The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-12-26
Of IMPERIALISM,
V'll'sm y Bryan Shows The lIa.Americsnlsm
Of the Scheme.
QUOTES rHos. JEFFERSON AND IL BLAINE
noses the Fnisity of the Ad.
n's'r"tion 10 the Ideals ana
Aims of the Republic.

49,. Wri,,en an article setting forth
pi 'y and uneqtivocally his at,i,,,,s ~
expansion and Imperialism. ~
Mr. Bryan says. as an tn,ro.,,..,a
ine advocates of imperialism hayn snnyh,
20 support their position BY appea,tnr -
me authority Of Jefferson. or all the
STATES men who have ever lived. Jefferson
was the one most hostile TO the doctr3nes
onpodied in the demand for Enrora,n
colonial policy. Imperialism, as n no,y
presents Itself embraces four propo;Itions. .
T. That the acquisition Of territory ~
conquest is right.
q That the acquisition OF remote ,i,rr,.
tory is desirable.
d That the doctrine that governments
deravsl their just powers from the consenl
OF the governed is unsound.
a. That people can be Wisely governed
by aliens" Ao'e'i'eu
ne lnen p-peeeds to show that Jefferson
wa. was most emphatically opposed TO an the "a
ehihgS and quotes a letter written TX. Ia
lerson to William Short in 1Ty1 as fellows.
~ pnere be one principle more deep "
written than every other by the mind OF
every American it is thet We should have
Mr.. Bryan continues Gould he be more
explicit? Here we have clear and ST ong
remuneration OF the doctrine that territory
should be acquired by force. If il is said
that we have outgrown uhe ideas o, the
fathers 1t may be observed that tn doctrine
laid down by Jefferson was reiterated only
u rev years ago by no less Republican
IMAM James G. Blaine. All remember the
enthusiasm with which he entered into the
Work OF bringing the republics of North
ana South America into close and cordial
relations. Some. however. may have for
gotten the resolutions introduced by him
at the conference held In 1890 and approved
by the commissioners present. They are
as follows
II. That the principles of conquest
shall not, during the continuance of the
treaty of arbitration, be recognized as ad-
MISSILE 10 American public law.
g That all cessions OF esrrtory made
during the continuance of the treaty CT ar
bitration shall be void if made und threat
of war OF in the presence Of an armed force.
3. Any Nation from which such ces-
sions shall be exacaed may demand that the
validity of the cesscns so made snail be
submitted TO arbitration.
A. Any remuneration OF the right or
arbitration made under the conditions
named In the second section shall be null
alrd void
"1f the principle OF conquest is right,
why should it be denied a place in Ameii-
can law? So Objectionable is the theory
OF acquis ,tion of territory by conquest that
the Nation which suffers sucn injustice
can, according to the resolutions. recover
by arbitration the land cA1ed in the pres-
ence OF an armed force. So aph .frlnt Is 1t
that a waiver or arbitration made under
such circumstances is null and vcii. WhNs
thJ resolutions were only for the consitera-
ton of the American republics, the princi-
pie therein stated can not be limited by
latitude of longitude
Mr.. Bryan is not satsfie'i with quoting
the father OF democracy, however, and goes
to the republican leaders for words Of con-
d:mnalicn of HE administration scheme.
He says: "But this is time OF great
and RAPID changes and come may evan look
upon Blaine's official acts rs ancient ms
tory. II so. let 1t be remembered that
President Mckinley only a year ago fDe-
camber, 1880 IN message to congress,
discussing the Cuban situation, said j
speak not of fcrcible annexation. for that
can not be thought Of; that. by our CODE
of morality, would be criminal aggression.
And yes some are now thinking OF That
which was then not TO be Thought o. foi-
icy may change, but does 'coae OF MOI
eil.ty' change y ~,
He then takes up the speech made by
secrstary Gage at Savannah end answers u.
in his recent speech at Savannah, ne
SINS "Ssaretapy Gage, in defending tne
new r.,licy of the administration, suggested
tbssjt philanthropy and pe.r cent may 70
hama I'm hand Surely we know not wnal
a day may bring forth IL in so snort ,liie
criminal aggression can be trahsioiiiieu
into philanthropy and per cent.
What beauty what rsshes. the Isles OF
the Pacific must possess If they can tempt
on,r peorte 10 aban ion nc. only the uadl
tir,ns ~ q century, but our standard OF
National morality. What visions OIL Ma
tional greatness the Philippines mus,
aroute If the very sight OF them can ,'a.
cur country to vie with ihe ii'ona ..arntg,tx
hs world IN the extension OF sO'eie'S"''
by force. ax,onsiou
;s, iyi,t orr pppsnents will searcE III Vu'.
Tor a single instance where We au' an
~, acomig,tjcn CT remote telltdcly' w
the o,lntrary, he expressly dlssEtinlso az
desire for land outside OF the NORM Ai MY
can C. ntnent That he fooksu , TO- " az Inf NJ
tne arnexatl OH OF Cuba Is wen hhoN"' ~.
T., rslter TO President Monroe ltstea 'Hhc
90 1909 10 suggested that we sh'ulu ps IA
80. 5i,-pss "a receive Cuba when soi'citeu
by herself ,rob,e oniy be-
,o,,s,., n the islands close proximity "
~ ITa,ted states. Thinking that sotue on'
m, ebt ,,se the annexation OF CUBA "S * u,
ce5ent for Indefinite expansion ne SAY III
a letter 10 President Madison, datsu Apin
Of 1909: 1T Will be objected 10 our T,.s
;,a cuba that no limit can thea pc e,aNn
~ o,r future acquisitions but, he 40 leu,
.S,ha San ba defended by us wlthou. a
49,, 49, ,rd This develops the principle whlen
nnsbt to limit orr views. Nothing snou'a
aver be acquired which would reaa'ie
navy to defetd H.. ~ mas.
.,ti. arn,Iisitlor OF that island he saiu'
i would Immediately erect a soiu ,.aur, he a
the southernmost limit OF cuoa, ihse A.
IN II no plus ultra as TO us IN lnsl W
rectio,l., II may be argued that JeHsrso !,
r,aa wrong In asserting That we shppIu
o.nf;pa our nos sessions to the Norm Amer
;can continent but certainly no one can
, ,.,.NhfrlIv quote hiin as an authorlly ior
a,.ursionE into the Eastern hsmisphers.
~ he was unwilling to go furthes south
- cuba even Ia the Western mem
sr'hare would he be likely 10 LOOK WI, n
sa,lo,. nnop colonies in the Orientg II ths
a,,.horItv OF Jefferson cai rot be invoked
,nnnort the acqu;sl.ica OF remote
:, ,arr,tnry much less can his grea,
name BIO used to excuss coiohlal
roiicy which derces to we psup''
no right to goyera tnemseives,
shs right to govern themselves. Wnln
ha risgeestel On inscription 70 MS
monument he 6fd not enumerate NY
hr-org which he had re2eiyN, thougn
American has beea more higniy
,,nn,red he only asked to be remembers