The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-18
ALLIANCE THEN IMPERIALISM.
tstaif Correspondence Irish world.)


Revolutionary war, and nothing In the his
tory of the family casts any reflection OH
its patriotism. The reason why trouble
you with the substance of our discourse
Is that this gentleman avowed himself
an imperialist, and In namboyant and
Incorporating manner declared he was
IAN American imperialist and all that this
implies
remarked that Imperialism was an OK
otto and OF very recent growth on American
soil, and that / had not heard anything OF
imperialists until congress had adjourned
last March.
He replied that perhaps 1t may be said
that Imperialism was born then, but 1t had
existed in embryo long before At any
has become stern and stalwart reality 70
be reckoned with by the politicians 1t
has, he said, been successfully launched,
is a prominent figure in the full blaze OF
sunlight and nothing can bar its prog
ress.
could not help saying that there was a
time, not very long ago, when any one who
distinctly claimed to be an adherent of I'M
perialism would have been called a traitor
and might have been ostraclsed as such.
He quickly rejoined that that time is
past. 1t Is now as safe and as natural for
a man to be an imperialist as TO be re-
publican or democrat 1t is regarded by
American public opinion as most res
spectacle thing and as the antithesis OF
populsm and anarchy. You, he continued,
pprbapg that the linn of |
the Philippines has created Imperialism. |
But this is a mistake. 1t is because i'm |
perlalism was in the air and was a real
power among the American people, that the |
annexation was effected. That was an out
ward and visible demonstration of its ex |
istence. The Spanish war furnished the |
occasion for the PRONUNCIATION of new |
ideas. Whether that war was brough. |
about by the latent spirit of Imperialism |
in our midst or not VIII be revealed in |
time But the war advanced the cause
with rapidity that could not be attained |
IN any other way.
And how, said l, about the AngloAme
lean alliance?
That, said he, has been for sixteen or
eighteen years cardinal principle of
Englands foreign policy. Blaine per-
ceived this and opposed it, and therefore
Blaine was crushed.
l can not see, said !, how there is any
glory to be gained by America going down
in history as saved by England in her
war with little SPAIN We are seventy
five millions, and the war was on our side
OF the Atlantic giving us enormous adyan-
tages over our foe. 1t would seem that we
did not need Engand's assistance or pro-
lection; and, at least there is no honor
admitting that a stood in need baiuH
saved.
This only led to burst of laughter on
the part of the imperialist. He laughed at
the naivete of my remarks. Surely said
he you do not suppose that the English
alliance was part of our war measures
against Spain On the contrary, the ag
grandizement of the United States was a
bitter pill for England to swallow. But
she was willing that we should take what
she could not herself, and especially as
our annexation of the Antilles and the
Philippines prevented these falling into the
hands of Germany.
| interrupted here to say that my I'M
Outstanding was that Cuba is not to be an
nexed
You are wrong, said he; of course its
unfit for government, and the island
is too rich and too important stragetically
to the United States to allow 1t to re-
main independent. But. he continued. l
was talking OF the English alliance. You
should know that this has been sedulously {
cultivated by England for her own ends, I
as she is In desperate need of an ally, and
is desperately afraid Of the power thar Is {
being developed by America. England has !
spent, and is still spending, vast sums of !
money to cement this alliance and in spite I
of the orat0ry of Eighty and unstable |
Irish Amerlcans-in spite even of the
banded votes of the German Americans
She will carry her point. for this admin
istration is more friendly to her than any |
that ever ruled in America since the revo- t
iutionary war. England has SO much g
money invested here that she can not af /
ford 20 be hostile. Therefore she seeks in t
every way to secure an alliance, and has {
won over the press, altered the school {
books, worked the Christian Endeavor and Y
Epworth League societies. and even tam v
pered with our volunteers-as witness the t
queens reception Of representatives of the i
Seventh New York poltroons. We Amer /
cans are but children in diplomacy in t
iealing with England. Therefore predict h
hat the alliance will be fact. But there a
S another reason for this, which is dis
,oyerable In the necessities of imperialism s
10 powerful yet as to despise the support
" England. 1t therefore takes Englands
oolity as its model. and by aiding the
Anglo American alliance It will effectually =
establish itself. n
Here I could not help saying that 1t a
eemed to me that Imperialism Is OF the n
nature of conspiracy that seeks to sub u
'ert the Republic. AS such II would be W
he duty OF every true son OF Washington y,
md Jefferson to fight Imperialism with n
very weapon available. m
This statement caused pause In the et
conversation. and the imperialist studied
while what answer to make. Well. said !,
le II is certain that quite number of "
american people will think as you do; q
Senator Hoar, for instance The i'm Il
'erialists have foreseen this, and 1t is a e
ifhculty with which they are prepared to :
Irappe But they rely on the force OF
accomplished facts. II is fact that the a
United States has an "empire" outside of II
tself Just as the United Kingdom has II
n exterior empire. 1t Is conceivable thai -
he States should remain Republic. while
he outlying territories should be i'm el
,erially goyernad This NJ cnurea ,,o..,, "