Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1899-02-09
Whittier are We Dr1ft,nga

ference or lnactlon upon their part II
fraught with grave danger to the fu.
ture of the republic. Under the ex.
citement and national intoxication thai
follow war and victory, appealing a.
they do TO the national pride and ex.
uberance of feeling, the crafty and
designing find their opportunity for
evil. The policy that is being advo-
Gated by the President and his advis.
ers to-day is widely different from any.
thing that they would have dared to
even suggest one year ago.
When the American people, animat-
ed by the purest motives of humanity
and philanthropy. forced an unwilling
administration to intervene by force
TO put an end to Spanish barbarity on
the island of Cuba, they had no idea
of abandoning the principles that un-
derlie our own government and enter
ing into competition with England in
the race for empire. The Monroe
doctrine was religiously adhered to
down to that time. Until within a
few months past no considerable num-
Der of Americans could be found who
would openly declare the Declaration
of Independence to be lie.
The proudest boast of Americans
has always been that the sword of the
nation has never been unsheathed ex-
cept in behalf of liberty and justice.
Our national ideals have ever stood
out in bold relief and have always
been held sacred by the American
people. Struggling humanity every
where found encouragement in our
example. and our success has been
quoted in yindication of the martyrs
whose lives have been freely offered
upon the altar of liberty in all lands
and in all times.
The pitiable picture presented to
the world by Mckinley and his fol-
lowers is a source of humiliation to all
intelligent and patriotic Americans.
The administration is being caioled
and buncoed by British statesmen into
taking a position that involves endless
trouble and expense for the United
States, and for which there is no prom
ise of adequate reward. The President
and his advisers are seeking to commit
the country to policy hostile and an
tagonistic to the principles and pre-
cepts that have constituted the distin-
gushing characteristic of our national
life from the birth of the republic to
the present day.
The radical departure that is pro-
posed is fraught with grave perils and
dangers and should call forth an in
dignant protest from all true Ameri-
cans.
The young giant republic OF the
Western hemisphere has outstripped
all pre-existing governments not only
in the loftiness of its ideals and the
extent of their realization but in its
material progress as well. Until very
recently the word ''destiny" when as
soclated with the government and
people of the United States made no
suggestion of empire, armies or serfs,
but illumined the Imagination with
picture of millions of happy homes
spread from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
and from the lakes to the gulf. The
Imagination, as it peered into the fu-
ture, counted population of hundreds
of millions, and viewed a domestic
commerce unknown and undreamt OF
before and possible only to the great
American nation.
The changed attitude of the execu-
tive head of the nation, who is now
cowardly sknlking behind the demands
of the commercial press and trimming
to avoid the avowal of policy, while
the tolls and snares of Imperialism are
inviting the nation to its ruin, is max
ing all intelligent Americans sick at
heart. What power paralyses the
tongue of President Mckinley, who in
a message to Congress less than one
year ago spoke in plain American dia-
lect: 81 speak not of forcing annex
alton, for that cannot be thought of
That by our code of morality would be
criminal aggression.
With imprisoned conscience and
sealed lips the silence of the President
is ominous, while the men who are
known to control his action are de-
manding the subjugation of the Fiiipi-I
nos and the consigning to vassalage of
millions who were eagerly sought as
allies and who loyalty co-operated with
Dewey and Merit few short months
ago.
What is behind this strange conduct?
What does it mean? There can be
but one Interpretation. Free institu-
lions and popular government no lon
ger find favor among the wealthy and
powerful classes who through the gold