The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-12-29

WEAPON FROM MCKINLEY
OUT OF HIS OWN MOUTH BRYAN
CONDEMNED HIM.
PRINCIPLE OF CONQUEST ABHoRRENT
Il is Denied Place IN American Public Law
Forcible Annexation, Says Mckinley
isCriminaI Aggression. The
Views Of jefferson.

.(W. j. Bryan in New York Journal)
The advocates of Imperialism have
sought to support their position 10y ap-
pealing to the authority of jefferson.
OF all the statesmen who have ever
lived. Jefferson was the one moss hos
tile to the doctrines embodied i'll the
demand for n European colonial policy.
Imperialism, as it now presents itself,
embraces four distinct propositions:
First-That the acquisition of terri
tory by conquest is right.
Second That the acquisition of re-
mote territory is desirable
mot SELF GOVERNED.
Third-That the doctrine that govern
ments derive their just powers from the
consent of the governed is unsound.
Fourth-That people can be wisely
governed by aliens.
To all these propositions jefferson
was emphatically opposed In letter
TO William Short, written in 1871, he
said:
IF there be one principle more deeply
written than any other i'll the mind OF
every American. it is that we should
have nothing to do with conquest"
AMERICANS SHOULD AVOID
CONQUEST"
Could he be more explicit? Here we
have clear and strong denunciation
of the doctrine that territory should be
.s...1 ~ said hat
we have outgrown the ideas of the faith
ers. it may be observed that the doctrine
laid down by Jefferson was reiterated
only few years ago by no less Re
publican than James G. Blaine. All
remember the enthusiasm with which he
entered into the work of bringing the
republics of North and South America
into close and cordial relations. Some.
however, may have forgotten the resolu
tions introduced by him at the conference
held in 1890 and approved by the com
missioners present. They are as fol
lows:
s.First-That the principle OF conquest
shall. not during the continuance of the
treaty of arbitration. be recognized as
admissible under American public law
.Second-That all cessions of territory
made during the continuanca of the treaty
of arbitration shall be void If made
under threats of war or in the presence
of an armed force.
s.Third--Any nation from which such
cession shall be exacted may demand
that the validity Of the cessions so made
shall be submitted TO arbitration.
PRINCIPLE OF CONQUEST IS
WDn>v1s,,
"r'ourth-Any remuneration of the
right to arbitration made under the con
ditions named in the second section
shall be null and void
If the principle of conquest is right
why should it be denied a place in Am
erican public law? So Objectionable i
the theory of acquisition Of territory by
conquest that the nation which suffers
such injustice can, according to the reso
lutions, recover by arbitration the land
coded in the presence of an armed force.
So ahhorrent is it that a waiver Of ar
bitration made under such circumstances
is null and void. While the resolutions
We're only for the consideration Of the
American republics the principle therein
stated cannot be limited by latitude or
longitude.
But this is n time of great and rapid
changes, and some may look upon
Blaine's official acts as ancient history
II so. let it be remembered that President
Mckinley only a year ago December
6. 1897, in a message to Congress dis
cussing the Cuban situation. said:
II would speak not of forcible annexa-
ton, for that cannot be thought of. That.
by our code of morality would be crimi-
nal aggression"
And yet some are now thinking Of
that which was then mot to be thought
Of" Policy may change, but does
code Of morality changef"
In his recent speech at Savannah
Secretary Gage. in defending the new
policy Of the Administration. suggested
that philanthropy and 5 per cent" may
go hand in hand.
Surely we do not know what day
may bring forth if in so short a time
criminal aggression" can be transform
ed into philanthropy and ) per cent"
What beauty, what riches. the isles OF
the Pacific must possess if they car
temnt our people TO abandon not only the
traditions OF century, but our standard
Of national morality, What visions OF
national greatness the Philippines rSlst
arouse if the sight of them can lead on
country 10 vie with the monarchies Of the
old world in the extension of sovereignty
by force.
Jefferson has been called an expansion
Isl. bat our opponents .,yill search in vain
Tor a single instance where he advoea
ted the ACQUISITION of remote territory
On the contrary, he expressly disclaime6
my 'iesre fot land outside of the North
American Continent.
That he looked forward to the annexa
ton Of Cuba is well known. but in
letter 10 President Monroe. dated june
%. 1928. he suggested that we SHOULD
be IN readiness TO receive Cuba ''when
solicited by herself"
To him Cuba was desirable only be-
cause Of the islands close proximity tc
the limited States. Thinking that some
one might use the annexation of Cuba MS