Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1899-08-16
cuNP0WDER GOSPEL.
canfield's Weekly St. Paul Letter Con
tanning Comment on Matters PoIit-
icai Of the State and Nation.
Reform Press Bureau.
ST PAM. A,1p Ia 1900

ST. PAUL. Aug. IA, 1899.
The opposition to imperialism in all
parts Of the country has been empha-
sized by, numerous events Of the past
week. First, perhaps, is the apparent
determination of the administration to
go ahead with it's policy of conquest,
shown in the preparations for still
larger increase of the armed forces, as
fast as the new secretary of war is able
to procure them. This, however is
likely to be slow, Judging from the fact
that full month has not yet completed
the 10000, leading to tho belief that
draft may be necessary before we are
done with the case. The confined un-
compromising attitude of Mr.. Bryan is
crystalizing the opposition movement,
and his article in the last New York In
dependent has been another effective
agent. This is characterized as his
"Gunpowder Gospel" and all the or
gained anti-imperialists are giving it a
wide circulation. The pith of that arti-
Gle is the following:
1T is not sufficient to say that the forci-
BILE annexation of the Philippine Islands
is benevolent undertaking entered upon
for the good of the Filipinos Lincoln
pointed out that this has always been the
argument of kings. To use his words:
They always bestrode the necks of the
people, not that they wanted to do it, but
because the people were better off for be-
ing ridden It is surprising that any be-
lever in self-government should favor
forcible annexation, but still more sur
prising that any one who believes in the
Christian religion should favor the sub
stitution of force for reason in the extern
sion of our nations influence.
IF we adopt the gunpowder gospel in
the Philippines, how long will it be be-
fore that principle will be transplanted in
American soil?
$50 long as our arguments are adj
dressed to the reason and the heart our
progress is sure But can we, without
danger to Christianity, resort to the
ancient plan of injecting religion into the
body through bullet holes!"
That the organized anti-imperialists
are more than likely to be found sup
porting Mr.. Bryan's election next year
is daily more probable although they
are so largely former Republicans. In
private letters received by tho writer
from Secretary Winslow of the Boston
and Washington organizations, he
writes:
"In his article in The Independent
Mr.. Bryan seems to stand on our plat
form with both feet. Mr.. Bryan seems
to be growing stronger and stronger on
anti-imperialism."
The recent upheaval in the grain de.
partment has brought to light numer-
our stories of stealing and fraud in the
department which, while not as yet in
sh3pe to be officially investigated, are
still most delightfully."- sweet morsels of
Republican rascality. One thing is
certain, that in the honest administra-
ton of Inspector Reishus there will be
an end to open swindles by the usual
routes of false weights, excessive dock
age, unemptied cars, false bottoms to
elevator hoppers and the like. See if
there is not.
On the day Clausen is supposed to
have won his victory we were accosted
by friend near the Minneapolis Cham
Der of Commerce, who asked if we
would like to see some of the state in
spection officials and how they were
rejoicing over Clausen's triumph. We
entered a saloon near the Chamber, and
in q rear apartment five men were in
an extremely hilarious condition. Four
OF them were inspectors of the ''skilled"
variety. The friend informed us that
they spent the remainder of the day in
q drunken rejoicing, and the night
somewhere else!-all at the expense of
the state grain department, and yet an
attempt to change such state officials is
to inject too much politics into the dc.
partment. Bah!
And friend recalls the celebrated
Holcomb case of a few years ago, in
which Holcomb, an employe of the
Union, one of the Pillsbury system of
elevators, was indicted and placed on
trial for stealing 10000 bushels of
wheat. The proof was conclusive, it
being shown when shipments were
made and where the grain was sold.
When it came to the defense, Holcomb's
counsel demanded an inspection of the
books to show whether from the books
there had actually been any grain miss
ing from the elevator. Such an exami-
nation showed that instead of any grain
being missing, the 10000 bushels were
there and 10000 bushels more, so that
dolcomb's stealing Of 20, 1000 was more
than Offset by the amount the elevator
was ahead; through weights and other