Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-16

of the world to a decrease in their arms,
an increase in it's. Yet such seems to be
the imperative need, if we enter upon
the system of colonial expansion.
Now, the great economic problem in
this country is not how can a few men
make more money and pile up larger
fortunes, but how can the great body of
the people make a fair and comfortable
living? The right to work is again and
again insisted upon as more important
than the right to vote, n the cry of
the right to work is supplemented by
the cry that the state furnish work to
all who cannot obtain it elsewhere.
Are we likely to aid in solving this
problem by bringing into our national
life 10, 0oo, 900 or Il, 00o, 900 of unskilled Ma
lays laborers? We have shut the doors
| against he Chinese. Are they any worse
! than the Malay? Shall we introduce in
this nation more cheap labor? I do not
wonder at the action Of the Federation of
Labor in protesting against a new COM
petition Of cheap labor as we'll as an in
crease of the army, with it's consequent
| increase of burden and taxation on the
! employed laborer.
But there is money in 1t. And after all
+! this lis really the most potent factor in
the proposed reaching out after the is
lands of the Orient. The wealth Of Or
mus and of India is today, as in the days
of Milton, the expectation and the dream
of many. Possession of the Orient, with
its accumulated wealth of centuries, daz-
zles the imagination and c%onfuses he
judgment. The haze of mystery hangs
over that vast domain. Wealth untold is
Ebelieved to be there. ready to be appro-
priated by any dominant power.
The problem we havesought to work
out in this nation is that Of government
of and by and for the people. A great
nation upon that principle seems posi-
BILE only under q federal seems possible
| nnlv lJnHar "a fndnJs1l CvSfaro n cycfnr1
| which relegates all matter of local inter-
est to the several states and exercises
through the national government only
those powers and functions which mike
for the general welfare.
We are old we nave become so great
and powerful that the world needs us,
but what the world most needs is not the
touch of our power. butthe blessings of
our example. 1t needs the bright example
of a free people not disturbed by any il
lusions of territorial acquisition, of Pc
cuniary gain or military glory, but con-
tent with their possessions and striving
through all the abilities, activities and
Industries of their wisest and most earn
est to make the life of Zach Individual
citizen happier, better and more con-
tent.
Two visions rise before me:
One of a nation growing in popula-
ton, riches and strength; reaching out
the strong hand to bring within is do
minion weaker and distant races and
lands; holding them by force for the
rapid wealth they may ~bring-with per-
haps the occasional glory. success and
sacrifice of war: a Wondrously luxuri-
GUS life into which the fortunate few
shall enter: an accumulation of lnagni-
cence which fer a term will charm and
dazzle, and then the shadow of the aw-
, full question whether human nature has
changed, and the old law, that history
repeats itself. has lost it's force, whether
the ascending splendor of imperial power
is to be followed by the descending
gloom of luxury, decay and ruin.
Thu other of a nation where the spirit
of the Pilgrim and the Huguenot re-
mains the living and controlling force,
affirming that the deelara.i, IN OF inde-
p%endence. the farewell address Of the
father of his country and the Monroe
doctrine shall never pass into innocuous
desuetude; devoting it's energies to 2ha
development of the i~nexhaustible re-
sources of it's great continental territory;
solving the problem of universal and pO-
litical liberty, of a government by the
consent of the governed. where no king.
no class and M race rules, but each In