The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-01-05
OPPOSED BY SCHURZ
EXPANSION STRONGLY CONDEMNED
BY THE NOTED MUGWUMP.
His Address on american Imperial
ism"-Gifts to Chicago Univer-
sity Aggregating $4O3,OOO.

CHICAGO, Jan. 4.-President Harper, of
Chicago University announced tonight at
the Twenty-seventh convocation of the uni
versity that gifts aggregating $4,000 had
been made to the institution. Martin A.
Ryerson, president of the board OF trustees,
donated a tract of land adjoining that now
occupied by the university. The value of
this is $4,000. John d. Rockefeller had
promised 10 duplicate the gift in cash, thus
making $6S, 600 Marshall Field of this city,
gave q tract of land adjoining that given
by Mr. Ryerson, and which has been used
by the university as an athletic field. The
value of this land is estimated at $l35,010
Mr. Rockefeller agreed that when this was
given TO the school he would give 100000
for the building of a gymnasium and the
equipment of the athletic grounds. The
university has therefore received $4,000 in
land value and will now receive from Mr.
Rockefeller $234, 600 in cash.
Hon. Carl Schurz delivered the cOnvOca-
tion address, his subject being American
Imperialism" His remarks were a discus
sion of the expansion idea and strongly
against it. He contended that it was wrong
for the United States to annex any of its
Conquests during the war with Spain, and
predicted much trouble for the country if it
annexed Porto Rico and the Philippines
lie said in part
When the Cuban affair approached a
crisis President Mckinley declared in his
message that fOrcible annexation cannot be
thought Of for it would by our code of
morals be criminal aggression And IN re-
solving upon the war against Spain Con-
gress. TO commend that war 10 the public
opinion of the world, declared with equal
emphasis and sOlemnty that the war was
from a sense of duty and humanity, made
specifically for the liberation of Cuba, and
that Cuba is. and of right ought TO be, free
and independent If these declarations
We're not sincere they were base and dis
graceful acts Of hypocrisy If they We're
sincere at the time would they nor be turned
into such disgraceful acts of hypocrisy by
subsequently turning the war, professedly
made from motives of duty and humanity,
into "a war of conquest and self-aggrandize-
ment: 1t Is pretended that those VlrtuouS
promises referred 70 Cuba only. But if
President Mckinley had said that the forci-
BILE annexation of Cuba would be criminal
aggression. but that the fOrcible annexation
of anything else would be perfectly right,
and if Congress had declared that as to
Cuba the war would be one of mere duty
humanity and liberation but that we would
take by conquest whatever else we could
lay our hands on, would not all mankind
have broken out In shout OF scornful de-
riSiOn?
Il ask in all candor. taking President Nc
kinley at his word will the fOrcible anneXa-
ton of the Philippines by our code of morals
not he criminal aggresSion-a Self-confessed
crime? I ask further if the Cubans, as Con-
Eress declared. are and of right ought to
be free and independent. can anybody tell
me why the Porto RicanS and the FilipinoS
ought not of right to be free and indie
pendent? Can you sincerely recognize the
right To freedom and independence of one
and refuse the same right to another in the
same situation and then take his land?
Would not that be double dealing of the
most shameful sort?
We hear much of the respect of man.
kind for lis having been greatly raised by
our victories Indeed, the NalOr of our SOL
diers and the brilliant achievements of our
navy have won deserved admiration. But do
not deceive yourselves about the respect of
mankind. Recently l found in the papers an
account of the public opinion of Europe,
written by a prominent English journalist
This is what he says: The friends of Amer
lea wiring their hands in unaffected grief
over the fall of the United States under the
temptation of the lust of territorial eXpan-
sion. Her enemies shoot out the lip and
shrek i'm deTiSon over what they regard as
the unmiStakable demonstration which the
demand for the Philippines affords of Amer
lean cupidity. American bad faith and Amer
icau ambition we told you So" they eX-
claim. That is what the unctuous rectitude
Of the Anglo Saxon always ends in. He al
ways begins by calling heaven to witness his
unselfish desire to help his neighbors but
he always ends by stealing his spoons
"AtgOciOus. is ii not? And yet, this is sub
stantially what the true friends OF America
and what her enemies in Europe thnk-I
mean those friends who had faith in the
nobility Of the American people, who loved
our republican government, and who hoped