El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-02-24
"AMERICA'S MISSION"
A Speech BY William J. Bryan at
Washington, February p.

government or with the canOns OF
morality; when they are unable to de-
fend it upon the ground of religious
duty or pecuniary profit, they fall back
that it is destiny. Suppose it does
violate the constitution they say
| Suppose it does break all the COM
mandments, suppose it does entail up
on the nation an incalculable expen-
diture of blood and money; it Is destiny
and we must submit
"The people have not voted for i'm
perialism; no national convention has
declared for it; no congress has passed
upon it, To whom, then, has the flu
ture been revealed? Whence this
voice of authority? We can all pro-
phesy, but our prophecies are merely
guesses, colored by our hopes and our
Surroundings. Mans opinion OF what
is to be is half wish and half environ
meut Avarice paints destiny with a
dollar mark before it, militarism
equips it with sword.
''He 10 the best prophet who, recog
nizing the omnipotence OF truth, COM
preheuds most clearly the great forces
which are working out the progress,
not OF the party, not OF one nation, but
of the human race
eve have reached another crisis.
The ancient doctrine of imperialism
banished from our land more than
century ago, has crossed the Atlantic
and challenged democracy to mortal
combat upon American soil. Whether
the Spanish war shall be known in his
tory as war for liberty or as war of
conquest; whether the principles of
self-government shall be strengthened
or abandoned; whether this nation
shall remain q homogeneous republic
or become q heterogeneous empire
these questions must be answered by
the Anne rican people.
"Destiny ia not matter OF chance,
it is matter of choice; it is not a thing
to be waited for, it Ia thing to be
achieved.
eff we embark upon a career of con-
quest, no one can tell how many 1sI-
ands we may be able to seize or how
many races we may be able to sub
jugate; neither can any one estimate
the cost, immediate and remote, to the
nations purse and to the nations
character, but whether we shall enter
upon such a career is q question which
the people have q right to decide for
themselves.
Zone of the main purposes of the
founders of our government was to Sc
cure for themselves and for pOsterity
the blessings of liberty.
"That purpose has been faithfully
followed up to this time, Our states
economic questions, but toey have
agreed in defending self-government as
the controlling national idea. They |
have quarreled among themselves over |
tariff and finance, but they have been |
united in their opposition to an en-
tangling alliance with any European
power.
"Under this policy our nation has
grown in numbers and in strength.
duence has encircled the globe. I'm
der this policy the taxpayers have
been spared the burden and the
of q large military establish
nent and the young men have been
taught the arts of peace rather than
;he science of war.
"Have the people so changed within a
ew short months that they are now
revolution and force upon the FilipinOs
he same system of government against
which the colonists protested with fire
Ind sword?
s'Our nation is tempted to depart from
ts standard of morality and adopt a |
policy of criminal aggression But,
will 1t yield?
.Tf mistake not the sentiment of |
,be American people they will spurn
,he bribe of imperialism, and, by resist
win such victory as has |
not been won since the battle of York
Town. Let it be written of the United |
States: Behold republic that took
up arms to aid a neighboring people, |
to be free; a republic that
n the progress of the war, helped dis
;ant races whose wrongs were not in
when hostilities began;
stored, turned deaf ear to the clam
,rous voice of greed and to those borne
Town by the weight of a foreign yoke
poke the welcome words: Stand up,
De free.
"Let this be the record made on his
ory's page and the silent example of
his republic, true to it's principles In
he hour of trial, will do more to ex-
end the area of self-government and
vars of conquest that we could wage In
generation.
"Civil and religious liberty, univer-
al education and the right to partici-
,ate, directly or through representa-
ives chosen by themselves, in all the
fairs of gOvernment-these give to
he American citizens an opportunity
md an inspiration which can be found
10 where else.
STANDING upon the vantage ground
lready gained the American people
an aspire to q grander destiny that
las opened before any other race.
"Anglo-Saxon civilization has taught
he individual to protect his own
lights; American civilization will
each him to respect the rights of
theirs.
"Anglo-Saxon civilization has taught
he individual to take care of himself;