Since that congressional action we have been minding what it made our own business quite diligently, and an essential part of our business now is the responsibility for our own past acts, whether in Havana or Manila.
Whitelaw Reid
The Public Record
Whitelaw Reid was an American politician, diplomat and newspaper editor, as well as the author of Ohio in the War, a popular work of history.
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Some say that since we began the war for humanity, we are disgraced by coming out of it with increased territory.
Then a penalty must always be imposed upon a victorious nation for presuming to do a good act.
The only nation to be exempt from such a penalty upon success is to be the nation that was in the wrong!
It is to have a premium, whether successful or not; for it is thus relieved, even in defeat, from the penalty which modern practice in the interest of civilization requires--the payment of an indemnity for the cost of an unjust war.
There is a germ of a great truth in this, but the development of the truth is lost sight of.
Individual initiative is a good thing, and our institutions do develop it--and its consequences!
It is said the Philippines are worthless--have, in fact, already cost us more than the value of their entire trade for many years to come.
So much the more, then, are we bound to do our duty by them.
What is this but proposing such a policy of self-sufficient isolation as we are accustomed to reprobate in China--planning now to develop only on the soil on which we stand, and expecting the rest of the world to protect our trade if we…
Can a nation with safety set such limits to its development?
It will make an end forever of Spain in this hemisphere.