The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1899-03-11

ernment.
For the control OF dependent nations
and slave races the fair-sounding name
OF imperialism has lately come into use.
1t has been hailed with JOY on the one
hand, for it is associated with armorial
bearings and more than royal pomp and
splendor; it has been made term OF re-
proach on the other, and our newspaper
politicians now hasten to declare that
they favor expansion only when it has no
taint Of Imperialism
"All this is mere quibble in names.
Conquest of the Orient is not expansion,
because there is no room for free man
hood to grow there.
Annexation without imperialism is
sheer anarchy. Annexation with impcri-
alism is still worse for, so far as it goes,
it means the abandonment Of democracy.
We make slave nations out OF the Philip
pines, but never free states in the sense
i'll which the name state applies to Maine
or Iowa or California.
The Philippines can have no part in
Our Federal Union Their scli-govcrn-
mcnt must be Of wholly different kind
the outgrowtll of their own needs and
dispositions. II we rule them success
iully we must control them i'll all respects
and especially we must do all their poll
tics for them, What they need is not
our freedom, but some form OF patcrnal
dcspotisln, or a monarchy OF their own.
which, as in Europe, will keep the people
out OF politics.
The cost of this whole business may
be urged as an argument against an
ncxatlon. 1t will appeal to our people as
the discussion OF the bill for the enlarge
ment OF the army plainly shows. 1t is
clearly evident that the cost of conquest,
or even military occupation of the Philip
pines. is grotcsqucly in excess OF any
possible gain to the government. We
may open the way for individuals and
corporations to grow rich, but the people
can never get their money back.
mo possible development OF the islands
can profit the people at large There is
no opening in the tropics for the small
farmer, none for the American laborcr,
or i'll general. none for any Of the rank
and file OF the American people Nor can
any be made by any act OF ours. We
cannot allow the conditions OF life in the
Orient. The question OF flag, other
things being equal, affects neither com
mercc nor industry
"Iradc never follows the flag because
it is a flag. Trade flies through the
open door, because it is door. Men
buy or sell wherever they can make
money
another sclfisl, argument is this:
That China is soon to be looted bv the
Powers OF Europe. We wish to be on
hand to get our share of her land and
trade. We would be in the center of the
fight, and to that end we would be as
Vulnerable as the rest. 4 held the en-
eny down. said brave John Phoenix, at
San Diego, with my nose. whicI, | in
serted between his teeth for that pur-
pose
I'VE have no machinery to handle the
affairs of other people We want none
because, to be effective, it must not be
democratic. Concentration OF authority
gives effectiveness at the expense OF
strength What is done through dcmoc-
racy has the power Of the people behind
1t. The ideal of democracy is that the
people should handle their own affairs
and theirs only
SO long as the people of the United
States rule themselves alone, SO long is
democracy safe. The influence of their
intelligence and their success is potent
everywhere. But this rule extended over
an alien and unwilling people ceases to
be democracy 1t loses its motive force
the consent OF the governed, and in
proportion as its efforts are successful,
SO does the Government OF the people
and by the people perish from the earth.
II apprcl1cnd that many of those who
now so flippanty scof at the heritage
the father of his country left us in his
last words OF admonition have never read
that venerable document. ] challenge
those who have, to show me a single
sentence OF general import in it that
would not as a wise rule OF national con-
duct, apply TO the circumstances OF to-
day
"Wllat is it that has given to Washing
tons farewell address an authority that
was rcvcrcd by all until our recent vic
tories made SO many OF us drunk with
wild ambitions? Not only the prestige
OF Washington's name, great as that was
and should ever rcnain-no, it was the
fact that, under respectful observance of
those teachings, this republic has grown
from the most modest beginnings into a
Union spanning the vast continent Our
people have multiplied from a handful to
75,ooo,ooo. We have risen from poverty
to wcaltl,-thc sum OF which the mag
ination can hardly grasp. This American
nation has become one OF the greatest
and most powerful on earth, and continu-
ing in the same course, will surely become
the greatest and most powerful OF ALL
"Not Washingtons name alone gave
his teachings their dignity and weight.
it was the practical results OF his policy
that secured to it, until now, the intcll-