The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-08-28

to foreign missions. Mr. Taft him
self has been sort of missionary
for Ne governnAnti He carried
peace 70 the Philippines and to Cuba
ne Garfield a message OF good VIII
from Uncle Sam around the world,
and he brought order out OF chaos in
Panama. He knows the. value of
missionaries to the outside world
and to the United States.
Moreover, MIR. Taft's writings and
speeches as far back as his public
record goes breathe the missionary
spirit Mr.. Taft believes sincerely.
devoutly, in the mission of the United
States. II he has labored earnestly
for one thing. It has been for the
square deal for the Philippine IS
lands. Mr.. Taft believes that the war
with Spain was the most righteous
conflict ever undertaken; that 1t was
unselfish and was precipitated by the
outraged sense of justice of this
country. He long ago declared his
belief that Providence set this people
apart and trained it for the better
ment OF mankind, and that Provi-
dence has placed upon our shoulders
the burden of our less favored
brothers keeping. Instead of shrink
ing from the responsibility already
partly assumed, he believes we
should undertake the work in the
same altruistic spirit that actuated
the country in going to war.
No man has courted the conditions.
which brought about this responsible
| ity. and there is no man. who would
not rather have seen the country es-
cape the burden; but who. is there
today, even among those that once
shed scaldlng tears over the plight
of the Patriot Aguinaldo. would
turn the Philippines over to the
mercies OF colonially Incompetent ia
lpan. to garrison the middle of the
: Pacific and threaten our western
, lcoast? Or who would think of leav-
ing those people to their own de-
vices? Our only course is TO make
Jour colonial system a model for the
world. As a man on becoming a
} parent puts aside the foibles and
loose habits of his youth, so this ma
tion now must assume certain at
tributes OF maturity, both as to our
internal affairs and our foreign re-
lations, always maintaining an ex-
! elusive dignity, as becomes one called
of Providence, conserving our re-
sources and holding peace with honor
to be the very aim and essence OF
true statecraft
There Is no parallel between this
country and the Roman republic;
there Is no parallel between our I'M
tpremeditated act OF benevolent as
similation" and Rome's deliberate
policy of conquest: there Is no paral-
lei between our administration OF
colonial affairs for the uplifting Of
their peoples, and Rome's exploita-
ton Of her colonies for the enrich
ment OF the ruling classes at home.
The one develops character, national
and individual; the other destroys
: national character and debauches the
individuals, History read Alright Is
good guide; but the story OF one
nations downfall cannot generally
be applied to another people, under
totally dissimilar conditions and en-
: vironments. 1t is inconsistent but
I, natural that those very people. who
: declare a colonial policy will ruin
America, because history has record
8 ed the downfall of ancient nations
E engaged in such enterprises, to de-
I mand that we live 20 ourselves, when
the same history tells them that no
. nation can live to itself. China IS an
Example of the recluse among ma
tons. and she is being forced against
her win to become sociable.
|, Our only possible danger lies in
our own carelessness. We have suf-
r ficient elasticity to adjust ourselves
5 TO this new responsibility; but we
must keep alive the spark of patriot
I ism in our own bosoms; we must see
to II that IN our own every day lives,
IN our own municipalities and In our
/ own local governments honor and
I purity are the inspiring motives. We
must have an educated populace; we
. must destroy corruptlng influences;
) We must see TO It that immigration is
! not merely a stream Of ignorant for
} egners pouring into the eess-pool