The San Francisco call., 1899-09-14
BRYAN AND IMPERIALISM.


least entitled to hearing against imperialism
- When the Spanish war was being urged and
the President and nearly all others were absorbed
and anxious wishing that honor and humane duty
only be consulted in its avoidance precipitation
Mr.. Bryan advised his party in Congress to the ad-
vocacy of measures that would bring war; because
it would be good politics" Alter the war was on
and after it had been brought such speedy, salts
factory and successful end, Mr.. Bryans principal
mouthpiece on this coast Hon. J. Ham. Lewis OF
Washington, lamented that its political benefit had
Injured to the administration saying, 1--WE digged
pit for our brother and have fallen into it ourselves"
In his speech in this city Mr.. Bryan approached
the discussion of imperialism by saying: Il DOM
want argue this question upon the low conception
OF dollars and cents. to declare that this
ton cannot afford to sell its birthrght for OF
pottage no matter how valuable the pottage may be"
That is a very hgh-sounding expression: But there
is one conception lower than coin and pottage and
that is the advocacy OF war because it would 'be
good politics. and in the expectation of merely par
tisan benefit Money, in the OF profits brought
to the country, will buy food and shelter and we
believe that pottage is something to eat. Battle and
bloodshed for gain in coin may have such excuse
though it is poor one but what is to be said for
war and woe hard death the field and harder life
under the weakness and burden OF wounds, all for
politics. in the OF gaining party ascendency the
pleasures OF power and the profits OF office? That
was Mr.. Bryan's conception in the crisis of 1903 1t
was his idea when wise men, looking forward on the
line so lar projected in history were expressing
doubts whether institutions would survive in their
strength victorious foreign war. In that time Of
trial. when the President was seeking to avert the
remote consequences of a war by honoraby avoiding
its onset Mr. Bryan with those who were holding
the President up popular contempt as too cowardly
to make and too incompetent to carry it to VIC
tory.
When the second crisis came in the ratification OF
the treaty OF Paris, and Republican Senators had de
termined to amend that feature Mr. Bryan again ap-
peared the scene and in writing and speech urged
the ratification OF the treaty without amendment. His
influence upon Senators of his party secured enough
Democratic votes to ratify the purchase OF the Philip
pines
Nothing is more common than the amendment OF
treaties even treaties OF peace The best Republican
sentiment of the country against the purchase of
the Philippines and in favor OF amendment Mr.
Bryan urged the purchase Of the Philippines and
opposed the reasonable and proper policy of amend
ment Yet, in his speech he said: 81 know we can
whip the Filipinos because Spain was much smaller
nation than ours and she had almost finished the
job and she had only been at it 300 years. And then
she got twenty millions OF dollars for option on
the fight when she went out"
Again, he said: "The Declaration OF Independence
says that governments derive their Just powers from
the consent OF the governed If that doctrine true
then this nation cannot acquire title by purchasing
domination from alien monarch whose rebellious
subjects we ourselves armed to fight against that
monarch"
But when he advocated the purchase of the Phil
ippnes for twenty millions last winter and induced
his supporters in the Senate to support it. he knew
that the Paris treaty ceded Spains sovereignty
there for the price paid. He knew that we had armed
the Fipinos he knew all that he knows now. II the
treaty conveyed title, why did he advocate it? II
he is so devoted and awake now to the Declaration of
why was he oblivious to it eight
months ago? Taking him at his word that we
paid the money for option on fight and got no |
valid title why did he an aspirant for the Presidency
and assumed popular leader, advocate the paving
Of that high price for an option on war and for an
invalid title?
It is this record deliberately made by Mr.. BRYAN
that his rejection by the anti-mperalists 70
whom he stood in opposition last winter. Had he
hen come to the assistance of Senators Hoar and
Wellington and other Republicans who opposed the
Philippine purchase the very ground he now occu-
oies, there would have been purchase of the isl
lnds no conquest in action now and no occasion for
lis acute change of front that issue Nothing that
lie has done more exposes his rattle-headed incou-
stency his lack OF principle his truffe hunting in
nct for expedicncy than his Janus faced course on
his ISSUE which he now seeks to use for his selfish
benefit and to gain the object of his ambition.