The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-07-05

or no sympathy with them in theil
peaceful avocations. Its thoughts are
all of war, and the glory that crowns
the victorious soldier. A foreign ALI
ance means a large standing army, 70,
when we assume that relation we mus
be prepared to contribute our share tc
the strength of the alliance.
Friendly relations with all, entang-
ling alliances with none" should be our
motto. This is the policy that Wash
ington urged upon his countrymen, al
most with his dying breath. 1t is as
sound to-day as it was then.
For our own protection an alliance
is unnecessary, for aggression it is
wrong.
We cannot render a greater service
to man or perform higher duty to
civilization than by steady adher-
ence to the great principle upon which
our republic was founded, namely, that
all governments derive their lust
powers from the consent of the gov
eTnpd"
That principle applies to the white
man. the black man, the yellow man
ana the brown. 1t was right in 1776 it
IS right in 1899; 1t is right in the United
States of America and il is right in the
most distant islands of the sea.
There are many different kinds of
clVlllZation In the world as eXemplified
by varying social conditions and forms
OF government. The gulf is wide be-
tween the civilizations of Russia and
England; it is almost as wide between
those Of England and the United
states. We believe that ours is the
pest In the world. but that will not
JUSTIFY us in presenting 1t to others at
the point of the bayonet or shooting it
into them with Calling guns. We still
nave too much need of improvement
ourselves to justify us in such course
Masnlncent as our progress has been
both materially and intellectually. it
can scarcely be said that We have
grown morally in the same proportion.
He must be bold man or a very ex-
IRENE optomist who will seriously
claim that the morals of the people are
better than they were in the days of
Washington and Adams and Jefferson
The corruption in politics, the doubtful
character of many judicial decisions
the awful extremes of poverty and
wealth which abound, the result in but
too many cases of unjust and UNEQUAL
laws, should convince any reasonab e
person that our own civilization needs
reforming in no small degree. before
we shall be justified In forcing II upon
others with fire and sword
l nave no desire to trench upon the
domain of partisan politics, and were
the question of our foreign policy one
upon which party lines were closely
drawn, I should not have mentioned it
at all: Not because of any actual i'm
propriety even in such case but be-
cause the consensus of opinion Is
against it. But this is a subject upon
which both OF the great parties are
more or less divided.
OF Vast Importance.
What our future action is to be with
reference to 1t has not yet been de-
cioed. 1t Is question of vast import
ance; one which concerns every man.
woman and child now living in Amer
lea and all who are yet to come.
Therefore it should receive the calm
est, most deliberate, impartial and in
telligent consideration of which we are
capable, and there is no better time for
us to begin than on this Fourth day of
July.
In doing so we should never forget
for moment that the first duty of
the American citizen is, at all times,
allegiance to his government No mat
ter what the merits of a controversy
with any foreign people may be, when
ever state of war exists. the United
states government is entitled to the
loyal support of every person who lives
beneath the aegis of the American flag
Every dollar of money needed should
be voted, and the gallant boys who are
Drawing death in the field should be
sustained, if necessary, with the whole
power of the nation as long as the
actual fighting lasts. But this does not
preclude an inquiry into the wisdom
and justice of the war, or a change of
policy If 1t be wrong. Every question
involved should be carefully consid-
cred in spirit of perfect fairness and
al
war be unWise it may be speedily
stopped; and in any event when peace
shall be restored that we may know
where we stand, what justice requires
and what our future course should be-
Such problems cannot be settled by
cheering over some great
victory won, or by empty high-sound-
ing declaration about manifest des-
tiny" If certain policy be wrong,
make 1t right. If the policy be bad,
there is no manifest destiny" that can
make it good. But if the policy be
actually right and for the best interests
or our people, those facts can speedily
be demonstrated by intelligent and
discussion.
There are always extremists on both
sides of every question. 1t is so with
the one to which | have been advert
has no constitutional power to acquire
territory to be held as colony, and
that such a step means ruin to our
free institutions. Others fairly go
wild over the imaginary advantages to
accrue from such a policy. Like en-
raptured Missionaries they expatiate
about the grandeur of an imperial pol
icy, of untold wealth to come, of a
commerce to whiten every sea, of the
sun never setting on the American flag,
and of the time when the Anglo-Saxon
race shall dominate the world Both
these views are extreme, and in my
Judgment almost absurd. l see moth
Ing in any colonial system that we are
likely ever to establish that is calculat-
ed to enrich us or give us any especial
advantages in the race for commercial
1t is said in a loose sort
Of way that commerce follows the
hag.' In reply to that it is only neces-
sary for me to point to the fact that
the nag of Spain fioated over the Phil
ppines for 300 years and still she only
acquired 10 per cent of their commerce.
Mere sentiment will not create trade in
his commercial age. The colonies Of