River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-09-08
NATIONAL EXPANSION
IT HAS BEEN APPROVED BY The
COUNTRY'S GREAT MEN.
Policy eff Adding to the Nations Ter
ritory Was Advocated by Both Dem
Gratis and Republicans what
Former Presidents Said.

The st. Louis convention did not re-
affirm the Kansas City platform in set
terms, because it did not dare to do so,
but it repeated some of the worst fea-
lures of the platform that was repudlated
by the people four years ago. Among
these is the protest against national ex-
pansion. The Kansas City platform de-
clared imperialism" to be the para
mount issue, meaning thereby the reten-
ton of the Philippine Islands, which
Providence and the fate of war brought
into our possession.
The Democratic National convention
Of 1904 did not dare to go as far as
that of four years ago in opposing the
acquisition of new territory, but 1t de-
nonuceS it under new name. touf
years ago it was 'imperialism;' now 1t
| is Colonial exploitation" The st. Louis
| platform says:
1--WE oppose as fervently as did George
| Washington himself an indefinite, IRE
sponsible, discretionary, and vague alb
| solutism and policy of Colonial explol-
| tation, no matter where or by whom In
voked or exercised"
The attempt to conjure in the name OF
George Washington is q characteristic
| piece of Democratic impudence. wash
| ington never wrote or uttered a word
| to justify the foregoing declaration. Ihe
question of national expansion was not
up in his day, but he was firm believer
| in the policy of claiming all the rights
and functions Of sovereignty for the Uni
| ted States.
History shows that almost without ex-
| ception the great statesmen of this coun-
| try from Jefferson and Washington down
| to Mckinley and Roosevelt have spoken
and argued for national expansion.
! Among the expressions of distinguished
| Americans on the subject are the follow
| ing:
Washington: "There is rank due
| to the United States among the nations
of the world, which will be withheld If
not absolutely lost by the reputation for
| weakness"
| Lincoln: Having practiced the ac-
| QUESTION of territory for nearly sixty
years, the question Of constitutional pow
| er to do so is no longer an open one"
Thomas jefferson: II am persuaded
| that no constitution was ever before so
we'll calculated as ours for extensive en-
pire and self-government."
| Stephen A. Douglass 81 tell you, in
crease and multiply and expand is the
| law of this nations existence"
Andrew Jackson: II now behold the
great American eagle, with her stars
and stripes lowering over the Lone Star
of Texas, and with cheering note well
coming it into our Union
General Grant: Il do not share in the
apprehension held by many as to the
danger of governments becoming weaken
ed aud destroyed by reason of their ex-
tension of territory"
William Mckinley: "That the Philip
| pine Islands will be retained under the
| benign sovereignty of the United States,
/ do~not permit myself to doubt. That
| they will prove a rich and invaluable
heritage / feel assured. That Congress
| will provide for them government
which will bring them blessings and pro-
mote their material interests as well as
advance their people in the path of civil
| lization and intelligence, l confdentially
| believe
Theodore Roosevelt: Expansion
means, in the end, not war but peace.
But, like every other great good, it can
ordinarily be achieved only by great eff
fort. Woe to us if we shrink from
| such effort"
| These expressions from representative
Americans might be multiplied indefinite
! ly. The opposite view is entertained
only by those who distrust the vitality
| of Republican government, or, who, for
personal or party reasons, feel obliged
to denounce everything done by a Re
| publican administration.