The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-05
AMERICAN IMPERIALISM.
National Constitution the Constitu
tom of American Imperialism.

ton of American imperialism.
To the Editor Of the Globe:
Thanks, Mr.. Editor, for the head lines
to my former communication. This cor
respondent hopes to lead others also to
see that our national constitution is be-
Ing perverted and trodden under foot
of men.
Imperialism is nothing less than the
reign of arbitrary power. But imper-
1alism is the same thing the world over:
ever has been and ever will be- In
plain English, arbitrary power Is law
less power-the will of the individual or
a combination I OF individuals acknowl-
edging no constitutional restraint 1t
has well been said that law and arbi-
trary power are in eternal enmity." 1t
follows as g. logical outcome that arbi-
trary power cannot be made to conform
to principles or be held in check by con-
stftutional limitations At every step
constitutions stand up as a barrier
against the exercise of arbitrary power
Where constitution is In existence one
of three things must be. Either the
constitution must remain as it was
framed, and interpreted as 1t was inter-
preted by Its trainers; or it may be mis-
interpreted, and misconstrued. and per-
verted SO as to become the constitution
OF arbitrary power, or else the consti-
tuition must be torn down and dethroned
as no longer the supreme law of the
nation.
So long as the first condition remains.
the exercise of arbitrary power can find
no soil upon which to flourish, for the
constitution def1es 1t at every step. But
arbitrary rule may exist under either of
the other conditions, or with a mixture
OF the two. Now let us. apply these
principles to American imperialism
When we look at the situation as 1T
hiCtn of t.
tually written during the last few years.
we may we'll say. in a figure, that slice
after slice of the national constitution
has been cut off till there remains no
more any safeguard for the rights Of the
people, civil or religious. Yet, as
matter of fact, the constitution remains,
safely housed in the national capital:
while imperialists are as loud as ever In
declaring their reverence for that sacred
document. Still we do not find unan-
unity of sentiment among them for some
have declared that this is not now a gov
eminent of law, but of will; that con-
sttutional government has been sue
ceeded by arbitrary power. That this
nation has become a giant who Is no
longer content with the nursery rhymes
which were sung around his CRADLE
That the right to acquire and the
right to govern" are mot limited in the
constitution" That governments de-
rive their powers from the consent Of
some of the governed" That 1.-The de-
claratfon of independence was made to
suit particular existing state Of
things" and that it does not fit the
giant. That 1.-THE idea that all men are
created equal is not the fundamental
law of the land That we are to ..re-
s1st the crazy extension of the doctrine
that government derives it's just powers
from the consent Of the governed
CThat is this doctrine should not be ex-
tended to other speoples.) They tell US
that the constitution must bend" That
we nave outgrown the constitution, It
is not worth while to discuss It."
Then in the name of the inaIfenable
rights of the people I would like to ask:
Where is the federal constitution? What
has been done with the constitution Of
republicanism? It has not been torn
down, nor burned up. 1t remains in its
accustomed place and speaks it's accus-
toned language. But 1t no longer re-
mains as the bulwark of American lib
critics. 1t has no restraint upon those
whom 1t was made to bind It has been
mls1nterpreted. 1t Is made to bend to
suit the demands OF imperialism. Tt
mas, In their hands, become as elastic
Qor that is the term, they apply to that
venerable document) as rubber band.
They tell us that the PRINCIPLES of tha
declaration of independence and the con-
stitutfon are great principles" and that
they underlie our free institutions
which is true. But in the same breath
they tell us that they are not capable
Of literal application
Thus 1t is that the constitution of
American republican1sm has become the
constitution Of American imperialism
And that which was once the instrument
OF delegated and limited power has now
become the instrument of arbitrary. un-
limited power. And in all this. and
much more, we are told that the con-
stttution which our fathers framed as
the safeguard Of the rights of the peo-
pie is the constitution of imperialism. un
der which this nation is to sail upon
untried seas And will the people have
it SO? H r phoIns
st. Paul, May 4