Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-10-13
A sIsnop IN IMPERIALISM,

Notable indeed were the utterances
Of Bishop Henry c. Potter, last Mon
day, at the nineteenth Congress of the
Protestant Episcopal Church, at st.
Paul on the question of imperialism.
now engaging SO large a share of the
attention of the American people,
AT the evening session Of the Con-
gress the main question before the
body was: Does National Expansion
Involve Imperialism" and the discus
sion was opened by Bishop Potter, who
said in part:
Setting aside What had happened or
would happen, he sought to show how that
might come about by assuming situa
ton which he thought conceivable A
foreign power had acquired great group
OF is4ands Of Which, practically, ii knew
nothing. Some Of them, however, had bean
freedom, and had fondly hoped that their
purchase by republic would be simply the
prelude to the achievement of Shat end.
Conlinuing, he said:
Now, IL would seem a least reasonable
that the eonquerng or purchasing republic
should inaugurate MIS- relations TO its new
possessions by some conference with its
dominant peoples. But no Its first word
IS subsection, its first demand surrender,
Ne will recognize nobody, we will treat
Wins SB0dHs we alone will dictate all the
terms. The policy does not work happily.
These pestiferous wards of the nation VIII
not lay down their arms; and these alien
communities, instead of hailing the Stars
and Stripes with a wild delight are ac-
tually insolent enougs to intimate that
they would rather salute a flag of their
own. Let US suppose, however, that the
time comes when this foreign republic has
crushed out the last ember of rebellion,
and stifled every faintest hope of protest.
The old revolutionary idea survives, the old
passion tor freedom wakes anew and so
the new possessions must be vigorously
governed, there must be hosts OF troops
and scores of Governors and the organiza-
ton OF armies and STATS and military
courts for nobody knows just how many
islands
How are these governments to be con-
stituted2 How is tie chisf ruler of the dis
taAt republic, n waom, as it happens, tn re
Is yeslea-at any fa-e, Tor the tine pe-ng-
really des9otic power, to attend to all these
matters? He happens usually with us 10
have a task on hand-that of securing his
own reelection which naturally absorbs a
large share OF his time. How can he be
expected TO neg eel it for the care of some
wfetched Islands, mainly peopled. as he is
tore 1lhougf, uiloftuhatey LOT hlh, IN
correctly. with a lot of ignorant little
'niggers?' Or. rather, if he must give
those some sort of attention, how can he
make their conquest and government a
means of strengthening himself with his
party, and binding new adherents TO a
great and Spontaneous movement for his
a q
pie, he knows, whose fidelity to the party
Is purely commercial question. There IS
the sugar interest, and the tobacco inter-
est, and the kite-fying interest-by which
mean every conceivable adVenturer who
stanes ready with his particular scheme IN
the Phlippines-only waiting for the oppor-
tunity to exploit them. And he, and such
as he-and that is the most serious aspect
Of our whole ituauon-promulgates the
policies of nation"
Comparing the Philippines 10 India,
he said:
There are the same diversion of race.
condition, religion, tribal religion and the
like, and IN the case OF these insular COM
munities there is no binding interest what
ever To undertake to superimpose upon
them our free institutions would seem TO
be an utterly hopeless task. and IN such
situation, what is the alternative but Il
form of government which, while not nom
solutism is imperial? Already we have
seen how easy ii is TO DRIFT into imperial
methods which are simply the methods of
paternalism in this very connection y
cardinal principle of government of the
people, by the people, for the people, is
that the people shall rot be treated like
children kept m the dark. A sound public
opinion, We say is the great bulw2Tk of a
republic, the foundation sol on which its
popularity and prosperity must needs rest.
III this connection the searching of the
eaails the prescription of certain publoa-
tons, and the sitting Ct correspondence is
one of the most intolerable outrages which
a free people has ever suffered. ana il is
significant most of all Of the development
of a tendency which foreshadOws that,
whether we are likely 10 have Imperialism
In our distant possessions, in form we all
ready have it az home in fact.
1t is time that. confronted with such
possibilities in connection with our new
possessions, we ask: 1t is worth while =?
For at this point II needs no gift of
prophecy, but only very moderate knowl-
edge of history, to reveal to US the dangers
that threaten US. There lies behind US in
its pages the story of great republic
which by its ever-expanding conquests,
was lifted into the throne of the sover-
eighty of the civilized world only to find
that the tributaries that had made ii great
were destined. ere long. TO be the instru-
ments of its ruin.
rs II worth while? And IL you ask me
answer that a gracious Providence, as
believe, has just now given ii to us in an
eVer-me m0rable achievement conSummated
last July a The Hague. l may not detain
you here to indicate how this great inter-
national question of The future disposition
or administration Of the Philippine Islands
may be settled,
ITO submit to an international court.
representing the best wisdom OF the best
peoples, the question of the b ST disp asi'ion
and future administration of the Philip
pines may be TO admit that as nation we
are not infallible; but then. surely great
nation can afford TO leave that claim TO
the somewhat Pickw ckian maintenance Of
II at present afforded under alien skies and
remote and unamerican traditions
These words are worthy OF deep
study by the American people. They
are full of meaning.
tall g. II