Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1899-11-03
CARL sOHURz's ADVICE.
He Advises Voting Against the Republican
Ticket. to Defeat Imperialism.

The Republicans in Ohio urged Carl
Schurz to go into that state and make
some speeches in behalf of their ticket,
to which request Mr.. Schurz replies in
an open letter, declining to lend him
self to furthering the cause of imperial
ism, which, he says is 1.-THE greatest
danger that now threatens our repub..
lic." Mr.. Schurz's letter is published
in all the daily papers. In part he
says:
/ hold that Imperialism is decidedly
dangerous, for it means the ruin of our
free institutions. If, then, we could
not oppose imperialism without working
into the hands of the free coiners, as
the Volksblatt says, what then? 1t
means that three years ago, In good
faith, we elected president to solve
the money question, who, instead, has
burdened Us with imperialism. In this
connection the warning to speak of
something else sounds peculiar.
OF what do the speakers who have
been called into Ohio really speak7
Did Gov .rnor Roosevelt, for instance,
dilate upon the silver question? He
was principally occupied in calling on
US to hold up our heads in answer to
rest of the orators do likewise.
If, under these circumstances. l
would by the agitation of the silver
question. aid the republicans of Ohio
to victory, l would be convinced that
the administration would construe such
vic<e: - S the Endorsement by the
people of its imperialistic policy and
make unlimited capital out of it. To-
ward such a result l cannot conscien-
tiously contribute.
l am of the honest conviction that
THE GREATEST DANGER THAT NOW
THREATENS THE REPUBLIC IS IMPERIAL
ISM. l believe that it is our highest
patriotic duty to set aside all party III
terests and do our best to avert this
danger. 1t was to this end that last
year l opposed the candidacy of Rose
welt for governor in this state. | did
this although l was personal friend of
Roosevelt and worked with him for civil
service reform. l believe then, and
still believe, that his defeat with his
of his new earned fame, would have
frightened the administration in Wash
ington from the annexation of the Phil.
lippines and in this danger would have
been greatly minImized Many of my
acquaintances here who were then of a
contrary opinion agree with me now
that the result of the sacrifice, would
have been well worth the price.
The situation this year appears to me
to be exactly the same. If the fall
elections result in manner that the
administration and congress are en-
| couraged to further progress on the
path of Imperialism, then, unless un-
looked-for events should inter-
vene, the main question that will con-
| front US next year in the presidential
election will be Imperialism and to save
the republic from its greatest danger
will require unpleasant sacrifices. Such
encouragement to the administration
should be withheld at any cost.
We are in the midst of a crisis In
which every good citizen should regard
1t as his highest duty to make the less
| important subservient to the more i'm
portant according to his knowledge and
conscience and not permit himself to be
governed simply by party considera-
| tions.
With friendly greeting. yours.
sc. ScHURZ."