The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-05-01
CRIME OF EMPIRE
CHICAGO CITIZENS, IN MASS MEET
ING, PROTEST. AGAINST A POL
ICY OF EXPANSION
AGGRESSION is UNWORTHY
1T SHOULD HAVE NO PLACE UNDER
THE AMERICAN SYSTEM OF
GOVERNMENT
BISHOP sPALDING's SPEECH

The Administration Arrnigned for
the steps Taken to Subjugate the
FiIipInOs PeriIs of Large
Standing Army Pointed Out-En-
gland Charged With DupIicity
and Jealousy.
CHICAGO, April 30.-CentraI Music hall
was this afternoon filled with an audi
ence gathered to protest against the
course Of the administration with refer
ence to the Philippine islands. Once or
twice the proceedings were interrupted
by protests of those who disagreed with
the sentiments of the speakers. When
Bishop J. L. Spalding, Of Peoria, declared
that England has never been a friend of
this country" an Englishman near the
platform cried excitedly, That's lie.'
Without noticing the interruption the
bishop continued his address. He said in
part:
I'VE are, at present in the midst of
crisis in which lack of thought and de-
liberation may lead US far from the ideals
which, as Americans, we have most
cherished, and expose US to evils of which
we scarcely dream. We stand at the
parting of the ways. 1t is not yet TOO
late to turn from the way which leads
through war and conquest to imperial
ism, to standing armies, to alliances with
foreign powers and finally to the disrup-
ton of the Union itself. 1t is not too
late, because 1t is still possible,
probable even that the American
people will reconsider the whole question
Of he 1fa.,
tories over Spain have involved us, and,
calling to mind the fact that they did
not enter into this war for the purpose
of becoming an empire, but for the pur-
pose of helping others to throw off the
yoke of a tyrannical Imperialism, will see
that to be blinded and led away by
success is to be weak and foolish: or.
rather, since here the highest interests
of humanity are at stake, is to be wicked
and criminal If this may not be, then
the American people have degenerated.
they have lost their hold upon the his
torical causes and the political habits
which led to the founding of our institu-
tions and to the marvellous growth and
prosperity of our country.
We shall not believe that the gain
OF a few naval battles over a weak and
unprepared foe has power to throw us
into such enthusiasm or such madness
as TO turn us permanently from the prin-
ciples and policies to which we owe our
national existence, our life and liberty:
or that destiny, the divinity of fatalfsts
ana materialiSts, can weaken our faith
IN the God of justice, righteousness and
love, who scornS and thrusts far awav
those who, having the giants strength.
Sc II 10 oppress or destroy the weak
nd ignorant
We have never looked upon ourselves
as predestined to subdue the earth, to
compel other nations with sword to ac-
cept our rule; we have always believed
In human rights, in freedom and oppor-
tunity, in education and religion, and we
have invited all men to come and enjoy
these blessings in this half of the world
winch God has given US, but we have
never dreamed that they were articles to
be exported and thrust down unwilling
throats at the point Of the bayonet. We
have sympathized with all oppressed
peoples-with Ireland, Greece, Armenia,
Cuba. To emancipate the slave we gladly
sacrificed the lives of hundreds of thou
sands of our soldiers. And now the
American soldier, who should never
shoulder gun except in a righteous
cause, is sent 10000 miles across the
ocean to shoot men whose real crime is
that they wish to be free, wish to gov
ern themselves. To say that they are
unit for freedom Is to put forth the plea
or the tyrant in all ages and everywhere
The enemies of liberty have never lacked
Tor preteXts to justify their wrongs; but
In truth, at the root of all wars of con-
quest there lies lust for blood or for gold
If the inhabitants of the Philippines
came gladly to throw themselves into
our arms we should refuse to do more
than counsel, guide and protect them un-
til they form themselves into a stable
and Independent government What
then is to be thought of those who seem
resolved either to rule or exterminate
them?
TYRANNY OF TRUSTS.
Our capital is fast becoming the most
inhuman, the most iniquitous tyrant the
world has ever known. It's tyranny is a
blight and a curse to those who exercise
it as well as to the multitude who are
its victims. Commercial and manufactur-
ing competition is becoming a struggle
for existence fercer than that which
makes nature red with rapine. Whereas
the tendency Of true civilization and re-
igion is to convert the struggle for life
into cooperation for life, into work of
all, for all that all may have those inner
goods which make men wise holy, beau
tiful and strong; whereas, this is the ten
dency of right civilization, our greed, our
superstitious belief in money as the only
true god and savior of man, hurry us
on with increasing speed into all the
venalities, dishonesties and corrlptions.
INTO all the tTIckS ana trusts by which the
people are disheartened and impover-
ished. We are hypnotized by the glitter
and glare the pompous circumstance of
wealth, and are becoming incapable of
rational view of life. We have lost faith
for simple things and simple ways We
fee from the country as from a desert
and find self-forgetfulness only amid the
noise and rush of great cities, where high
thought and pure affection are well nigh
impossible.
''If 1t is our destiny to become an en-
pire, 1t is not our destiny to endure as
a republic. Empire and imperialism are
associated with kingly and arbitrary
rule, with militarism and conquest. Was
not the Roman empire built on the ruins
of the republic? Was it not made pos
sible by the general loss of virtue and
patriotism, by the luxury and corruption
which the stolen wealth of a hundred
cities had spread through Rome? 1t is
only when the inner sources of life run
low that men rush madly to gain pos
session of external things. When the real
good Of life escapes US, money and what
money buys seem to be all that is left
Then men become towards, liars and
thieves. They cringe and fawn and pal
ter. They worship success. They call
evil good and good evil. They have no
convictions which are not lucrative, no
opinions which are not profitable. Then
all things are for sale, then demagogues
are heroes, then opportunities for plunder
are welcome, then the best policy is that
which wins most votes and most money.