The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-01-17
ARTICLE XII.

! The Spanish War and Its Result.
In the results of the Spanish war the
United states have entered upon new
period IN the history of expansion. Pre-
vlous to this time the acquisition of new
territory was in accordance with that
theory OF manifest destiny" which
seemed to reserve for the American SOW
erelgnty the continent of North Amer
lca from the Atlantic to the Pacific In
the history of our annexations and pur-
chases prior to 1898 it is to be noticed
mat formal possession had been preced-
ed by economic conquest; the territory
In question practically became by occu-
patton and development a portion of the
American system before it was taken
into the American union. Even Hawaii
whose annexation may fairly be re-
garded as one of the consequences of the
Spanish war, was an American COM
munity in so far as the controlling e1e-
ment of its population is concerned, be-
fore it became territorially a portion of
the United States.
But with the late war new conditions
have arisen. Political union, instead of
following, has gone far in advance of
economic assimilation, and in this man
ner We have presented to us a series Of
problems, the solution of which is in It
aid from past experience.
It cannot be denied that the possess
sion of these vast territories in the In
dies was thrust upon US by the fortunes
of war. Certain 1t is that before the
memorable event of May, 1898, the pos
session Of the Philippines was as far as
possible from the expectation or desire
of the American people. There is little
doubt, in fact, that aside from a senh-
Of O1oIF
tions imposed by conquest the American
people would experience great relief if
an arrangement could be perfected which
would honorably free us from the re-
sponsibility of an Eastern empire of I'M
known extent and unfathomed poSSibili-
ties.
With Cuba it is somewhat different.
While 1t cannot be said that up to the
time Of the Spanish war Cuba had been
in any considerable degree Americanized
or that her industries had come under
the control and direction of Americans,
yet those industries were so dependent
upon her commercial relation with the
United States that the destinies of the
two countries had long been inextrI-
cably bound together, and it was impos-
sible that the American republic should
be at any time Indifferent to the, fate Of
her unfortunate neighbor.
Projects for the annexation of Cuba
had from time to time come forward.
During the first half of the century such
a proposal would have met the oppO
sition of the Northern states. opposed to
the extension of the slave area. AT
later period, after the issue of the great
sectional struggle had united under
common industrial system all portions of
our country, the acquisition Of Cuba even
with the acquiescence of Spain would
have aroused much opposition. During
the century and a quarter Of our eX-
istence we have never contemplated any
modification of our system that would
admit into our political association
group of people to whom we were I'M
willing to grant, after period of proba-
ton, the full rights of active membership.
To extend such rights to a people Of
wholly different ethic affinities, whose
political and social ideals and impulses
were likely to be discordant with our
own, was an ordeal to which we were
unwilling to submit our germanic institu-
lions. Yet the time has arrived when the
question must be met, for it has come to
US in dimensions far greater than it pos
sessed in connection with the annexation
of Cuba.
Spain's utter inability to meet the
problems Of modern colonial control
forced our hand with regard to Cuba.
have been content with commercial su.
premacy in the Antilles and quite will
ing to forego the political control which
involved possible modification Of our
American system. Such favorable con-
ditions, however, did not exist. The long
protracted struggle of the Cuban people,
which Spain was unable to bring to
conclusion either by concession or by
force, eventually forced the American
government into a position Of active pro-
test. There was abundant material justi-
fcation for such action-the impriSon-
ment and killing of American citizens
together with the destruction of Amer
lean property; the damage to American
trade amounting to q hundred millions
yearly; these were sufficient cause for in
tervention, particularly as there was no
prospect of their mitigation.
The real causes for our armed protest,
however, were not material. Considera-
tons of pecuniary loss were submerged
in the great wave of popular sympathy
and indignation which rolled up to the
halls of the national legislature The
horror inspired by the cruel measures of
recommendation, the policy Of extermina-
ton and devastation revealed by the re-
ports Of our consular agents furnished
a motive of sentiment compared with
which the record of material losses was
as nothing. The tragic incident Of the
Maine was the spark that set the popular
mind in conf1agration. Yet even here. in
spite of the enormous pressure Of popular
indignation. the government acted with
ccmmendable elaboration. For more
than a month the impatient public await
ed the results of the Maine investigation.
Not until April -, when the demands of
the president for a peaceful adjustment
had been refused by the government Of
Spain, did congress, by joint resolution.
demand that Spain at once withdraw
from Cuba, authorizing at the same time
the use Of the land and naval forces of
the United States to enforce this demand
Five days later war was formally de-
clared by Spain.
The events of the four months war.
which cost $14O,oOO,OOO and the lives Of
1924 men, are too well known to bear