The age-herald., 1900-07-10
ECHOES OF THE KANSAS
 CITY CONVENTION

 is strong one, and it ought to be sue cessful.
 Governor Hill told me in Kansas City, however, that he very much feared the Democrats could not carry New York in the national election this year. He thinks the platform is an exceedingly strong one in all the features except that which speci- fically declares for the free coinage of sil- yer at the ratio of 16 to 1.
 
 The platform all through strikes me as a strong one. There are a few minor feat ures in it with which I do not agree. Every Democrat will find in it something to which he cannot assent. That is always the case Compare it with the Republican platform and see which one you will stand upon.
 
 I was amazed yesterday to hear num- Der of old-line Democrats sneering at the platform and arguing that there was noth- ing to the anti-imperialistic declaration contained therein
 That is simply a cateh-penny business" said one of them-a president of a great commercial organization in Birmingham He does not seem to realize that the ex- istence of our Republic and our present form of government depends upon the stop page of continuation and extension Of the imperialistic policy of the Republican party. There is the same difference be- tween the Republican policy and the Demo- cratic policy in dealing with territory which we have acquired by virtue of the war with Spain, that there is between our present form of government over the Ter ritory of Arizona, for instance, and the carpet-bag rule which existed in the South immediately after the war between the States.
 Take Porto Rico, for instance; our form of government there is distinctly imperial istic. We have sent to that island practi- cally Governor-General and staff. It has been annexed to the United States, yet we governing it as colony and placing a duty upon it's products. The people of the island, though intelligent, are given no rights of citizenship. Our form of govern ment is no better than that which Spain maintained over the island. The Republican pary's policy is to govern territory acquired as colonies-to own them absolutely and to govern them from Washington, without the consent or even the cooperation of their people in the conduct of the government This policy continued would eventually lead to a centralized form of government of this country from Washington entirely. It means tremendous standing army. It will mean with this army and with the power 1t can control by holding the rens of our government that the Republican party can change the Souths representa- ton in Congress, can place upon us an election lava force bill-and, if it desires can place an export duty upon certain American products, not favored by the government leaders, going into our colonial possessions.
 The only policy for our form of govern ment is that outlined in the Democratic platform, dealing with imperialism The Democratic party is in favor of proper territorial expansion and of trade expan- sion, but it believes In bringing it about at least cost to our people in both blood and treasure. What more can we gain in trade by absolute ownaship ot the Philippine Islands than we can by the establishment therein of a republic, protected from out side interference, such as has been given for nearly a century to the republics of Central and South America, and with a complete open-door policy to all American agricultural and manufactured products Why should we bear the expense of govern Ing with a tremendous standing army when republic, with our protectorate would achieve the same ends at one-hun- dredth part of the cost? No true Democrat or honest American citizen can disagree when he understands the question, with the Democratic platform on the subject of imperialism otherwise he cannot be a be- liever in the constitution of the United States.
 The Alabama delegation made quite a good record for itself in the Kansas City convention, though only Tennent Lomax had opportunity to speak, and unfortu- nately the convention was so noisy that only those near about the stand could hear him.
 In the groundswel which broke into a torrent for Hill, Col Frank White was perhaps the most conspicuous leader His enthusiasm was so great in sending Ala bamas standard to wave over Hill and in urging other delegations to do so, that he succeeded by sheer force of enthusiasm and will in getting Governor Smith of
 
 didate, to order Maryland's standard car ried to wave over where Hill sat. Captain White is a strong man of courage, brains and energy. Should he ever go into politics on his own account he will go high.
 Robert J. Lowe won every man on the Alabama delegation to him by his modest conduct in Kansas City. Though offered his choice of honors to be bestowed by the delegation he gracefully declined on the ground that the party had already highly honored him and others were entitled to the delegation honors.
 The Alabama delegation returned from Kansas City thoroughly imbued with con- fidence in the success of the Democratic ticket. They believe the platform and the candidates are such as to bring into line all Democrats in the and-in all sections-and bring about victory in States which went overwhelmingly Republican fOur years ago