The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-07
Delivered in COmmemOratiOn Of
Jackson Day.
is LARGELY DEVOTED
To the Discussion of Territorial
Expansion.
Warns Hanna Republicans That
Can't Do Every thing.

early so as to have Colonel w. j.
BRYAN present, as he is to respond to
toast at the Jackson banquet in chi
go tonight. This club has given many
notable banquets, but the one last night
was the most distinguished in it's his
tory, because of the presence OF Colonel
Bryan.
Democratic leaders from all over the
state held conferences with him during
the day, joining in the large reception
given Colonel Bryan at the chamber OF
commerce at noon over 400 plates were
turned at the Gibson House last night
The decora lions were elaborate. After
the addresses of retiring President
Louis Reemelin, and President-elect
Gideon c. Wilson, and of Mayor Tafel'
Edward Kibler and Judge W1l1am n.
Jackson, the guest of honor, William j.
Bryan, was introduced amid storm
of applause.
After discussing the Chicago platform
and emphasizing the 16 to plank, Col
Bryan took up the new questions that
have grown out of the war. He called
attention to the presidents recommer-
dations for a larger army and insisted
that the army should be divided into
two branches. the army for domestic
use in the United States, which, he said,
did not need to be increased; the army
of occupation, which is temporarily
necessary for use outside the United
States.
He said that the army OF occupation
should be recruited at once in order to
relieve the volunteers, but that the
term of service should be short, because
the nations policy is not yet settled
He suggested that the demand for
increase in the army might be consider
ed as the first fruit of that victory to
which the Republicans pointed with SO
much pride last November. turning TO
the question of annexation, he insisted
that the nation has not yet decided
what to do with the Philippine islands.
He spoke in part as follows:
1.-The sentiment of the people upon
any great question must be measured
during the days of elaboration, and not
during the hours of excitement. A good
man will some times be engaged in
fight but it is not reasonable to expect
a judicial opinion from him until he
has had time to wash the blood off his
face. i have seen a herd of mlld-eyed,
gentle kline transformed into Infatuated
beasts by the sight and scent of blood,
and 1 have seen the same animals quiet
and peaceful again in a few hours. We
have much of the animal in us still, in
spite of our civilizing processes. 1t is
not unnatural that our people should
be more sanguinary Immediately after
a battle than they were before, but it
is only a question of time when ref1ec-
ton will restore the conditions which
existed before this nation became en-
gagged in the war with Spain. When
men are excited they talk about what
they can do; when they are calm they
talk about what they ought to do.
the feelings of the people when they
were intoxicated by a military triumph,
we shall appeal from Philip drunk to
Philip sober The forcible annexation
of the Philippine islands would violate
a principle of American public law so
deeply Embedded in the American mind
that until a year ago no public man
would have suggested it. 1t is difficult
to over estimate the influence which
such a change in our national policy
would produce on the character of our
people
Our opponents ask, is our nation not
great enough to do what England, Ger
| many and Holland are doing? They
inquire, can we not govern colonies as
we'll as they? Whether we can govern
colonies as well other countries can
is not material; the real question is
whether we can, in one hemisphere, de-
Velop the theory that governments de-
rive their just powers from the consent
of the governed, and at the same time,
inaugurate, support and defend in the
other hemisphere government which
| derives it's authority entirely from su-
| perior force. And, if these two ideas
| of government can not live together,
| which one shall we choose?
ITO defend forcible annexation on the
| ground that we are carrying out a re-
| ligious duty is worse than absurd. The
Bible teaches US that it is more blessed
| to give than receive, while the colonial
| policy is based upon the doctrine that
| st is more blessed to take than to leave.
| I am afraid that the imperialistS have
| confused their beatitu0es. 1 once
| heard of a man who mixed up the par
| able of the good samaritan with the
| parable of the sower, and in attempting
| to repeat the former, said: "A man
| ,Jent from Jerusalem to Jericho, and
! as he went he fell among thorns and
! thorns sprang up and choked him. We
| entered the Spanish war as peace max
ers. Imperialists have an indistinct
| recollection that a blessing has been
| promised to the peacemakerS and also
| to the meek, but their desire for more
| territory has perverted their memories
| so that, as they recall the former, it
| reads Blessed are the peacemakers,
| for they shall inherit the earth
| Annexation can not be defended
| upon the ground that we shall find a
| pecuniary profit in the policy. The ad-
| vantage which may come to a few indi-
| cure valuable franchises can not prop
| erly be weighed against the money ex-
| pended in governing the Philippines, be-
| cause the money expended will be paid
| by those who pay the taxes. We are
| not yet in position to determine whether
| the people of the United States as a
| whole will bring back from the Philip
| pines as much as they send there. There
| is an old saying that it is not profitable
| to buy a lawsuit. Our nation may
learn by experience that it is not wise
| to purchase the right to conquer a
| people. Spain, under compulsion, gives
| us quit claim to the Philippines, in
| return for $40, 000, 900, but she does not
agree to warrant and defend our title
| as against the Philippines. To buy
1 land is one thing; to buy people is an
| other. Land is inanimate and makes
| no resistance to a transfer of title; the
| people are animate and some time de-
1 sire a voice in their own affairs. But
1 whether, measured by dollars and cents,
the conquest of the Philippines would