New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-07

Inc review OF the territorial elldIBtL U
the United States in philosophical spirit means
less the chronicling of annexations than the
study OF the development Of nationality and the
evolution OF constitutional law IN harmony with
national character. The volume IN hand is small
in bulk and far from detailed in its relation Of
events. The romantic story Of the acquisitions
which is found IN Psrkman's history OF the
struggle for the Ohio Valley. Marbois's memoirs
OF Napoleon's Remuneration Of Louisiana and the
stirring pictures OF other historic scenes in
American progress is not reproduced in these
pages. Their purpose is rather to put in com
pact form not the story but the meaning Of the
story. That is successfully accomplished. With
brief a record Of the facts perfect clear
ness and plainly sound bases for deduction will
permit, the author puts before the vital prin-
ciples Of our growth, the causes which have led
up to successive extensions of dominion and the
effects upon national character and institutions
which followed.
1t is a common but monstrous error TO repre-
sent territorial expansion. particularly that Of
recent date. as a sort Of accidental phenomenon,
q wanton exploit OF the moment, unconditional
by the past and not in the line Of normal ma
tional development. The opponents Of every
acquisition have held that opinion from the
time when Governor Spottswood Of Virginia
first rode into the Shenandoah Valley and urged
upon deaf government the importance of driv-
Ing wedge into the western country and keep
ing divided the domains Of France. To those
who had vision Of the memorable necessity OF
that country 10 Virginia. the raising of tobacco
in the rich river bottoms comprised the whole
duty Of man. Again the purchase of Louisiana
appeared 10 it's critics a mere act of personal
diplomacy. Everybody now comedies that It
merely the exercise of a vital function OF
the nation-that if Jefferson had not secured II
by what seemed a mere adventurous circum-
stance. IL must ultimately have been secured at
great cost in some other way or our national
character would have suffered from arrested de-
veopment. A few years later the reaching out
for Florida showed how much more the pressure
of necessity than the schemes of diplomatists
worked TO extend our boundaries. In fact, every
step of expanson-and not every step has been
by any means free from wrong-has been the
inevitable outcome of the needs and character
OF the American people. Except IN momentary
circumstance, there was nothing accidental
about any one OF them. Our lates expansion in
the West Indies nothing but the elimination
OF a policy mapped out by Jefferson as the natu-
raj course OF events and steadily kept in view
by successive administrations for nearly CEN
fury. The logic OF the treaty Of 1873. which in
spite of France and Spain. gave the new born
republic the Mississippi for its western boun-
dairy. was possession OF Louisiana. The logic of
Louisiana was Florida. The logic of Florida
was predominance. if not actual sovereignty. in
Cuba; and when Spanish power fell. its subsidi-
airy possessions in the American sphere nat
urally gravitated to the United States just as
Froude predicted all the West Indies. the
British possessions. must gravitate.
The natural progress to the Philippines may
seem less evident. but il not less truly nat
ural. We may complain Of the ethics of Cal
houn and Polk but their aggressions were the
IN,
long the sweeping Of the Aryan hordes
into Europe. Mr.. Johnson is no apOlogist for
manifest destiny in the common and indeed
original meaning Of that braggart phrase. He
heartily condemns the spoliation Of Mexico. and,
the other hand. what he considers the sur
render Of our just claims TO half of the Oregon
. country Nevertheless, he sees what is perfectly
Ntrue, that, given American temperament and
Hthe needs of dominant American interests of
that time. the absorption of the territories which
lay between Louisiana and the Pacific. to be
had for the taking. simply in accord with
human nature II has manifested itself in all
times and all countries. That fact does not
cuse the men who did evil TO accomplish what
they thought a desirable end: but looking back,
We can see that the end the legitimate
sequence OF national conditions once estab-
nshed on the Pacific and in the orderly sequence
OF events in possession OF Hawaii, when the
confronted the nation. there could be but
answer. Two of the peace commissioners went
TO Paris not wholly convinced Of the necessity of
annexing all the Philippines. and two We're abso-
lutely opposed to taking any Of them. Had not
the logic Of events been stronger than individual
opinions. certainly all five would never have
Joined in the treaty to acquire the archipelago.
The author thus sums up the choice presented to
them:
There We're open six conceivable courses. One
was for the United States. after having deprived
the islands of their only government. to scuttle
away and leave them anarchy. That would
have been the act Of pirate. The second was
70 restore the islands TO Spain and re-establish
Spanish authority over them. That would have
been disqualification. For the United States
had gone 10 with Spain for the freeing of
one Spanish island from Spanish misgoYern-
ment, and 1t could not consistently force back
other Islands under the same misPoyernment.
The third was for the United States turn the
Islands over 20 some other power. Germany
was believed TO CoVet them. and there were sew
eTal other European powers which would have
been glad TO get them ana 10 have paid well
for them. Such 2 disposition Of them would have
saYOTed too much Of the old slave trade. when
me-: hunting for their fellow men to capt
uTe them and then sell them IN the market
place. The United States went out OF that bust
many years ago. and had 10 mind to re-
sumo il IN 1895. The fourth course. 10 take only
one Of the islands and let some one else have the
rest. was open 10 the same objection the pre-
ceGing. and 10 this additional one, that such
proximity 10 alien possessions would be a
slant source OF menace TO our peace. The fifth
course was TO leave the islands TO self-govern-
ment as was done with Cuba But the weight
OF evidence before the commissioners was that
the people OF the islands We're incapable of self
government and did not desire ii, but wanted 10
be under the sovereignty of the United States.
There had been no general attempt to found
independent insuiar government there as in
Cuba. There had been some tribal outbreaks
but the islands were divided among many tribes.
some OF which were implaca bly, hostile TO others
and abandonment TO Self-goVernment would be