The Richmond climax. (Richmond, Ky.) 1897-1914, 1899-11-01

ndQ 10 PARDON MIN because tue Gull
viction outraged the sense Of justice
throughout the civilized world
And now, when we have pressing
upon US this demand for large stand
ing army, this measure that will not
only burden the taxpayers, but menace
American liberty, we are asked to stop
and settle the details Of a state conven-
ton before we relieve this nation from
this threatened evil.
The Republican party has gone
step further. 1t is indorsing colonial
policy. 1t is indcrsing the doctrine Of
empire. Mr.. Mckinley, in his speech
at Minneapolis the other day, said
that he had no doubt that we would
permanently hold the Philippine is
lands; he had no doubt that they
would prove a great blessing to US,
and then he used the sentence to
which l want to call your attention:
''That congress will provide for them
a government which will bring them
blessings, which will promote their
material interests as we'll as advance
their people in the path Of civilization
and intelligence, l confidently believe"
Just change that sentence little. In
the place of congress" put ''parlia-
ment," and after "them" put "the col
onists," and you have a sentence that
would have expressed the confident be-
| lief of King George when we rebelled
from the mother country. tApplauseD
king George confidently believed that
parliament would provide for the col
onists a government which would
bring them blessings, and which would
promote their material interests as
well as advance their people in the
path of civilization and intelligence.
] Change the sentence in another way
and in the place of congress" put
"cortes," and after them" put Gu
bans" and you will have a sentence
/ that would fit the Spanish monarch
when this nation interfered to bring
liberty to the people of Cuba. There
is a sentence that shows clear depar-
ture from the principles written in
the Declaration of Independence; and
if the people of this state this fall vote
the Republican ticket, or so vote as to
aid in the election of a Republican
ticket, the election this fall will be
counted as an Endorsement of the prin-
ciples now actuating the Republican
party 1t will be declaration of ap-
proval of the presidents imperial pol
icy.
l was asked in this letter how
could favor a convention resting upon
force and yet oppose imperialism in
the Philippine islands. Well my
friends, ] can shoot bear before com
mence to fight mosquitoes. daughter
and applause.) If my home is attacked
by two kinds of wild beasts, I will try
first to kill the most dangerous one,
and when have him out of the way
1 will take care Of the less dangerous
one. (Applause.)
Do you tell me that that Louisville
convention received its authority from
force? You are here in this state and
can remedy that hereafter; but when
this nation announces before the world
that it has abandoned the principles of
a republic and indorses the principles
of empire, you win find it more diff
cult to retraee your steps.
And then I want to ask how any
man who favors an imperial policy in
the Philippine islands can find any
fault with the application of force any
where at home or abroad. Laughter
and applause)
Danger of Imperialism.
1 believe that the Republican policy
Of imperialism is a danger and a men
ace to our principles of government,
and l believe that now is the time
when the American people must speak
out against the doctrine of imperial
ism. Do you thirst for the glories OF
an empire? l point you to the history
Of this republic for the last 100 years,
and tell you l would not trade the
glory of this republic for the glory of
all the empires that have risen and
fallen since time began. applause. }
If you defend imperialism on the
ground that it will pay, 1 tell you, you
can not settle great questions upon
that basis; but if you could, you could
not prove that materialism would be
beneficial to the mass Of the people
You can not afford to- drag the ques-
ton Of the nations policy down to the
low basis of dollars and cents; neither
can you afford to establish the doc
trine that this nation is going to 20
forth and civilize with the cannon and
proselyte with the sword. Applause. }
Do not lay this war of conquest upon
the Almighty. A Republican senator
said that the Lord was in it, that He
opened the door of the Philippine is
lands, pushed Us in and shut the door
(Laughter) Who told him so? Who
has authority to reveal the plans OF
the Almighty?
A Voice-Mark Hanna
Mr.. Bryan-Who has authority 70
tell us that God has commanded us "a
engage in war of conquest? / believe
in God. I-believe in His influence over
the thoughts and purposes of men, but
you can not undertake to blame God
e..