The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-08-09

~ "A
u,,,ness the American people abandoning
the sure pathway in which past genera
tions have formed prosperity and happi-
#ness AMI e:nbarkins upon that Of asgre5-
sion and conquest. against which we are
warned bv the wrecks that lie along the
entire pathway Of history? Standing out
against the new policy OF conquest with
ali that It involves OF European compii-
"a tions. are the warnings of the founders
of the Republic. Out of fashion as it may
a,pear I quote the last words of Wash
,nyton to the oncoming generations of this
countrrnen: The great rule OF conduct
for US in regard to foreign nations Is,
IN extending our commercial relations,
TO have with them a little political con-
nection as possible It was the author of
the Declaration of Independence who said:
Our first and fundamental maxim should
be never to entangie ourselves in the
broils of Europe" Is it not we'll to ponder
these warnings before permanently en-
barking upon an untrie1 pathway, beset
with foreign jcalousies, complications and
antagonisa.s?
Against Expansion.
The Democratic party has never been
the advocate of wise territorial expansion
It was in control OF tho Government dur
present century. During that period new
States were admitted into Federal Union.
and our western border extended beyoni
the Mississippi. Out of the Louisiana coun-
try-acquirel under the first Democratic
Administrat ion-have been carved fourteen
magnificent States. Under a later Demo-
cratic Administra tion-ani as the result
of the treaty which terminated our war
with Mexico-we acquired California and
-~I,I,ar ~ hug
bringing under our flag, to remain for
ever, the vast expense stretching to the
Pacific ocean.
The Policy Of aggressive expansion, Of
subiusation Of distant Islands pursued by
the present Administrator. finds no pTece-
dent In the peaceahle cessior of the Louis
lana country ny Napoleon. that OF Florida
by Spain, nor that yet later of the vast
western area by Mexico The territory
acqulrcd under Democratic Administers
ton Was, with favorable climatic condit-
ions, the fit abode for men of our own
race. At the time of annexation IS passed
under the rule Of the Arglo-SaXon. who
carried with him our language and our
laws. IT was territory contiguous to our
own, ard acquired with the declared In
tenlon-when the conditions and noru!a-
TOR would iustify-of carving It into
states. The result-nlillions of American
homes our national wealth increased be-
E7ond the dream Of avarice. and the Uni;
ted States chief among the nations Of the
earth. '-0
Forciblc Annexation.
Can 1t be that the new policy OF rorc,h1a
annexation of distant islands finds pre-
cedent in the historic events I hive men
toned? The answer is found in the bare
statement of facts The territory ac-
CURED under Democratic administra ton
is contiguous-the Philippine Islands eight
thousand miles distant The ncullisi-
ton of territory upon our own continent
added little to the national expense-to
maintain permanent sovereignty over the
distant Islands necessitates immense ex-
penditures upon our army and navy. More
than that it contempates methods OF
administration that pertain not to the
republic, but 20 the empire. Can it be
doubted that the attempt to stife the
spirit of liberty will imperil government al
home?
What is proposed by the party in power
be intended to establish there our politi-
cal institutions, what then becomes Of
the Monroe Doctrine? This vital inter-
national policy. announced by the Presi-
dent of the United States seventy-seven
years ago, was: I'VE owe it, therefore,
to candcr and to the aIn.cable relations
existing between the United States and
those Powers to declare that we should
consider any attempt on their part to
extend their system to any portion OF this
hemisphere us dangerous to our peace
and safety This was supplemented by
a disclaimer in substance upon our part
of any intention to force our inst tutions
upon the nations OF Europe or their
,+,..,, t.
wholesome and enduring. 1t is the faith
of Americans of every creed and party-is
of the very wnr,o and Wool of our poli-
cal being. It was promulgated at the crit
ical moment when the Holly Alliance"
was attempting to stife the Republican
spirit and re-establish the despotism OF
Spain upon her revolted colonies in South
America and in Mexico The essence OF
the doctrine as then understood by the
world, was, while we forbid the establish
ment of despoic governments upon the
American continents we recognize the
corresponding Obligation to refrain from
any attempt to force our political sys-
tenn upon any part of the old world.
This has been our settled rule of faith
and practice for more thnn tEree-quarters
of a century. It's PRONUNCIATION defeated
the purpose of the Holy Alliance nnd
destroyed forever tiie power Oh SPAN upon
this continent Under it, Louis Napoleon,
a third of century ago, was compelled
to withdraw the French army from Mexico
and leave the ill-statrred Macmillan 10
his fate Under it the empire establish
ed by foreign bayonetS disappeared and
the republic was restored. Are we now
to say we still recognize the binding force
of this doctrine upon other nations but
not lIDOn our own?
If ultimate statehood for these remote
islands-and others yet to be conquered
be displayed, how, then. are they to
be held and governed? The only al
tentative is by force-by the power OF
the army and of the navy-and this is
not for day, or for year, but for
time What, then, becomes of the bed
rock principle that: Governments derive
their just powers from the consent OF the
governed" If they are to be held per-
nanently as conquered provinces, t Will
be not only outside Of the Constitution,
but in direct antagonism to the letter and
spirit of our Declaration Of Independence
1t is no less true now than in the days
of our revolution, that Government py
arbitrary power is still despots1n Inc
attempt, then, either to give these peo-
.-y,i,, "a M