The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-08-11

/ to them the assurances that II win
come az soon as they are reasonably
prepared for It, There need be no feai
that the assertion 50 often made Of
late that we have now become world
power will then be without sup
port. Ours / q world power
and as such It must be main
tained, but I deny that II is all re-
Icently that the United States has at
tained that eminence. Our country be-
came world power over a century
ago, when, having thrown OF foreign
domination. the people established q
free government. the source Of whose
authorities sprung, and was contin-
ually to proceed. from the will Of the
people themselves. II grew as a world
power az its sturdy citizens, to whose
natural increase were added immi-
grants from the old world seeking to
obtain here the liberty and prosperity
denied them in their own countries,
spread over the face of the land, re-
duced the prairies and forests to cul-
| Itiyation, built cities, constructed high
ways and railroads, till now a nation
which at the formation Of the govern
ment numbered only 100000 in popu-
Iatlon has grown to S0.000.0O0. and
from ocean to ocean and from the
lakes to the gulf. the country is the
free abode OF prosperous people adj
vanced in the highest degree In the
learning Of arts Of civilization. II is
the liberty, the advancement and the
prosperity OF It's citizens. not any ca
reer Of conquest, that made the country
a world power. This condition we owe
to the bounty Of Providence. unfolded
In the great natural reserves OF the
country, to the wisdom Of our fathers
manifested in the form Of government
established by them. to the energy Of
industry, moral character and law
abiding spirit OF the people them
selves.
Decries the Military Spirit.
We are not a military people bent
on conquest. or engaged In extending
our domains IN foreign lands or de-
sirous OF securing natural advantages,
however great. BY force; but people
loving peace. not only for ourselves,
but for all the nations Of the earth.
The display Of great military arm
aments may please the eye, and for
the moment excite the pride Of the
citizen. but 1t can not bring to the
country the brains, Drawn and muscle
Of single immigrant. nor induce the
investment here Of a dollar Of capital.
of course. such armament as may be
necessary for the security OF the coun-
try and the protection Of the rights
OF its citizens at home or abroad must
be maintained. Any other course
would be not only false economy, but
pusillanimous. / protest, however.
against the feeling, now far
too. prevalent. that by reason Of
the commanding position we have as
sumed in the world we must take part
in the disputes and broils of foreign
countries, and that because we have
grown great we should intervene in
every important question that arises
in other parts Of the world. also
protest against the erection Of any such
military establishment as would be re-
quired to maintain the country in that
attitude. We should coniine our inter
national activities solely to matters I'M
which the rights Of our country or Of
our citizens are directly involved. That
is not a situation of isolation. but Of
independence. The government Of the
United States was organized solely for
the people Of the United States. While
it was contemplated that this country
should become refuge for the OPP
pressed of every land who might be
fit to discharge the duties of our cit
lzenship, and while We have always
sympathized with the people of every
nation in their struggles for self gov
ernment, the government was not ore-
ated for career of political or civ
ilizing evangelization in foreign coun-
tries or among alien races. The most
efficient work we can do in uplifting the
people of other countries is by the pre-
sentation of happy, prosperous self
raae -= nM M