The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-18
AHAB AN IMPERIALIST 7
NABOTH'S VINEYARD COMPARED
TO PHILIPPINES.
RESULTS OF HOLDING THEM BY FORCE
Imperialism Might Expand our Territory bu
Wou'dC Contract our aims Step Back
ward to the Narrow Views
Of Despo.s.

Denver, Colo, Jan. 17.-COlonel w
j. Bryan made two public speeches in
Denver to-day, both of which were list
ened to by audiences only limited by the
capacity of the auditoriums. The first
was at : O'clock in the Hall of the
House of Representatives, to which only
those who held tickets were admitted
The other was at O'clock at Coliseum
Hall. the largest room in the city, where
thousands struggled for standing room,
while other thousands turned away dis
appointed in not even getting a glimpse
of the great silver champion.
In his address before the Legislature
Mr. Bryan devoted most of his time to
a discussion of the duties of legislators
and other public officers whom he desig-
mated as servants not masters of the
people.
After this address, Mr.. and Mrs.
Bryan repaired to the residence of Gov
ernor Thomas, where they were enter
tanned at dinner to which half a dozen
of the leading Democrats in the State,
including eX-GoyernOrs Grant and
Adams and il number of ladies were the
guests The crowd which greeted Mr..
Bryan at Coliseum Hall tonight began
gathering Mt 4 o'clock, four hours before
the time set for the meeting. At s
O'Clock when Hon. Milton Smith, chair
man of the State Central Committee,
called for order there were 5000 persons
in the hall and as many more outside
pressing for admission. Governor
Charles S. Thomas was present as chair
man of the meeting, and in an eulOgistic
speech introduced Colonel Bryan, who
was received with prolonged applause.
Mr.. Bryan spoke in part as follows:
"The Bible tells us that Ahab, the
King, wanted the vineyard of Naboth,
and was sorely grieyed because the own
er thereof refused to part with the in
heritance of his fathers. Then follow
ed plot, and false charges were pro-
ferred against Naboth to furnish an eX-
cuse for getting rid of him.
"'Thou shalt not covet,' thou shalt
not bear false Witness thou shalt not
kill'-three commandments broken, and
Still a fourth. thou shalt not steal to
be broken. in order to get a little piece
of ground And what was the result?
w
possession. Elijah, that brave old
prophet of the early days, met him and
pronounced against him the sentence of
the Almighty: In the place where the
dogs licked the blood of Naboth shall
dogs lick thy blood, even thine
Neither his own exalted position nor
the lowly station of his victim could
save him from the avenging hand of
outraged justice. His case was tried in
Il court where neither wealth, nor rank
nor power could shield the transgres-
sor
'Wars of conquest have their origin
in covetousness and the history, of the
human race has been written in charac-
ters of blood because rulers have look
ed with longing eyes upon the lands of
others.
"Covetousnerss is prone to'seek the aid
of false pretence to carry out its plans
but what it cannot secure by persuasion
it takes by the sword.
Senator Teller's amendment to the
Intervention resolutions saved the Gu
bans from the cOvetousness of those who
are so anxious to secure possession of the
island that they are willing to deny
the truth of the declaration of our own
Congress that the people of Cuba are
and of a right ought to be free.
Mr.. Bryan then proceeded to apply the
story of Naboth to the Philippine ques-
tion and argued that war of conquest |
would be wrong in principle as well rs
and as harmful to the people |
of the United States as to the F'ilipinOs. |
He spoke at considerable length and |
concluded as follows:
Imperialism might expand the ma
tion's territory, but it would contract the |
nations purpose. 1t is not a step for
ward toward broader destiny; it is
step backward toward the narrow views
of Kings and Emperors.
''Dr. Taylor has appropriately ex
pressed it in His Greed of the Flag
when he asks:
6 Shall we turn to the Old World again.
With the penitent prodigals cry?
Il answer, never. This republic is not
a wayward son; it has not spent its sub
stance in riotous living. 1t is not
ready to retrace its steps. and with
shamed face and trembling voice, solicit
an humble place among the servants of
royalty. 1t has not sinned against
Heaven, and God grant that the crowned
heads of Europe may never have occa-
sion to kill the fatted calf to commem-
crate its return from reliance upon the
will of the people to dependence upon the