Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1897-06-24
CONSULT THE PEOPLE.
New York Times June III

new YORK Times June II.
Do the American people wish to add to
the Union an Asiatic State, lying 1900
miles from the mainland and twice as far
from the National capital?
What evidence is there that they do !?
What slightest effort has ever been made
to find out they do ? How many American
voters does John Sherman know or know
of who have definite wish to this effect ?
How many are known to President Nc
Kinley? How many has he consulted {?
Who are they ? What are their professional
motives What are their real motives?
These are the questions that rise in the
mind of every intelligent and disinterested
American, and there are many, many more,
of like kind, for which there is absolutely
no satisfactory answer. They are very
grave questions. That they should have
to be asked, and that when asked no one
can even suggest a plausible reply, is
amazing.
1t is impossible that the President can
realize what he is doing, and is startling
that he should be capable of doing it with
out realizing it. By stroke of the pen
for it is he, not his Secretary of State, who
makes treaties-he commits this country to
a complete change of attitu de toward the
rest of the world. For more than century
the United States have been almost wholly
free from the danger of foreign war and
enterely free from the risk of any success
full foreign aggression because our territory
has been within range of effectual and easy
defense and separated from any possible
formidable foe by thou sand leagues of
ocean. 1t is this freedom than has made
it possible for us, despite the tremendous
difficulties that had to be solved by civil
war, to develop our wonderful resources
and steadily and successfully people and
organize our vast domain to bring it within
the scope of our institutions. During that
time every great nation of Europe has been
involved in wars in which the United
States would inevitably have been entangled
had its territory presented any point OF
attack. From the awful waste of life and
wealth, and from the heavy clog on the
National development which war must
have brought, we have been saved by the
inviolate seas" that separate us from the
fighting nations. We have been left to
work out our own destiny in our own way.
For roooo,, ord for hot olOro x.zo bou M
met and overcome perils that might well
have been fatal had we been obliged to add
to them the perils of foreign war.
And now, without any discoverable mo-
tive, hastily, in secret, without discussion
without consulting or considering the
opinions of the people, the President pro-
poses, SO far as he can, to change all this.
He asks the Senate, binding the Nation,
with no knowledge or care of the Nation 3
wish, to extend our line of exposed domain
to the heart of the Pacific Ocean. He adj
vises that, without the slightest known
necessity or even chance OF advantage, we
shall undertake against all corners the de-
on the crossing lines of interest of Great
Britain, of Germany, and of the newly
risen empire of Japan. On this isolated
and distant station we plant the flag of the
United States. Wherever that is planted.
it must be at all hazards and costs upheld.
1t cannot be Withdrawn or deserted or ig-
nored. Were it the simple question of
keeping or giving up the Hawaiian Isl
ands it would be bothersome, but not a
serious matter. dad we solely to defend
the islands from any power that really
wanted them for their own sake, we should
be reasonably safe. But we make of them
American territory We offer to any power
with which we may have a quarrel point
easy to attack and hard to hold, and yet
which, if attacked, we must hold all risks.
So far as concerns our security from foreign
aggression, we surrender it-and for moth
ing.
Mr.. President, we beg of you to stop
where you are Some of your friends say
that you mean, in sending this strange
treaty to the Senate, to let it lie there until
public opinion has expressed itself. 1t
would have been thousand times better.
wiser, more decent, to get the expression OF
public opinion first. 1t is not yet too late
A word from you will hold the treaty
Give the word, or if that will not do, take
back the treaty and then do not stir another
step until you have ascertained the real
opinion and desire of your countrymen
They have greatly honored you. They
have shown most marked respect for your
character. But they have not turned over
to your uniformed discretion the destiny
of the country. They have not trusted to
your impulse, your whim-Heayen knows
what it is that has SO tar guided you in
this astonishing transaction-the decision
of problem SO momentous. Rid your mind
of whateyer mlschievous prepossession
has betrayed you. Turn away from the
advisers, whether known or unknown whom
in an hour of carelessness you have per-
mitted to mislead you. Consult your PEG
ple-frankly, with open mind, sincerely
and deliberately. Nothing less will save
you from the indignation and scorn that
this gigantic folly invites.
There is a feeling abroad that flood
of silver" wouldn't create a panic just at
this juncture.
o
The world is paying homage to Queen