The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-04-28
SOME GERMAN NEWSPAPER PUB
LISHERS.

A dispatch I'm the Journal of yesterday
stated that the German newspaper publish
ers of Missouri had held a meeting In St.
Louis 'for the purpose of defining their po-
sition regarding the new policy Of imperial
ism and militarism.' After considerable
discussion they adopted resolutions de-
nouncing malicious efforts to destroy the
historical friendship and create bad feeling
between the United States and Germany;
declaring that Germany has no unfriendly
intentions and no desire to oppose us in the
ORIENT asserting the loyalty of German
Americans to the government and conclud-
ing as follows:
True to the Constitution and traditions of
the Republic, we take a firm stand against
militarism and Imperialism, knowing that
the German-American citizens stand almost
unanimously against this new course, which
would endanger the welfare and the future
of the Republic.
The German newspaper publishers of Mis-
souri, seem to be taking themselves too seri-
ously. The total number Of German news
papers published in Missouri is thirty-eight,
of which six are published daily, twenty
five weekly, and the rest semi-weekly or
monthly. If every German newspaper pub
Usher in Missouri was present at the st.
Louis meeting, which is not at all probable.
the total attendance would have numbered
thirty-eight. AS a popular demonstration
this does not greatly outclass the three
tailors Of Tooley street" Nor is there any
reason to believe that the mass of the Ger
man-Americans In Missouri are excited
about the alleged Misrepresentation con-
corning the attitude of the German govern
ment or the relations between the United
States and Germany. There was no occasion
for the meeting. nor for the pro-
testations regarding the loyalty of
commandments, which no person
questions. There are over one thousand
English newspapers published in Missouri.
If the publishers of these papers should
hold a meeting and pass resolutions con-
demning the thirty-eight Germans for try
ing to organize a class sentiment on nation
al lines there would be a fine state of BROTH
erly love among the newspaper publishers
in Missouri.
The resolution quoted above is open TO
| criticism from another point of view. True
to the Constitution and the traditions of the
Republic says the resolution. I'VE take a
firm stand against militarism and imperial
ISM" 1t is probable that President McKin-
ley and his advisers and the American peo-
pie generally know as much about the Con-
stitution and the traditions OF the Republic
as the German newspaper publishers of Mis-
souri, do. But, waving that, one would like
to know what they mean by "militarism
and Imperialism" and what information
they have that this new course has been
determined upon. 1t does not look much like
militarism when the President declines TO
exercise the power which Congress has
given him TO call out thirty-ive thousand
volunteers. and as for imperialism" he has
disavowed any such policy in the strongest
possible manner in his speeches and papers.
The truth is, the two words have no place
in American political nomenclature They
belong in Germany. where militarism and
Imperialism both exist and flourish in their
most universal and offensive forms. The
silly talk about militarism Is absurdly mis-
timed when volunteers are returning by
thousands from Cuba. Porto Rico and the