The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1898-10-29
1T WOULD MEAN DECAY.
Cnrl Schurz strongly Opposed to IL
Colonial Policy.

Carl Srhurz strongly Opposed 4" "a
Colonial Policy.
The following open letter has been
written by Carl Schurz:
/! 10 BjornSternc Bjornsterne. Norway
! Dear Sir: l have read your open letter.
published in the New York Herald OF
Sept. IL, with the liveliest interest. To
be personally addressed by the renowned
poet Of Norway is to me an unexpected
honor. You say that If you were "a
German, more especially a German Jour-
nalist, and politician in America" you
! would advocate an alliance between
America and England and the adoption
by the United States of a colonial policy
with great ornaments.
| If you were situated as ! am you
might. perhaps, think differently. am
proud of my German origin, but that
origin has nothing to do with my views
of American politics. / have been for
more than 40 years a citizen of this re-
! public. The citizenship of only a small
minority of Americans is as old as mine.
am, therefore, more accustomed than
/ you possibly can be, when forming opin-
ions upon such problems as are now con-
| fronting us. to regard the maintenance
OF those free institutions which Abraham
Lincoln defined as the government OF
the people. by the people and for the
! people," as entitled to he highest consid-
Grafton.
| l believe that this republic, in that
sense. can endure so long as it remains
true to the principles upon which it was
! founded, but that it will morally decay
II 1t abandons them. | believe that this
democracy, the government OF, by and
for the people, is not fitted for a colonial
policy, which means conquest by force.
or, as President Mckinley called 1t.
= criminal aggression" and arbitrary
! rule over subject populations. believe
that. if it attempts such policy on Il
/ large scale, its inevitable dcgcncracy will
| hurt the progress of civilization more
than 1t can possibly further that progress,
| by planting its flag upon foreign soil ON
which its fundamental principles of GOV
erEmcnt cannot live.
l hail the existing friendliness of feel
ing between the United States and Great
britain with the warmcst satisfaction,
and am willing to join any demonstra-
1lon OF American sentiment responsive to
the cordial sentiments at present mani
Testing themselves in England ar
IDENTIFY hope that this Friendship" will
last But l seriously doubt whether it
would last long if the United States and
England formed a partnership with IL
view to the extension of their respective
dominion or influence. | see good reason
for experimenting that such IL partnership
would not only secure the peace of the
world, but become ultimately very dan
eerous to the preservation OF peace
among the partners themselves. On this
subject l have expressed my opinions
more claborately in an article which will
appear In the October number of the At
lantic. Let me hope that you will not
th1nk me presumptuOus If | submit that
paper to your consideration.
You refer to the cars peace procIa-
nation" as an inspiring event of great
promise. The full realization of the
cars peace program would indeed be a
measureless blessing to mankind. SO
far, the American people have enjoyed
the inestimable privilege of being exempt
from the curse of an increasingly bur-
dcnsome militarism. They were proud
and had good reason for being proud moi
OF possessing great and costly arma-
m"nts, but Of not needing any. Tho
ears plea is for disarmament, IL viz
t'ally declares the bankruptcy of mill
tarism. And at this moment Won cal,
upon the American people, the only great
nation that has SO far enjoyed substan-
TALLY unarmed peace, to adopt a policy
which will oblige it to maintain great
armies and navies, and thus TO uIt unon
us own back the very burden against
which the cars solemn warning is d.
rected.
| what would be the consequence If your
wish were fulfilled? An increase of ELL
ropean armaments to Offset or outdo tho
increase of American ornaments, and
then another increase of American arm
aments to Offset or outdo European arm.
aments, and so On-in short nm indcH-
mite aggravation OF the very evil to which
the car admonishcs the world to nut an
end. This is not the kind of peace mol
ICY which. AS a faithful citizen Of this
republic, and as one who wishes to fur
ther human civilization, l can advise
American people to adopt
| with the highest respect, am very
truly yours. CARL SCHURZ.
! Second Week Of That Great October
SNle.