The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1899-10-17
CRY OF INDEPENDENCE.
Reaflirmed By the American
League in Its Appeal to
Lovers of Liberty.


The right thing in this world is the
| just thing. That applies to governments
as well as to individuals. A Just man
that finds that he has invaded neigh
boris domain will withdraw and make
proper amends. What is right for an
individual to do Is right for an associa-
ton of individuals or for a government
to do; and nothing is clearer than that
a government-such as the government
of the United States-composed of in
dividuals, sovereigns, each a law unto
himself, yet subject to laws which he
as a part OF the whole makes for his own
observation-disclosures also be just.
| The American League does not con-
denim merely the occupation of the Phil
/ Iippines. It is here to enunciate a prin-
ciple based upon the Declaration of In
dependence. 1t does not believe the
American people are ready, nor will
they permit our government to enter
upon the policy of ACKNOWLEDGMENT Of
European governments, by which, in
violation Of the laws of their own maxi
ing, they seize upon and appropriate the
property of weaker people. exclusing
themselves by the plea that they are
doing 1t in the interest, of civilization"
while 1t is known of all men that these
robberies are carried on for the benefit
and enrichment of few.
Since the war with Spain it is sought
to change us from an Industrial and
agricultural people to a people who
would follow in the footsteps of Great
Britain, and in the interests of "civiliza-
ltion"-under the new definition of the
lword-take whatever we want from
people weaker than ourselves; and II
such people oppose us, force them to
give up to us at the point of the bay
lonet.
Look at the latest manifestation OF
Englands desire to spread "the bless
lings of civilization'In the Transvaal, q
Iquiet, religious, law loving people found.
led homes and built state. Until i'm
mense mineral riches were found there
the Beers were permitted to live in theiI
lown way, and England had no thought
lof civili&ing them. But diamonds were
found near the Boer country, and En-
Iglish capital went there for the profit
of diamond digging. Beers, being q
pastoral people, were not attracted by
lriches almost within their reach; they
lpreferred quiet and agricultural pur-
suits. But as the riches were in sight
lhG ILil6llSh pCtSlSlSup anu llIldlly SeCuT-
ed from the pastoral Beers a measure
of concessions in the shape of "suzer-
ainty."
Then the great gold fields about Jo-
lhannesburg were discovered and En-
glish capital and greed plunged in to get
what they could of them. Having ap-
propriated nearly all of the gold region
the English now seek to control the
/ Ennf nd q MO 10 OF he, nd
Do the American people want to imi-
tate England in the Boer country, and
in other instances? The members of the
American league think not, and we be-
lieve the majority of theAmerican people
think not. Time only can tell, however
Our course in the Philippines is al
ready spreading distrust. For years
our efforts as government have been
toward making allies of the states OF
South America. This has not been a
Republican or a Democratic policy
Originating with James G. Blaine, the
friendly alliance with the Southern
republics has been fostered by each
party when in control of the national
administration. The bureau of Ameri-
can Republics, in Washington, main
tanned mainly by the United States,
has been at work nearly fourteen years
to bring about a friendly commercial
alliance between those states and the
United States. When the Spanish war
broke out the work was nearing COM
pletion.
But our new policy OF attempting tq
govern the Cubans despite themselves,
and the paying of twenty millions for
the privilege of subduing the Filipinos,
has made the Southern republics dis
trustful. Only a few weeks ago a
leading newspaper Of this city publish
ed an article taken from a newspaper
in Argentina, in which it was declared
that the future policy of the Colossus
of the Americas" (the United States)
was the annexation of the states OF
South America. The work of the bureau
established bv Blaine has been Grip
pied by this distrust, and where a little
more than a year ago there was con-
fidenoe in us there is now only sus-
picion.
Can we afford to stand in such q
position before the world-before our
own people-even though headed by
statemen? If logic Is against us, If we
are contravening the letter and spirit OF
the Declaration of Independence, what
should we, as a great and powerful
people, do? Why, the manly thing of
course-acknowledg the wrong-do
the right thing.
What do we want with a people who
do not want us? Why go $1,000 miles
away to compel an alien people to ac-
lcept our forms and methods when they
do not wish to. but, on the contrary,
ask to be allowed to achieve freedom
and independence In their own way?
The mission of the great American
republic is to rule by love, not bayonets;
to extend friendly hand to all peoples
who would be free; and when they have
reached their goal to add their names to
the great roster of free and indepen-
dent republics.
So strong Is the sentiment among
leading men against any departure from
the political traditions of our fathers
that they have united in the following:
Believing that the time has come for
an expression of opinion upon the policy
of expansion, we substantially concur
lin the following statement: