
Every essential fact for which the present adj
ministration is denounced short Of actual war
existed in New orleans in lso3 and lSOi, under
the administration Of the author of the Dcclara
tion of Independence. The inhabitants Of New
Orleans were, indeed, too weak to resist by force
OF arms. They might have done even that il
Burr's conspiracy had not prcmaturrly collapsed
Here was government without the consent o
o. the governed a title conveyed TO us by Franc,
over territory ot which France had not been il
possession Tor over forty years. Here was tn,
rue of newly acquired territory a colony
imperial mie-autucatic rulc-not over TaEal
and Ncgritos, but over CauCaSanS and agdins
. thClf VIII. IL Is true the population was no
so large as that Of the PHILIPPINES, but tn
critics Of the administration are discussing thi
question as matter of principle, and it is jus
as bad in principle 10 rule fifty thousand pcop
without their consent as It is to rule ten mil
lions The territorial government of Louisian
was temporary, though part Of that territory
Oklahoma, is not yet admitted 10 the Union
and another part-thc Indian tcrritury-wll per
haps never hc so admitted. The goycrnmcn
1 il ais = III
government which we shall establish in the Phil
ippinrs, and the Republican platform promise
that the largest measure of sclfgoycmmcnt cor
si,tent with the welfare Of the people shall b
allowed them. Whether at any time hercaftc
they shall be admitted to full statehood is ia
future consideration II is just aS wrong in prir
ciplc to rule people without their consent for on
year, for five years, as it is for a hundrc
years. II, therefore, the wrong OF impcrialiSI
has been introduced into our free government,
has been done not by William Mckinley, in IN
year 1900, hut by Thomas jefferson, the idol
the Democratic party, in 1903 II is the authC
OF the Declaration Of independence who was III
first impcrialSt, the first emperor OF our "col,
rnial" domain. II is true thi
the Philippines are further off than Louisian,
though we can communicate with thci
more quickly than Thomas jefferson coul
% with New Orleans. II is true the Pacific occa
is wider than the Mississippi river, though il
hardly more difcult TO reach Manila than
was for our ancestors 70 penetrate the vast plaiI
beyond the Father Of Waters, But in detemil
ing the great world questions that lie before u
portant TO the American people hereafter as II
o.. possession OF Louisiana was in determining q
question Of predominance upon the America
continent.
What is ridiculous" in this matte