The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-03-16
The First Republic OF the Far East.
BY FRANK w. GOWEN.

PAPER NO. III.
| read with much interest in the New
York journal of February 18th an arti-
Gle entitled ''What Next?" (the Philip
pine situation) from the pen of Hon.
William J. Bryan. In speaking of the
recent attack of the Filipinos on our army
in Manila he says 1.-The Filipinos were
guilty of inexcusable ignorance Wheth-
er Imperialism is desired is too large a
question to be settled by battle, and
then he goes on to say, that imperialism
is being protested against by the aboring
classes" 1t must have been evident to
every one who read the article referred to
that Mr.. Bryan is endeavoring to impress
upon the minds of our laboring people
that by retaining the Philippines, and
maintaining order and security of life and
property in those islands, this nation will
enter upon an era of imperialism, and
that the privileges, advantages and oppor-
tunities that belong by ght to the people
under our Constitution would be stricken
down.
am astonished that any citizen of the
United States, and especially one who was
nominated in 1896 for the highest office in
the gift of the people, should uphold such
ideas; for they are an injustice and an in
suit to the laboring classes, who are the
bone and sinew of this nation. H should
know that imperialism can never have any
part in the history of a nation where
Washington and the Continental armies
endured the tolls and battles of the seven
years war for liberty and for freedom,
and starved and shivered through that
awful winter at Valley Forge. The idea
would tolerate the conditions that pro-
duce imperialism Such a thing is i'm
possible, and | am reminded that Edmund
Burke once said in a great speech in Par
lament: "The common people are the
real power in republic This is very
true, and | believe the people of this
country will stand by President Mckinley
and the Republican party in maintaining
its policy of expansion in the Orient.
Never will we withdraw our forces from
the Philippines and leave Manila at the
mercy of the insurgents. Never will we
cease teaching those natives the blessed
principles of liberty, Christianity and
education, until in the next century they
will become thoroughly competent to es
+al 1ieb tba 1io inf ha To E,c+
| 1--WE fight for the wide worlds right,
To enlarge life's scope and plan,
To flood the earth with hope and light,
| To build the kingdom of man"
| This is the same Mr.. Bryan who stated
his defeat; "The Republican candidate
has been heralded as the advance agent of
prosperity; but before the year 1900 ar
rives the evil effects of gold standard
will be even more evident than they are
| now'' As one examines into the present
| business and finances of our country he
can hardly repress smile at the predic-
ton of this statesman who would like to
| be President of the United States The
year just past has been one of the most
successful business years in our history.
| We have had the largest export trade ever
known; and the farmers everywhere in
the Union received during 1898 more
money for their products than in any pre-
ceding year since we became a nation
while under the principles of protection
and stable currency our mills are start
ing up again, the fires are burning brighter
in our furnaces and FORCES, and there is
more JOY and happiness on the farm and
in the home. May Mr.. Bryan live to not
only take a broader view on the money
issue, but also on this mighty question of
expansion now before the people. In
view of our policy of expansion and the
vast resources of the Philippines, and
also the demand for our products in Asia,
this government should construct the
great Nicaraguan Canal as soon as posi-
Bile, and | trust that the shipping bill will
become law now in few days, as it will
have wonderful effect on the commercial
future of this country. AS to the enor-
nous benefits that will accrue to our gov
eminent if this bill is passed by Congress
and becomes law, l would refer the
readers attention to the following para
graph, clipped from to-day issue of the
Philadelphia Press:
Among the lines promised in case the
shipping bill becomes law are two fort
nightly mail steamship services from the
Pacific coast, one by the direct route to
Japan, thence along the coast of East Asia
to Hong Kong, and a second line by way
of Honolulu, with HongiKong also as its