The record-union., 1898-12-15
Weather Forecast.
MR.. BRYAN BREAKS FORTH.

Stunning the attitude of an obstruction
1st and a kicker. He has opened to
the full his capacity for talk, and
blows full blast at once on the key of
imperialism"
Mr. Bryan, with the nnpetuosity of
the office hunter, has overshot the
mark. He has protested too loudly
and broadly, and, discovering his
error, makes a weak attempt to hedge.
First, he says he resigned because he
could be more useful to his country as
a civilian than as a soldier, which is
TO say, as his whole statement indi-
Gates, that he felt the business of fence
repairing to be pressing, and his can
didacy he conceives to be of higher in
terest. to his country than his service
as Colonel Of a volunteer regiment.
But this candidacy is now to be based
on opposition to acquisition, hence the
keynote about "imperialism.'
With the instinct of the demagogic
politician, he strikes the familiar chord
of danger to the Republic" 1t is in
danger, says Mr.. Bryan, and, free in
stftuttons being in peril, he proposes
to pose as savior, along with Mr..
Carnegie, Mr.. Atkinson and a few
other devoted friends Of retrogressive
sdeas. Mr.. Bryan's indictment Of
things present is not novel. The
ground has been plowed over, and his
blade turns no new soil. However, let
ps see just what it is that is troubling
his soul now.
He says: We must defend ourselves
against European colonial ideas. Here
tofore greed has perverted the Govern
ment; now its very foundations are as
sailed by imperialism, which is antag
that Governments derive their just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned. We cannot endure half Repub-
1ican and half colonial, half free and
half vassal. True 1t is, he admits that
Jefferson favored acquisition; but,
with something Of adroitness, he calls
attention to what he alleges to be fact
that Jefferson's policy related only
to territory within the American CONT
nent-
But it is to be replied that Mr.. JEFF
terson4 made no plea Of continental linn
station. Jefferson, in fact, favored and
urged the conquest of Cuba in one way
or another. The opposition to acquisi-
ton of the Louisiana purchase was not
bonded by territorial limitation. 1t
asssailed the peoples in the new acqui-
sftion as incompetent, dangerous and
understandable more bitterly and
harshly than any arraignment thus far
made of the Porto Ricans or the Fill
pinos. Mr.. Quincy's inhammatory de-
claratiOn in Congress concerning the
inhabitants west Of the Mississippi
constituted an Indictment infinitely
stronger than that now made against
the peoples of our new possessions.
Mr.. Bryan forgets or ignores the fact
that in no instance Of acquisition of
territory have we first gained the con-
sent of the governed, have invariably
first possessed ourselves Of the terri
tory, and after a suitable lapse Of time
considered the question of the extern
sion of the privilege of the ballot,
which, by the way, is privilege ex-
tended to- and not right inherent in,
the inhabitant
AS has we'll been said by another, we
ascertain consent by other means than
the expression of the ballot It is
tested by the quietude of the people
under our protection, by their acqui-
escence in the introduction of our in
Etitutions, and after due lapse of time,
when intelligence concerning our sys-
tenn has permeated the community, we
may or may not extend the test of
ballot expression.
It is a fact that to-day we hold vast
territory in possession in which the
people are not consulted, and never
have been; nor was their preconsent to
the change of authority asked. In
slone of our Territories have the people
ever had a voice in the assertion of
Governmental control. The Territories
have all been carved out of Gov
ernmentally owned property, and
been governed under regulations pro-
vided by Congress. Thereafter such
home or police control has been
granted as the inhabitants were cap
able of exercising, but always under
the power and authority of Congress
to withdraw the privilege. Yet under
cur Territorial form no one has ever
entertained the thought that the peo-
pie were vassals or enslaved because
not consulted concerning their polit-
ical condition.
We come then to the only remain
ing point in Mr. Bryan's opposition
namely. that the Philippines are too
distant. That the distance changes
the Jeffersonian policy and doctrine
from expansion to imperialism"
But why, he industriously avoids say
ing. With the true instinct of the
demagogue he contents himself with
the bare assertion and its sophomoric
repetition.
But Mr.. Bryan is shrewd enough 20
see that opposition to the retention Of
Porto Rico will not be popular, and is
a foregone conclusion. He therefore.
endeavors to take that case out of the
category Of his objections by saying
that the Porto Ricans were not expect
ed to express a desire for an independ-
ent government. But the logic of op-
position to requirement of the Philip