The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-05-01
Expansion the Theme.

wives.
Expansion the Theme.
There stood and spoke in the breezy In
terror 81 the Liberal Arts building on the
site OF the proposed St. Louis universal
exposition, yesterday, two distinguished
men. representing respectively the repub-
lican and democratic parties, each Of
whom paid hearty tribute Of respect to
President Jefferson, who, recognizing the
destiny Of the nation to expand, broke:
thru the limitations Of the creed of his
own party Of strict constructionists, which
had been taught by himself, doctrine
which, he perceived would handicap the
nation In its future career If religiously
adhered to, and, on a titanic scale, intro
duced expansion as a national policy to be
utilized whenever the substantial good Of
the nation required it.
Ex-President Cleveland declared that
the absorption Of Louisiana was part of
Gods plan to accomplish his designs In
our behalf" using "the coercion that be-
longs to the DEGREES Of God, to consum-
nation which restored to our people peace
and contentment and secured to our ma
ton extension and development beyond
the dreams Of our fathers" This strongly
Calvinistic view of expansion is ably put.
and the ex- president does credit to his
Presbyterian teaching.
BY parity of reasoning It was part Of
Gods design in our behalf" that on the
18th Of April, 1898, that memorable reso-
luton touching Cuba was passed in the
senate by vote of ~ to IS. and in the
house by the decisive 81 to s, fol-
lowed by a formal declaration Of the exist
ence Of war between the United States
act, just as much as it was in the affair of
the Louisiana purchase. II not, why not?
The only trouble was that many of the
Americans who approved the war In behalf
of Cuba kicked when they found that the
conflict led to results which laid very seri-
Gus responsibilities upon the nation, re-
suits which placed the tutelage. of some
people III our hands. That this nation
has earnestly sought to do its duty under
these responsibilities is demonstrated by
the transformation of Cuba into a self
governing republic, by the vastly improved
| conditions in Porto Rico and in the Phil
ippines.
Expansion was the keynote of all that
was said yesterday at st. Louis. Presi-
dent Roosevelt was most happy in his
historical review and in his deductions
from that historical sketch. One of the
memorabilia from his speech is this, I'm
I19O3, in altered conditions, we must
meet the changed and changing problems
1858 and subsequent years gained, ex-
plored, conquered and settled this vast
territory, then a desert, now filled with
thriving and populous states The party
which refuses to do this will inevitably
stay in the rear. The party which has
the time spirit and act in the living pres
ent, is the party which will stand at the
front and be entrusted by the people with
the most serious responsibilities of govern
ment The democratic party was for ex:
pansion as long as 1t could be utilized fol
the extension of the area devoted to negro
slavery. Now, as a party, they say ex.
pansion cannot be squared with the con.
stitution, but it is only just to say tina
this sort of Organic twaddle is wearing
out. The dedicatory exercises at st. Loui:
yesterday accentuated the nations belle
sion.