The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-03-03
BRYAN on OuR DESTINY.


chance, but purpose, and the people
of the United States could make it
their destiny TO secure "ior them
selves and posterity the blessings OF
liberty He said
"When the advocates Of imper-
iallsn find it impossible to recon
Gle colonial policy with the prin-
clples OF our government or with
the canOns Oi morality; when they
are unable to defend it upon the
ground OF religious duty or pecuniary
profit, they fall back in despair
upon the assertion that it is destiny.
Suppose it does violate the consti-
tuition, they say. Suppose it does
break all the commandments; SUP
pose il does entail upon the nation
an lncalculable expenditure of blood
and money: il Is destiny and we
must submit. y
The people have not voted for
Imperialism; no national convention
has declared for 1t; no congress has
passed upon it. TO whom, then
has the future been revealed
Whence this voice OF authority? We
can all prophesy, but our prophe-
sles are merely guesses, colored by
our hopes and our surroundings.
Mans opinion OF what is to be is
half wish and half environment.
Avarice paints destiny with a dol
lar mark before il; Inilitarism equips
il with sword. "
He j. the best prophet, who rec
ognizing the omnipotence of truth,
cOmprehends most ciearly the great
forces which are working out the
progress, not of one party, not of
one nation, but ol the human race. y
History is replete with predic-
tons which once wore the hue of
destiny, but which failed OF fulfill
ment because those who uttered
them saw too small an arc Of the
circle of events. When Pharaoh
pursued the fleeing Israelltes to the
edge of the Red sea he was cont
dent that their bondage would be
renewed, and that they would again
make bricks without straw, but des-
tiny was not revealed until Moses
and his followers reached the fur
ther shore dry shod, and the waves
rolled over the horses and chariots
Of the Egyptians.
"When Napoleon emerged vic
torious from Marengo, from Ulm
and from Austerlitz he thought him
self the child Of destiny, but des-
tiny was not revealed until Blucher's 5
forces Joined the forces of Yelling
ton, and the vanquished Corsican
began his melancholy march to st.
Helena. When the red coats of
George Ill. routed the New Eng.
lander at Lexington and Bunker
Hill, there rose before the British
sovereignty visions of colonies tax
ed without representation and drain
ed of their wealth by foreign made
laws. but destiny was not revealed
until the surrender of Cornwall
completed the work begun at Inde
pendence hal, and ushered into
existence a government deriving its
Just powers from the consent OF the
governed.
DESTINY IS. NOT CHANCE.
I'VE have reached another crisis.
The ancient doctrine of Imperialism,
banished from our land more than
a century ago, has re-crossed the
Atlantic and challenged democracy
to mortal combat upon American
soil. Whether the Spanish war
shall be known in history as war
for liberty, or a. war of conques.
whether the principles of self-gov-
ernment shall be strengthened or
abandoned; whether this nation
shall remain a homogeneous repub-
lie or heterogeneous empire-these
questions must be answered by the
American people-wheu they speak
and not till then, will destiny be re
vealed. y
Destiny is not a matter of
chance. it is a matter of choice; i'll
il not thing to- he waited for, it Isl
a thing to be achieved. y
"No one can see the end from
the beginning, but everyone can
make his course an honorable one
from beginning to end by adheringI
to the right under all circumstances
Whether a man steals much or little
NAV depend upon his opportunities.
but whether he steals at all depends
upon his own volltlon,
$50 with our nation. II we em
bark upon a career OF conquest, no
VvyA<TED - SEVERAL TRUSTWORTHY
NJ 4 .r. "a An. m sttra D