The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-11-03
\ PROMINENT REPUBLICAN OP-
POSED TO EXPANSION.

with Sherman. He says:
4 believe that the highest SER
vice the American people can
render to mankind and to
liberty is to preserve unstained
and unchanged the republic as it
came to us from our fathers. It'll
by example, and not by guns or
by bayonets, that the great work
of humanity is to be accomplished.
In my opinion we are to-day in a
great danger-a greater danger
than we have encountered since the
Pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock.
The danger is that we are to be
transformed from a republic found
ed on the declaration of independ-
ence, guided by the counsels of
Washington, into a vulgar, COM
monplace republic founded on
physical force.
l, for one, am not dazzled by
the example of England. The in
stitutions of England which have
enabled her to govern successfully
distant colonies and subject states
are founded, as Mr.. Gladstone
pointed out, on the doctrine of
equality. If we are to outstrip
England in national power, it must
be by pursuing our own path, and
not by following in hers.
1t is said that Porto Rico is al
ready ours. 1t may be that Porto
Rico has become ours. But there
is no authority under the constitu-
ton of the United States to ac-
quire any foreign territory save by
treaty, approved by the senate
by two-thirds vote, or by an act
of legislation in which the Presi-
dent, the House of Representatives
and the Senate must unite 1t is
said the Philippine islands are al
ready ours by right of conquest.
For one l deny this alleged
right of conquest. Human beings
men, women, children, peoples
are not to be won as spoils of war
or prizes in battle. 1t may be that
such doctrine finds a place in the
ancient and barbarous laws of war,
but it has no place under the Amer
lean constitution. It has no place
in the code of morals of the peo-
pie of the United States. Ha-
waii came to us with the consent
of her own government, the only
government capable of maintaining
itself there for any considerable
length of time. In the case of the
Philippine islands we are asked to
subject a nation and to hold it in
subjection. We get them by con-
quest and hold them by force. In
the case Of the Hawaiian islands,
we get them by compact with their
lawful government.
'Some of our good friends have
said thoughtlessly in their zeal
that where the American flag goes
it must stay. But surely they can
not wish to commit the country to
that doctrine. We planted it in the
City of Mexico. But no man de-
manded that it should stay there.
If the war goes ON we shall plant
it on the coasts of Spain, but we
have no desire to hold permanent
dominion there.
If the Philippines become ours,
then under the later decisions OF
the supreme court every child here
after born in them becomes an
American citizen, free to come,
free to go. Are you going to hold
them as subjectsi Are you going
to have a trained and governing
classi Are you going to have the
national tax-gatherer, the mos
frequent and best known visitani
to every American house? ARE
you going to increase many folC
your national debit
These things are involved il
this wild and impassioned cry fol
empire. For myself | disbeliey,