The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1899-09-02

|
race an army entered the field for
humanity alone.
To all the world we proclaimed a
war for humanity. To all the world
we posed as the defenders of the OPP
! pressed, as the champions of brave
but helpless men and the rescuer CT
starving women. It was declaration
that challenged the admiration of the
world and made men proud that they
were Americans. z.5 .-a &
It was grand to fight eight long
dark years to win the boon of indie
| pe1ldence. 1T was magnifc to
crush out chattel slavery at such tre-
N,eEdous cost of life and treasure.
But no previous act of the nation rose
to the sublime heights Of disinter-
ested war for humanity. l
Shall we descend, from this moral
altitude ito the gutter of money con-
sideration? Shall the fchevalier De-
come the Shylock? Shall we permit
1ae siren Of vulgar glory to sing the
national conscience to sleep
anil start upon the career of conquest
that has covered with shame the na-
ATOMS Of Europe?
| Success is dangerous thing. A
TOOL may keep his head in atlversity
but prosperity is the test of wisdom.
1t is said that neither the Cuban nor
Filipino are fit for sef-goyernment.
| The truth is that no people are fit
for anything else. SPAIN ionce po-
scssed and misgoverned practically Ill
of Mexico, South America, Central
America and the islands of that world.
Not a country of them ali was more
lcapable of self government than Cuba,
yet they achieved their independence
and have since governed themselvs.
The ability to do the one is sufficient
! test of capacity for the other
| We have driven out the Spaniard
aEal our work is done. In the name.
of humanity we crushed tyranny in
two hemispheres. And shall we now,
even in the great continental island
of the semi barbarous Southern
seas, deny to the si1nlpe natives
the liberty for which they
fought and had nearly won from d
nearly vanquished foe? Shall we, The
conquerers, repeat the crafty tricks
Of fallen Spain Shall the stars and
stripes from the Sboasted land of liber-
| ty become the symbol Of police pa
troll and military power? The flag
THAT solmenly waved abovel Valley
Forge, the flag that foated in full.
triumph at York town, the flag that
was carried in unsulied chivalry be-
fore Washing tom and Grant, should;
droopA in shame at such ignoblea nseI
In this hour of real danger, when
the nation is hal ting between the
voice of justice and the thirst for;
power, between the road to the COM
mcnwealth and the highway to inn
perialism, the watchword Of the com
mon people should be, Not a single
foot of soil by conquest. - We should
not increase the national wealth. at
the expense of national character. H To
grew rich on dishonor is to become a
moral pauper. Il &. yss5
We do net want more territory.
What we have is neither well popirlat-
ed, well developed nor well governed.
We do not want foreign colonies with
great armies and, navies to protect
the worthless baubles and add useless
burdens to the load Of debt the peo-s
| pie now carry. -. ~ 55f 1s !.
We do mot want ::impe1ialism. It
government lthe world has ever seen.
lt4means Almighty navy and a great
army to absorb the young manhood
of the nation and draw into useless
and fatal Ist1ife the energies that
should be expended in peaceful pro-
duction. s5 ss5s }s & 81 n I, 5555j,Is 5zi
It means a standing military power
that Us a constant menace to the peo-
| pie. lit means new armories in every
town, arsenals in. every city, interior
fortresses not built for a foreign
foe but to check the rising murmrs
of the American people, restless under
the growing enchoac clfments of our
money lords. s. !. .s.s.
1T means the death Of popular lib
critics. 1T means license for the few
and tyranny for the many. It will
usher in the reign of regal wealth.
Il will place upon a firm foundation
Americas Untitled aristocracy. It
will degrade men and exalt money.
Ii will eStinguish the splendid ira
| ditions that inspire to still greater
| achievements the common people and
upon the ruins of the crunlbling 1e-
! public erect the despotism Of trium-
phant plutocracy.
No, we don't want imperialism.
| What we do want is a return to he
simple patriotism of our fathers and
the exalted ideals that made colonial
America the pride of the people and
the hope of the world.
We want a nation sublime in its
simplicity, mvincible i'm its rugged
manhood and as honest as it's seat
OF government as in the homes Of ITS
people. s
We want equality to prevail. We
want simple Justice to reign. We
| want those who toll to reap the re-
ward. We want idleness to become an
industrial disgrace. We want a gen
Grafton of men, not nabobs. We went
people with heart and conscience,
commonwealth of equal opportunity,
a race of unfettered men.
Within the boundary lines of this
nation is length and breadth aud
space for all the energies of our peo-
re. Millions of acres are untitled.
Millions of the uninformed are to be
taught. Armies of the idle are 10
be employed. Multftudes Of the hun-
cry are to be fed. NIyriads Of the
ragged are to be clothed. Thousands
of wrongs are to be righted.
If the nations young manhood
would play the role of chivalry let
it assault the ''vcsted rights" EN-
trenched i'll common wrongs. Foes
r