The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-05-13

should now, in violation of our own po.
litical principles, find it necessary to an.
nihilate the most cultured portion OF q
foreign nation in order to subject the
remnant to our rule, in place Of re-
publican government declared by them.
selves,-that we should do all this in the
name of liberty and humanity and in
order to exhibit to the benighted mon
arches OF the old world, the beauties Of
democratic form of government, and
extend the blessings of liberty tc
those we do not kill, and at the
same time justify our barbarity by
the assertion that these very people
whom we propose to use as an object
lesson of self-government, are unfit for
self-government,-this l say is the most
hypocritical and humiliating spectacle
which the history OF nations has ever
produced
But there is another side to this ques-
ton in which the races which it is pro-
posed to subject to the government of
the United States, are not the only ones
interested. If we extend the govern
ment OF the United States over foreign
nations as is proposed, without allowing
them to become citizens Of the United
States, it is upon the sole grounds that
they are unfit for citizenship, and as
already shown, we Immediately repudi-
ate the proposition which for more than
one hundred years, we have proclaimed
to the world to be self-evident truth,
viz, that all men are created politically
equal.
These questions are many-sidcd and
more far reaching than many seem to
realize. Are we ready to weigh anchor
and abandon all Our old land marks
and bulwarks of liberty? Shall we re-
pudiate Our past history and our demo-
cratic principles and exchange them for
the principles OF anarchy? 1t seems that
men, prominent in affairs OF state, are
disposed to do so. 1t is common talk
nowadays to hear the policy OF Great
Britain toward her colonies commended
and recommended for the United States
to follow. Can it be possible that the
people of the United States have for
gotten the treatment accorded to us
when we were the colonies of Great Bri-
tain? Hova ,ve CO con-, forro+to, ~, "a
indignation aroused in the United States
by the tyrannical conduct of Great Bri-
tain toward the people of Ireland? Shall
we to-day commend what yesterday we
so severely condemned in the relations
of Great Britain and British India?
In short, has all our condemnation of
the tyranny and greed OF Great Britain
the world over been feigned and coun-
forfeited or have we suddenly become
morally and politically blind?
The true and all-prevailing sentiment
deep down in the hearts Of the Ameri-
can people has nothing in common with
this foreign impcrialstic doctrine But
the better sentiment OF the great masses
OF the people OF the United States needs
to be aroused 1t is not to be expected
that my single voice, raised in this hum
bic manner, will arouse the sumbering
sentiments Of the millions OF freedom
loving people OF the United States, but
each OF us has duty to perform in this
regard and thanks to the spirit OF free
dom and fair play in the United States,
my voice is not the only one raised in
protest There are men of high and low
degree all over this great republic, re-
gardless of political affiliations, who
have and who now are protesting with
all their strength, and there is reason to
believe that the revolutionary spirit Of
this administration will be SO emphati-
cally rebuked by the masses in this
country that the hideous monster of
imperialism will be driven from our
shores to the dead and dying mon
arches OF the old world to die with
them, never to show its ugly head again
among this intelligent, free and demo-
cratic people.
! recently saw a cartoon called "The
New Temptation on the Mount" The
Goddess Of Liberty, dressed in white, is
represented as sitting with her left hand
resting on the Constitution OF the
United States and the Declaration OF
Independence, with her back partly
turned toward them as if reluctant to
abandon them. In front OF her is the
ocean with the Philippcan and Hawaiian
Islands in the distance. Over the is
lands is blaze OF glory in which are the
words "World Wide Empire." Stand
ing beside the Goddess of Liberty is
Satan in black robes carrying a staff
with a banner on which is the word
imperialism" across his breast is writ
ten "Despotism," upon his face is a sim
lister smile, a demoniac expression He
is saying, "Bcl1old, all this will l give
thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship
me-" The Goddess of Liberty is depress
ed and hesitates. With downcast demean-
or she casts furtivc glances at the prof
cred bride. Will she yield? The civil
lied world is waiting for the answer to
this question.