Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-05-21
SIXTEEN PAGES
SUNDAY. MAY 81. 1899.
THE faint OF IMPERIALISM.

The Chicago Record prints letter
from II. II. Van Meter, OF that city, to
president Mckinley, in which he shows
by printed extracts from number of
letters sent by soldiers in Manila to
their friends at home that they are
afraid to write the exact facts about
the situation there. One soldier writes
that some of the boys are getting into
all kinds OF trouble over their letters.
and hope no one will publish any of
mine"
Several other extracts of Il similar
character are quoted indicating Il sort
of military censorship, Il military in
QUESTION over the freedom of speech
and the mails contrary to the American
principle. 1t is a strange and q new
thing in this land of liberty. to be
sure. when an American citizen Is
threatened with prosecution for treason
because he has mailed certain public
documents TO American citizens in
Manila, and when our soldiers in Manila
are afraid to write to their friends and
relatives at home concerning condi-
lions there. lest they be jcrked up by
the thumbs and punished for daring to
exercise the right of free speech.
imperialism is n dangerous thing. 1t
implies classes of citizens, some with
more privileges then others. IL implies
government control over citizens. MOI
unlike the control of the Car of RUS
s'ih W.T. iis SuDJtttS. Lei nuI govern
ment get In the way of governing colo
MES. let the administration in Wash
anSton ret taste of CzariSm and ac-
Quire some of the Drerogatives of the
Car, and there is no telling 10 what
lengths 1t will go.-Richmond Times
And yet the writer OF that, and the
Times. are practically shoulder to
shoulder with this imperialism in our
domestic politics.
How rapidly the imperial faint in our
policy toward the Philippines, and
others, has spread to our treatment of
our own citizens, the volunteer sol
diers, whose time of enlistment has
expired, but who are yet held to the
meanest of military service, the tyran-
ny of criminal aggression and cruel
subjugation! Mark, too how even
their letters are under censorship, and
nobody outside of the Philippines really
knows what is the true condition OF
things there. The kilograms signed
"Otis' tell us only what the American
authorities out there desire us 10 be-
1ieve. or hear. Whose suppresscs the
truth, in giving what Durnorts to I've
material information, viii also invent
falsehood, for the same reason that he
will not tell the whole story.
But the Times is as imperial as any
when 1t comes to the judiciary If
despotism raises IL cry of protest and
resistance in the SQUAD to which the
Times belongs all that is necessary to
make the same thing just and neces-
sary is to take it out of the hands of
the military, or the executive, and put
1t in the hands Of the judiciary. Per-
sonal government, TO the extreme point
of the worst possible oppression. with
out law, against all laws and constitu
tons. and in obvious indulgence of
private spite, becomes not only cxact
justice, but above all restraints of law
and government. How easy il is 10
cover every tyranny with the mantle
of a judge who may be the most Bit
ter enemy OF liberty and the peoplo
and the vilest and most obsequious TOOL
Of absolute power!
Why pirate of right, freedom. law and
the people, il the name of Judge. or
court, or the judiciary can warrant
anything or everything. and overbear
everybody, until revolution dare pull
the cloak OF justice from any man. or
official, who dares attack free speech,
whether it be about him, or his opin-
ions. or his dealings with persons or
things? If anything be unlawful, no
matter by whom done, let the law take
aas .erescsikea courpe. whsehsr you can
rely on Il, or not. Let no man. except