Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-12-03


excite and incense all Europe, is every
whit as bad, and every whit as dan
gerous. The trust party openly de-
GIares the financial dependence Of the
United States upon Great Britain, and
1t has looked to that country-and not
In Tain-for Its domestic policies, and
for substantial aid in It's savage cru
sade upon American liberties. But will
It be allowed to perfect and maintain
the proposed alliance. which is to bind
up the American Republic with the
British Empire and put, in large meas
ure the destinies of emancipated HUI
manity in this hemisphere In the keep
ing of Its ancient foes? Will our peo-
pie take kindly to this proposition?
How many Americans unbribed and
uncoerced could be induced to vote for
II: Peace, commerce and honest
friendship with all nations. enhancing
alliances with none,' expresses moi
merely the traditional doctrine of the
Democratic party but the deliberate
resolve. an hundred years old, of the
American people, which they have seen
no reason In recent events 10 change,
and certainly none to change In behalf
OF that aggressive nation whose often
siPe conduct provoked it's original pro-
mitigation. What Is 1t other than the
common interest of the moneyed classes
OF the Republic and of the empire seek
ing to monopollze the profits of pro-
ductiVe labor the world over, which
could induce the consideration of such
an unnatural and perilous arrangement
at TINS time? Has Great Britain done
us any remarkable service in recent
years to Offset the multitude of wrongs
lnfiicted? FIas she offered to cancel the
Ciayton-Bulwer treaty, or does she ex.
pect us to admit it's validity, and allow
ner an equal control or the Nicaragua
canal! Has she conceded anything in
the boundary controversy? Is she dis
mantling her formidable military and
naval stations In the Western world
and relying upon American justice for
the protection of her interests? No:
nothing like this. She claims to have
sympathized with the stronger side in
the Spanish war, and in return the
British party" here is to place the
United States at her back, at a crisis
when she may be called upon to face
half the world in arms. We want the
most friendly relations and the freAst
commerce with Great Britain. I've
would wisely suffer and concede and
forbear to the farthesr limit in the
future as In the past. to avoid serious
collision But the people of this coun-
try Will tolerate no alliance and no un-
Outstanding or concerted drift which
amouoSs to an alliance. If ever the
evil day comes when, In spite of the
warnings of our forefathers. and Mn
sacrifice of all the blessed advantages
OF our remote and secure situation. we
are dragged over into "the bloody fields
or Europe it will not be at the tail
OF the empire which strove to crush
our liberties in two barbarous wars,
ana whose diplomacy was employed for
century III resisting and harrassing
our progress to the wealth and power
whose protection has now become so
obviously desirable. It is not much to
say that the British party" like its
predecessor, has taken on in this Brit
ish alliance heavier load than it can
Well carry. The American people cling
lnstinctively to the Jeffersonian policy
OF growing instead OF arming," and
should the American party, as distin-
guished from the British trust party
succeed in 1900 it will be steadily pur-
sued In the future, as in. the past.
But the managers and newspaper or
gans of the moncyed oligarchy. who
are not ashamed of the British alliance,
and who propose to substitute the rule
of the trusts for the rule of the peo-
pie IN the United States pretend to
be deeply alarmed lest the American
party shall assume an attitude mimi
cal to the progress, honor or glory of
our country on the Asiatlc side. Any
opposition whatever to the British CO.
lonial system in the East, upon which
III their feverish state OF Anglo-mania,
they have already resolved, rs a holy
model for this Republic to copy, is
calmly set down as sedition. IL not
treason, and we are given TO understand
that since the new order of things in
this late lana of the free, the Execu-
tive must be allowed to make wars at
pleasure and to conduct them as he
likes without scrutiny or criticism. AS
to the war Of liberation and redemption
in Cuba. the Democrats forced 1t on
and fought 1t out, in the spirit of Dem
ocratic tradition and of the Democratic
Monroe doctrine. They voted supplies,
furnished troops. followed the flag and
left the patronage. plumber, politics and
profits Of the war to their opponents.
Now. however, that an unexpected Incl
dent OF the war for Cuba has brought
US an acquisition in Asiatic waters,
which was not at all In view at the out
set, they ask not that the Philippine
archipelago shall be abandoned but
that the long -drawn and bloody strug-
gle for the restoration of order shall be
mitigated and possibly ended by official
assurances that the inhabitants are not
to be held in colonial slavery, but are,
| on the contrary, to receive and to en-
joy all the blessings of American lib
erty. The Executive, though ever so
much disposed. cannot lawfully with
draw our forces. The islands are ours.
| They became ours in every legal and
| military sense when Dewey's victory
| destroyed the Spanish power and dis
| placed forever the Spanish sovereignty.
They became ours by another, though,
! perhaps, not better title, by the treaty
| of Paris. The treaty was the act Of
the nation, and Is for the present the
law of the land-of the United States
as we'll as of the Philippine archipelago.
Democratic Senators supported it. Mr..
| Bryan advised it's ratification. 1t is the