Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-12-12
GERMAN-AMERrcAN SENTIMENT.


According to the Chicago Chronicle,
the Milwaukee Germania. newspaper,
represents to a greater extent than any
other German paper in the country The
sentiments of the most enlightened
Germans in the northwest. A number
of the editorials in it's columns on the
subject of expansion and Imperialism
have been published recently for popu-
lar circulation. 1t is intellectual mat
ter worthy of the widest perusal.
One of the articles republished from
the Milwaukee organ of the best Ger
man-American sentiment says:
We assert that the overwhelming ma
tority of citizens of German birth turn a
deaf ear to expansion. We have come to
this conclusion not alone from the attitude
of the German-American preSS-we have
still to make the acquaintance of a paper
which can display enthusiasm for the pol
icy of expansion-but also from the many
letters received by us from readers of the
Germania. Their authors have declared al
most without exception against expansion
and imperialism In battling against ex-
pansion we do not feel as German-Amer-
leans, but stand shoulder to shoulder with
the best and most conservative elements of
all other nationalities.
AS IL Chicago contemporary points
out, there is no doubt that the general
drift of sentiment among the adopted
citizens of the United States of all ma
tionalities is against the imperialist
policy, to escape from which they left
their native lands. And these who
have obtained rights in America as sa-
cred under the laws as the native birth
right are probably even more jealous
of these rights than the native born,
who have yet to experience what an
imperial departure from our institu-
tons and laws really means.
Continuing the argument against the
imperial policy, the Milwaukee repre-
sentative Of enlightened German opin-
are confronting expansion in an almost
solid phalanx, a very considerable por-
ton Of Republican voters is denying
fealty to the administration in this
question" Among Republican oppo-
nents of expansion "are men who for
long years have been considered the
ablest and most m~eritorious leaders of
their party" Governor Scofield is men
toned as one of the Republican anti
e~xpansionists, and the belief is ex-
pressed that Senator Spooner in his
honest sentiments adheres to the same
side of the question.
Too late to be effective, but quotable
for instruction and reproof, is another
paragraph from the same paper, as fol-
lows:
Republicans who do not favor a second
term for Mckinley because thew are on
posed to his foreign policy. now r~ecolleci
other grounds of dissatisfaction with him,
the greatest among which is the all-power.
full influence of Hanna and the way In
which he has used ii. The favoritism in
famous treatment accorded Admiral
Schley. as well as the embarrassing of the
| army contracts, are much commented up
| on, and people say a change is necessary
But Mr.. Mckinley will be renomi-
mated, and, with the solid backing OF
the trusts and a united and powerful
| plutocracy, he may be reelected, but il
will be against the better Judgment OF
every true American, whether he be
native born or one of our adopted cit