The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-02-22

,, W hIoIl y U1UN- SA | l. HDA
ness and monopolized BY us. il will be our
commercial and financial salvation.
Reciprocity.
But this is a Question for tomorrow.
We must consider The requirements Of to
day We must turn to the instant need
OF things We must make those common
sense arrangements with our neighbors
among the nations by which our surplus
Of American products may be taken across
the seas. This is the craftsmanship OF
common sense. The eye OF Blaine per
ceived 1t in the distance. and too soon an
nounced its principle The even more
prophetic mind Of Grant. whose elemental
craftsmanship will be better appreciated
hundred years from now than il is to-
day. perceived il even before Blaine saw
It, And even II both had failed 20 grasp
its meaning, that meaning would be un-
mistakaele at this hour. for, gradually,
foreign statesmen are closing their mar
ketS to us They will do il more swiftly
IN the future than they have done it in
the past, or else they will fail in their
duties to their peoples The miraculous
growth Of our export trade is lessening:
and on the other hand our prOductiveness
wakes until - magnitude today makes
little its proportions of yesterday. which
then were wonderful. Decreasing mar
kets. increasing productiOns-this is the
situation 1t is not a situation that calls
for fanaticism in favor OF any law; it is
not situation that calls for fanatcism
in favor of the destruction of any law.
II Is situation that calls for the patient,
intelligent adjustment Of means to ends.
II IS a situation that calls for mdoera-
ton II is a situation that calls for the
councils Of conservatism. Out upon the
selfish interest that would enrich itself
at the expense Of the permanent prosper
ity Of the natiOnl out upon the passion
ate demand for the destruction OF ali pro
tection- Up with the standard Of moder-
alton and let all the forces OF American
conservatism rally around it, So shall
employment continue TO wait on labor.
So shall investment continue TO plead
with capital. So shall this marvellous
American civilization. whose far mean
ing even the most prophetic mind cannot
grasp today. continues to evolve out of
the play Of our free and unfettered ac-
tiYities.
Our Foreign Possessions.
ct vas a wisdom higher than our own
that drove US into the markets OF the
world. You may say that it was the wis
dom of events. You may say It was the
wisdom that springs from the wealth OF
our resources and the ingenuity Of our
brains and the skin OF our fingers. l
prefer to believe ard do believe that II
was a higher wisdom still. the universal
wisdom Of the Father And il was His
wisdom. too that placed in our guard
ianship new peoples and alien races. You
may say that il is a blunder that did
that l will not quarrel with you. You
may say that IL was a conjunction Of cir
cumstances l will not argue the point
Whatever the compelling cause the fact
exists and the duty is ours. Call it cir
cumstance, call IL events. call it blundeT
or call il the decree Of destiny-Other
peoples are our wards and we will not
desert them. Their lands are our trust
and we will not betray IL. All admit
I that II We could succeed in dischargiDg
this trust so that these dependent peo-
pies would be happier. our nation better
and the civilization Of the world thereby
| advanced. il would be a noble conclusion
[ for which the most doubtful heart might
yearn- All this we may accomplish. All
/ this we viii accomplish Let no man
doubt our ultimate success, for we viii
proceed according 20 the councils OF
conservatism Moderation viii direct u.s.
The American Characteristic.
we daily hear doguatic demands for
the independence OF cur Malay wards
without considering concrete conditions.
Is this moderation? Is this the method Of
calm reason? Is Il not better to Rnd the
facts and ut our acts TO thesee Adapta-
bility is the American characteristic. We
are told that government is the
American Characteristic. We are told
that this and that is the American char
acteristic. We are asked 10 frame our
action upon this tradition OF that. regard
less OF changed situations. Of absolutely
different facts. But adaptability is the
American characteristic. AdaDtability
adaptability. adaptaOility. The fitting CT
means 10 ends. the adjustment OF meas
ures 10 cOnditiOns-this is the heart Of
AmcriCauism.
From that saving wisdom Of adapta-
bility We viii not now depart. II Philip
pine conditions require Filipino self-gov-
eminent self government We will give
the FihpinOs because il is wise. II legis-
lativc participation in their government is
permitted BY Porto Rican conditions we
viii give the Porto RieaEs that because
10 is wise. II Cuban conditions require
American sUZerainty. We viii maintain
that because IL is wise. IL annexation, We
viii accomplish that because il is wise,
if utter separation, that shall be done
because IL Is wise. II facts demand that
we administer government in our Far
Eastern possessions without the partici-
patton Of an Incompetent people. that gov
eminent We VIII, ourselves. administer
because il is wise. We are welded TO no
theory; we are chained 10 no catch-word,
our free hand is not fettered by any IN
changeabIe method"