The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-03-01
Expansion Before And Now.

Expansion Before And Now.
In the early days of the Republican
party and of the liberty and free sol
parties, which were merged with it
such expansion as was achieved oi
contemplated by the Democrats was
assailed as merely in the interest o.
the slave power. Now that Republl
cans have become expansionists in 6
different way their aggression is ex
cused on the plea that very recently
by some mysterious process, the re
public has become world power, and
therefore is entitled to help itself
wherever and however it can, says the
Chicago Chronicle.
1t is this world power idea, con
tinues the writer, which is certain one
of these days to involve the country
in serious trouble. in the old days
manifest destiny" had much to dc
with our growth and with the absorp
tion of contiguous territory, and, ad
mitting that slave owners may have
seen an advantage in 1t, their wish
es did not necessarily control. Pub
lie opinion north as well as south fav.
ored every extension of the republic s
boundaries. Whatever slavery may
gained little by the conquests and an.
nexations which carried our boundar.
les to the Rio Grande and to the Pa.
cifc.
The world power theory seems to
place the question of expansion Who'll.
ly in the hands of few men at Wash
iagton. Manifest destiny has nothing
to do with it. We wake up some
morning and read that we have ac-
quired interests here or there over
night; that this island or that archi-
pelago has been purchased; that we
have helped out q revolution some
where; that we have undertaken to
lay down the law In Asia to the great
powers of Europe and that, as one
thing leads to another, we appear to
be in alliance with other nations from
which we have been taught to hold
aloof.
Accomplished facts" stare us in
the face with such frequency that we
sometimes wonder who is governing
the country and whence the arbitrary
power SO freely exercised is obtained
Just now the senate, by the votes of
Democrats as well as Republicans,
has sanctioned an accomplished fact
at the Isthmus of Panama A few
weeks hence il is probable that con-
gress will be called upon to recognize
another accomplished fact in the
orient, where as a newly pledged
world power our representatives are
moving about with chips on their
shoulders like the personal agents
of the czar or the emperor.
IL we would know what this sort Of
thing means and what II is likely to
lead to we have only to examine the
recent history of Russia in the far
east. There is world power indeed.
II has been absorbing lands and peo.
pies, encroaching upon the rights OF
others, violating treaties and proftine
by diplomatic trickery for some years,
but all that 1t has gained in this fash
ion is now held at the bloody risk OF
war.
The subjects OF the car are face to
face with a good many accomplished
facts which some other people are dis.
posed to overthrow If they can. 1t is
the general opinion that Russia will
be able in time TO establish and con.
firm these facts, but 1t is certain that
the cost in life and money will be
something fearful.
1t is this kind of a game that we
have been playing OF late. We have
taken a hand without popular author
ity. We have Joined in the tragic
sport without public discussion. We
are sitting at the European table
where cold decks and stacked cards
and loaded guns are always in evl.
dence. We are playing the role of a
world power, in short, because reck.
less and foolish men not content with
obeying the law and giving heed to
precedent are usurping powers which
do not belong to them and are pre-.
pairing for our consideration later on
an array of accomplished facts which
Will be dreadful to contemplate.
The world power business is pretty
nearly played out in Great Britain. II
VIII not he so popular In Russia af.
ter a while as II is now. What bloody
lesson have we to learn before we,
too, will put an end to it and mind our
own affairs?
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Farmers VIII Iroprove