New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-03-24
HOW OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ADDRESS BY WHITELAW REID BFro.r
THE STUDENTS OF THE mi
vERSITY OF CALIFORNIA

Berkeley. Cal. March 23.-The new rvr,,..,-
of the University Of California was filed go
with collegians and friends OF the univa-s,,,..s
witness the Charter Day exercises
President Benjamin Ide Wheeler made
troductory speech and then presented wbI,a,.-
Reid. of New-York. who spoke on Waite,
Problems" In part Mr.. Reid said:
II one is to speak at all Of the countr1s. -
ent aspects this day OF your untversifz 80
he should do so only as a patriot not "a "a s-a'
san. But he cannot avoid treadng on rron.,
where the ashes are yet warm. a
The new territories in the West Indies ana q
the East are ours. 10 have and hold bv tbs - -
preme law OF the land. and by a title which ~
whole civilized world recognizes and respecfs e
We shall not speedily get rid OF them vVhos
may desire it, The American people are In ~
mood to give them back TO Spain or to sell tba -
or to abandon them We have all the power va
need to acquire and govern them The Am.r.
can people have made up their minds they kno-
that they are proceeding 70 do just what Jetsr
did to the vast region he bought fro--
France. without the consent by the wav attn, rsa.
Of sovereign or inhabitants
They know that they following In ,s
exact path Of all the constructive Statesmen -
the Republic from the days of the men who
wrote the Declaration of Independence A.
those who made the Constitution. down to IA
days of the men who came 20 California bOugs.
Alaska and denied the right OF self goverpr,s-.
to Jeff Davis. They simply do not bellsvs
that new light has been given to the preser,
than was given TO Washington or 70 Jefferson or
TO Lincoln. Thus far the path has been dictatss
by duty, and duty alone has led where W.
are.
Mr. Reid paid a tribute TO the pioneers ~
California. and quoted some Of their glowing urs.
dictions as TO the future of the State He -
ferred 10 the remoteness Of California from tbs
Eastern States in the early days. and said:
OCEANS NO LONGER SEPARATE.
And yet there are CaIifornians 10 this asv
who profess a shrinking alarm on account !.
the remOteness and inaccessfbility Of our nav
possessions. Has the arm Of the Californian
been shortened that il cannot reach out? Has
he forgotten the lesson taught by the historv
of his own race and of the greatest nations n
the world. that oceans no longer separate-thsv
unite? There are no prOtracted and painful
struggles 10 build Pacific Railroad for you-
next great step The right Of way is assured
the grade is done. the rails are laid, you have
only TO buy your rolling stock the Union
Iron Works. draw up your time table and bezi.
business The ocean unites you with the whole
boundless, mysterious Orient. There YOU find
a population of over six hundred million souls
They offer you the best OF all commerce. that
with people less advanced. exchanging the prod
ucts of different zones.
Our total annual trade with China now-vtS
this people whom the friendly ocean is ready
to bring to your very dOors-is twenty millions
Even the Spanish trade with the Philippines
was thirty millions. They morally our step
ping stone. but would a wise man kick the step
ping stone away?
The islands will not be thrown away. Well
then how shall the islands be treated3 Are
they to be our wards. objects OF our duty and
care, or are they TO be our full partners,
We may as well look that question straight IN
the face. Because they are helpless and needy
and on our hands. must we take them into part
nership? Because we are going TO help them.
are bound TO marry them?
Partly through mere fnadvertence but partly
through crafty design, the wave Of general SYM
pathy for the suffering little island OF Puerto
Rico which has swept over the country has
come very near being perverted into the means
fer turning away The general policy OF a great
Nation. To relieve the temporary distress hy
recognizing the Puerto Ricans as citizens and
by an extension OF the Dingley tariff 20 Puerto
Rico as a matter OF constitutional rights fore
closed the whole question