File:"My country, 'tis of thee!" or, The United States of America; past, present and future. A philosophic view of American history and of our present status, to be seen in the Columbian exhibition (1892) (14598033138).jpg

Identifier: mycountrytisofth00john (find matches)
Title: "My country, 'tis of thee!" or, The United States of America; past, present and future. A philosophic view of American history and of our present status, to be seen in the Columbian exhibition
Year: 1892 (1890s)
Authors: Johnson, Willis Fletcher, 1857-1931 Habberton, John, 1842-1921
Subjects:
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. Y. Huber co.
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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R XIV. ANNEXATION. This country has many important duties tofulfil in tlie family of nations, but annexationof other lands is not one of them. The contrary opinion is sometimes expressed,but the sooner we sit down upon it the less likelywe are to neglect our own business. iVnnexation is an old business, and sometimesit has been profitable; but the nations who bestunderstood it have but few of their old posses-sions left, and they would get rid of some ofthese, if they could without being laughed at. What nations could we stand any fair chanceof annexing? Perhaps Mexico, Canada andsome of the West India Islands. What couldbe done with them ? Nothing that, in the longrun, would benefit us. What would they dowith us ? They would merely introduce discord-ant elements that would not help us a particle inmaking our own national position secure. Ourcountry is so large already that there are jarringinterests making themselves felt and known inCongress, in the press, in public opinion, and 368
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ADMINISTRATION KUILDINC. ANNEXATION. 369 witli all the efforts that have been made they areapproaching solntion at so slow a rate that anumber of the advocates of one side or the otherare discouraged and indignant. There are agreat many brilliant theories of what might bedone by the annexation of this or that countryby the United States. But an ounce of fact isworth a ton of theory, and fortunately we haveenough facts to keep us for a long time in exam-ination if we will take the pains. The ancient nation called Rome was thechampion annexer of the world. She annexedevery territory that it was possible for her sol-diers to reach, and at one time the entire worldowed allegiance to Rome. It was practical alle-giance, too, because we read in the Gospelaccording to St. Matthew that in the days ofAugustus Csesar there went out a decree that allthe world should be taxed. To collect taxesfrom annexed countries is more than some mod-ern nations have ever been able to do. The mil-itary and poli

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