The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-02
COL ROOSEVELT DENOUNCED
BY RICHARD CROKER, THE LEADER
OF THE TAMMANYITES.
President Mckinley and Probably ALI
Members of His Cabinet Going
Home to Vote Next Tuesday. /

WORCESTER, Mass. Nov. IA large and
enthusiastic audience greeted Senator
George p. Hoar Congressman William II.
Moody and John L. Bates in Mechanics
Hall tonight. Three hundred Republican
leaders occupied seats upon the platform
with the speakers. Senator Hoar presided
and was the principal speaker. He said
This year has been crowded with history
and crowded with glory 1t is also, to my
mind, crowded with danger. The flag OF
Spain, formerly the proudest power ON
earth since the day of the Roman empire,
has gone down in darkness and in blood
before the victorious navy and army of the
United States The flag of the United
States has arisen in the eastern sky like a
new constellation. Let us not accept the
duties and responsibilities of this victory
in any temper of vulgar vainglory, still less
of vulgar greed or gain. The United States
comes to these oppressed people, east and
west, as a great deliverer. To deal with
this great occasion by talking about coaling
stations and trade advantages degenerates
and belittes It, We have not oyerthrown,
we have not imperiled the precious lives Of
our sons, that we may add to our possess
sions or that we may make money out Of
our new relations.
"But the first duty of American people Is
to themselves, and when 1 say this say
it in no spirit of selfshness or of indiffer-
ence to the welfare of mankind. On the
contrary, / believe that the highest serv-
ice the American people can render to man.
kind and to liberty is to preserve unstained
and unchanged the Republic as it came to
us from the fathers. 1t is by example, and
not by guns or by bayonets, that the great
work of America for humanity is to be ac-
complished. And in my opinion we are to-
day in a great danger, a greater danger
than we have encountered since the>pilgrims
landed at Plymouth. The dangers are that
we are to be transformed from a republic
founded on the Declaration of Independence,
guided by the counsels Of Washington, into
vulgar, commonplace empire, founded
upon physical force.
II, for one, am not dazzled by the ex-
ample of England. TIE institutions Of Eng
land which have enabled her to govern sue
cessfully 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.
''It is said that Porto Rico is already ours.
1t may be that Porto Rico is to become ours.
But there is no authority under the Consti-
tuition of the United States to acquire any
foreign territory, save by treaty approved
by the Senate by a two-thirds vote or by
an act of legislation in which the President,
the House of Representatives and the
Senate must unite.
1T is said the Philippine islands are al
ready ours by the right of conquest. For
one 1 deny this alleged right of conquest.
Human beings-men, women and children
peoples-are not to be won as spoils Of war
or prizes in battle. 1t may be that such
doctrine finds place in the ancient and bar
barous laws of war, but it has no place
under the American Constitution. 1t has no
place in the code of morals of the people
of the United States.
''I have stated elsewhere the conditions
which in my judgment warranted the ac-
QUESTION of Hawaii. Hawaii 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 Philippines we are asked
to subject a nation and to hold it IN sub
lection. We gain them by conquest 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
American flag goes it must stay. But surely
they cannot wish to commit the country to
that doctrine We planted it on the City OF
Mexico. But no man demanded that 1t snould
stay there. If the war goes on we shall plant
it on the coast of Spain, but we have no
desire to hold permanent dominion there.
IF the Philippine islands become ours
then under the late decision of the Supreme
Court. every child hereafter born in them
becomes an American citizen, free to come,
free to GO Are you going to hold them as
subjects? Are you going to have the national
tax gatherer, the most frequent and the
best-known visitant to every American
house? Are you going to increase MANIFOLD
your national debt? These things are In
volved in this wild and impassioned cry for
empire. For myself, l disbelieve and hate
the notion that the American people are to
submit to such a transformation"
Congressman Moody assured his hearers
that the management of the war would be
thoroughly investigated at the coming ses-
sion of Congress, and II blame were found
no officials would be spared, high or low.
.
CROKER ASSAILS ROOSEVELT.
The Boss" Says "Teddy" Did Not Pun.