Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-08-16

resolution had been adopted by the senate
at the time of the ratification of the
treaty or at any time afterwards, it would
have taken the question of Imperialism
out OF politics and left the American peo-
pie free TO deal with their domestic prob
lens. But the resolution was defeated by
the vote of the republican vice president.
and from that time to this a republican
congress has refused to take any action
whatever in the matter.
Cowardiy Accusations
When hostilities broke out at Manila.
ors at once sought to lay the blame upon
those who had delayed the ratification of
the war, the same republicans have ac-
eused the opponents of imperialism of CIV
ing encouragement to the Fflipinos: This
is a cowardly evasion of responsibility
If it is right for the United States to
hold the Philippine islands permanently
of colonies, the republican party
ought to state its position and defend ii,
but it must expect the subject races to
protest against such a policy and TO resist
TO the extent of their ability. The Filipinos
do not need any encouragement from Amer
been an encouragement, not only to the
Fflipinos but to all who are denied a voice
In their own government If the republic
ans are prepared to censure all who have
used language calculated to make the
Fflipinos hate foreign domination, let them
When he uttered that passionate appeal:
"Give me liberty or give me DEATH" he
expressed a sentiment which still echoes
IN the hearts of men. Let them censure
Jenerson; of all the statesmen of history.
none nave used words SO offensive to those
bondage. Let them censure Washington,
who declared that the colonists must
choose between liberty and slavery. Or,
II the statute of limitations has run against
the sins of Henry and Jefferson and Wash
lngton; let them censure Lincoln, whose
Gettysburg speech will be quoted in de-
tense OF popular government when the
present advocates of force and conquest
Some one has said that a truth once
spoken can never be recalled. 1t is true.
IL goes on and on, and no one can set a
limit TO its ever widening influence. But
If it were possible TO obliterate every word
written or spoken in defense of the prin-
dependence, a war of conquest would still
leave its legacy of perpetual hatred, for
human heart the love of liberty. He never
made a race of people so low in the scale
of civilization or intelligence that it would
welcome a foreign master.
Lincoln said that the safety of this nation
was not in its fleets, its armies or its forts.
but in the spirit which prizes liberty and
the heritage of all men, in all lands, every
where; and he warned his countrymen that
they could not destroy this spirit without
PIantlng the seeds OF despotism at their
Those who would have this nation en-
not only the effect of Imperialism on the
F1ipinos. but they must also calculate its
erect upon our own nation We cannot
ment in the Philippines without weaken
Ing that principle here
ParaIyzing Imperialism.
Even now we are beginning to see the
paralyzing influence of Imperialism. Here
tofore, this nation has been prompt to ex-
press its sympathy with those who were
fighting for civil liberty. While our sphere
ern hemisphere, our thies have not
Deen bounded by the seas. We have felt
IT due to ourselves and to the world, as
well as to those who were struggling for
the right to govern themselves. to pro-
claim the interest which our people have.
from the date of their own independence,
felt in every contest between human
g and arbitrary power. Three-quar-
tiers of a century ago, when our nation
was small, the of Greece
aroused our people. and Webster and Clay
gave eloquent expression to the universal
desire for Grecian independence. In 1896,
all parties manifested a lively interest
in the success of the Cubans. but now
ca, which must result in the extension of
the monarchial idea or in the triumph of
a republic the advocates of imperialism
in this country dare not say a word in
behalf of the Beers. Sympathy for the
Beers does not arise from any unfriend-
illness toward England; the American peo-
pie are not unfriendly toward the people
of any nation This sympathy is due to
the fact that. as stated in our platform,
ment and reject, as did our forefathers.
the claims of monarchy. If this nation
SQTrenUeTS 1IS DeIGI IN the universal aD-
plication of the principles set forth in
the declaration of independence. it will
lose the prestige and influence which it
has enjoyed among the nations as an ex-
ponent of popular government.
Our opponents. conscious of the weak
ness of their cause. seek to confuse i'm
perialism with expansion, and have even
dared to claim Jefferson as a supporter
of their policy Jefferson spoke so freely
and used language with such precision
that no one can be ignorant of his views.
On one occasion he declared: IF there
any other in the mind of every American.
it is that we should have nothing to do
with conquest" And again he said: Con
quest is not in our principles: It is in
consistent with our government"
Right Kind of Expansion.
The forcible annexation of tergitory to
be governed by arbitrary power differs as
be built up into states as a monarchy diff
ferS from a democracy. The democratic
party does not oppose expansion, when
expansion enlarges the area of the repub-
lie and Incorporates land which can be
settled by American citizens. or ADDS to
become citizens and are capable of dis
charging their duties as such. The acqui-
Texas and other tracts which have been
secured from time to time, enlarged the
republic, and the constitution followed the
flag into the new territory. 1t is now pro-
posed to seize upon distant territory al
ready more densely populated than our own
government, for which there is no war
rant in our constitution or our laws. Even
the argument that this earth belongs TO
those who desire to cultivate it and have
the. physical power to acquire it cannot
be invoked to justify the appropriation of
the Philippine Islands by the United States.
If the islands were uninhabited American
citizens would not be willing to go there
and till the soil. The white race will not
live so near the equator. Other nations
have tried to ~colonize in the same latitude.
The Netherlands have controlled Java for
800 years, and yet to-day there are less
than $1,000 people of European birth scat
tered among 100000 natives: AFTER a
century and a half of English domination
in India, less than one-twentteth OF one
per cent. of the people of India are of Eng
British soldiers to take care of the tax
collectors. Spain has asserted title to the
Philippine islands for three centuries and
yet, when our fleet entered Manila bay,
siding in the Philippines.
A colonial policy means that We shall
send to the Philippines a few traders, a few
taskmasters and a few office holders, and
an army large enough to support the au-
thority of a small fraction of the people
while they rule the natives.
Increase in Regular Army.
If we have an imperial policy we must
have a large standing army as its natural
and necessary complement. The spirit
which will Justify the forcible
of the Philippine islands will justify the
seizure of other islands and the domino
ton of other people, and with wars of con-
quest we can expect a certain, if not rapid,
growth of our military establishment.
That a large permanent increase In our
regular army is intended by the repub-
lican leaders is not a mere matter of con-
lecture, but a matter of fact. In his mes
sage of December 5, 1898, the president
ing army to 100. 900. II 1896 the army con-
tanned about p, 600 men. Within two years
the president asked for four times that
many, and a republican house of repre-
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