Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1898-12-16
What it Really Means.

From Kansas City Times.
President Mckinley might as we'll make a
clean breast of it and say just why it is he is
so very determined to 20 into the colonial busi
ness 1t is of little excuse, nothing beyond
begging the question, to have his subordinates
tell across banquent table, with proper quota
of press representatives at hand, that the gath
ering in of colonies is not imperialism, and
that 1t is nothing more than spreading civiiza-
ton to take in these benighted lands. The
president has shaped his course by the colonies
and lie is having his shipping agents declare to
those Interested in his voyage that it is the
proper tack to take.
When Great Britain invades territory and
proclaims protectorat. or offers to finance the
country OF to lend its moral support Great
Britain knows, and the invaded territory knows,
and the whole world knows, that it is simply
land grab and nothing else. That her majesty's
ministers proclaim that they have invaded the
territory in the interest of humanity, and point
to the reports of the Bible and Tract association
to show what lot OF New Testaments it has
sent to the heather, goes for nothing. No re-
port is made of the cargoes Of other civilizing
implements which race with the Bibles into the
new field. In the interest of humanity the
right noble earl will say the war was waged,
and close OH the heels of his announcement
will come the report of the honorable secretary
for the colonies, what a splendid trade the
country has elr.ady started or acquired.
The imperial end is short step.
President Mckinley has learned we'll the les
son and is now experimenting. In the interest
Of humanity he engaged in war with Spain,
and he proposes, in the same alleged interest,
to finish the exercise along the lines first in
troduced by Disraeli, adopted by Gladstone
with all his horror of foreign complications,
and latterly by Rhodes, acting under orders
from Chamberlain and the Marquis of Sails
bury. With Great Britain, wars in the in
terest of humanity and wars of conquest are
identical.
There will meet in this city during the cur
rent week representatives of laborng men OF
not only this country, but of other and mon
;archcal nations. Let them speak on this i'm
perasm, with its letting down the bars to
cheap labor, and its frightful menace of large
standing army. Because a sensationast like
Richard Harding Davis says "the volunteer is
nuisance" and booms a bill for large stand
ing army; because such superficial observer
makes such a statement, it is not for the presi-
dent of such nation as this to listen. Let
MIN cast his eyes on the walls of his own apart
1nent and read his copy of the Declaration of
Independence.
What better could Mr. Mckinley do than
make another trip to Philadelphia, sit him
down at the old table there, which century
ago the founders Of the country signed the
Declaration of Independence, and lock himself
up with that table and his conscience.
The British government and Its methods are
both inlperialistic, and any other country adopt
i ng such methods resorts to Imperialism. The
president may send his spokesman to every
banquent between now aud the day he is dis
missed from the White House, and he canuot
more than apologize for his course.