New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1898-07-20
III NDS' OF



#5 Keynote Of Warning Against Inn
periaIism. sS
In an address before the lawyers Of
Ohio last week, former Attorney Gener-
al Harmon discussed the new policy Of
territorial acquisition The present war
with Spain, he said, had not been begun
with the view Of acquiring territory and
he did not believe we should make eny
effort to retain the Philippines or to ac-
quire possession of Porto Rico. There
was no authority in the constitution for
such ACKNOWLEDGMENT, and any attempt
to make it governmental policy would
be fraught with great danger to our re-
publican institutions. Mr.. Harmon said
If those who drew and adopted the
constitution meant to grant the power Of
acquisition at all, it was only by 1mpli-
cation, and every expression, every cir
cumstance of its history, show it was
merely to make room at home for our
peop]e-tor growth to the visible boun-
daries which nature marks for every
great nation, outside of which it can on
ly 60 as conqueror. Mere expansion
Is not growth. It IS only swelling. We
may push across the seas, but we cannot
grow there. Elephantiasis is not an un-
known form of malady, and has always
proved fatal. There are still chapters
of English history to be written.
We should have to change, both the
name and the nature of our nation to ad-
nit any state out Of America, especially
if it be populated by alien races. To get
dominion over strange people for the
mere purpose of governing them, not ad-
hitting them as equals in family of
states, stretching into permanency for
that occasion only, and for that reason
left unrestricted, is rightly called an i'm
Eperial policy. It would belle and dis
credit the declaration of independence,
and convict us of hypocrisy. We can
not under our system govern any people
without letting them help govern US.
The reaction would be swift and sure.
We should see what Patrick Henry
meant when he said that such govern
ment of the colonies by Great Britain
chad a manifest tendency to destroy Brit
ish as we'll as American freedom"
An imperial policy and republic
make contradiction in terms. The pol
icy must 60, or the emperor in some form
must come. The British properly add
ed empress of India" to the titles of
the queen. When his office outgrows
the descriptive name given him by con-
stltution, what shall we call the "presi-
dent of the United States of America"
The derision with which such alarms
a>e commonly met will not serve here.
A moments thought will show that our
form of government was intended and is
adapted for the discharge. of its simple
and limited ordinary functions at home,
with the support and under the eye of a
people friendly to it and bound to each
other by every tie. Set it to work un-
der conditions just the reverse, and we
both invite and multiply all the hazards
which have always beset free institutions.
One acquisition will whet the appetite
for more, and Asia and Africa will have
become tempting hunting grounds for the
nation. The pride which shrinks from
failure will lead to the general strength.
ening of our government for its work
abroad. 1t will not long remain weaker
at home, with the Monroe doctrine aban-
doned as it must be. WEAKNESS Of the
increased burdens Of expense which will
be sure to come, the glamour of schemes
of private interest artfully given anation-
al aspect, the pressure of emergencies
which are likely enough to rise among
peoples under foreign rule and which
will be multiplied by the enemies we
shall make-all these will unite in ap-
peals not to let mere theories stand in
the way of practical results.
That our government could not long
| remain what it is, follows as effect from
cause. We are not political immunes.
The course proposed must be honestly
presented as involving an essential change
in our institutions and not as mere
matter Of policy.
But what are we to do with countries
we take2 If where our flag is carried in
battle it must remain as the emblem Of
permanent authority, victory will be.
come more perilous than defeat There
lis no diishonor in bringing home oul
1 vicfnriAns hammer as we did from +h1