Amador ledger., 1900-09-21


explaining what imperialism is, 1.-The
President says of his instructions to the
Philippine commission: Until congress
shall take action, l directed that upon
every division and branch of govern
ment of the Philippines must be i'm
posed the inviolable rules:
THAT no person snail lie deprived OF
lie, liberty or property wi, hout due
process of law; that private property
shall not be taken for public use with
out just compensation; that ill all crini-
lnal prosecutions the accused shall ell
JOY the rights of speedy and public.
trial; to be informed of the nature and
cause of the accusation to be con-
frouted with the witnesses against him;
to have compulsory process for obtain
ing witnesses in his favor, and to have
the assistance of counsel for his de-
tense; that excessive bail shall not be
required, nor excessive fines imposed,
1or cruel and unusual punishment in
fiicted.'"
i And SO on, including all the blessed
safeguards to human liberty embodied
in our bill of rights and which have
been the heritage of English and Amer.
an people since the great Charter.
Therefore, what the President really
says" continues the Examiner, sis this:
".Until congress should direct other
wise l ordered that certain provisions of
the constitution of the United States Sc.
lected by me should be enforced
"In other words, William Mckinley
sets both himself and congress above the
constitution. He picks out certain parts
of the constitution which are to be ell
forced until he or congress orders otAer-
wise, and the rest is not to be executed
at all. Of course, if he has the power
to do that he has equally the power to
order his officials to ignore all parts of
the constitution alike. If that is not
imperialism, what would be good,
handy name for it?'
The writer agrees with the Examiner
that the foregoing is imperialism, if
there is such a thing in America, but
if it is not, good, handy name for it
would be "common-sense conduct"
But the American people will never
become greatly terrified at an imperial.
ism whose first overt act is to extend to
a lowly people the safeguards of the
Anglo American bill of rights, the in
carnation, bone and very bone, flesh
and very flesh, of human hber:y, the
foundation for self-government, the an
tidote to tyranny, the spirit cf juN laws
made perfect.
And think of what must have been
the effect of the blow which our i'm
perialistic President thus dealt to those
far away, stranger peoples! How it
must have stunned theml Having
never, in all their lives or the lives of
their ancestors, known liberty or JUS,
tice or security OF the safeguards of
Anglo American common law, to have
the exalted head of mighty aud con-
quering nation, with few strokes of
his pens hurl at them, unasked. the
safeguarding rights and PRIVILEGES
which cost the British people centuries
OF sacrifice and whose extentian to q
black brotherhood bathed the Great
Republic IN blood--to have this great
beneficence fall upon them as the rain
from heaven, as dew out of the star.
Light, to come to them as unsought as
the light OF the sun, as the balm of the
atmosphere. as salvation by the free and
! n,HHpurohased grace of Almighty God,
without their asking. without their ef-
| fort to be made recipients of the great
est boon known to human civilization!
Is it wonder that those humble peoples
have not yet awakened to q full realiza-
ton of what American imperialism
stands for? And is it wonder that
the assignees and devisees and legatees
of Fort Sumpter and Fort Pillow stand
aghast at it?
And, fellow citizens, this is imperial
| ism. Not Russian Imperialism nor Ger
man imperialism, the imperialism of the
Shah of Persia, nor yet the Imperialism
of Spain, but American imperialism.
the imperialism of President McXinlev
and the Republican party. Are you
afraid of it? Does it impress you as
jeopardizing our institutions? Has its
exercise by our great, magnanimous
President alarmed you OF has it exalted
him in your eyes? Do you not feel u
certain thrill of pride in having es.
poused such an imperial policy?
And what shall we say of the Exami-
ner!s objection to this imperialism, that
if the President has the power to do
this great and grand thing he will also
have the power to do something that is
not so great and grand, something that
may even be harmful2
Just this: Inasmuch as, when power
is delegated to man there is no way
under the sun whereby he may be made
to use that power for good and only for
good, we should be very careful what
sort Of man we give power to- That is
all that we can do about it.
The power that has been given 80
William Mckinley has been used in a
way that has reflected SO much glory
upon the country as to thrill every
American heart with pride in his Amer.
canis'a and in that sort OF imperialism
for which Americanism stands. There
fore, the public duty is plain-to con-
tlnue the imperial power of the presi-
dental office in the hands of the man
who has shown BY nearly four years of
crucial test that he is worthy of every
confidence that can be reposed in any
man OF woman born. A man who,
without being asked, is capable of con-
ferring upon hostile and wrong
beaded people the priceless boon of
Anglo American liberty as guaranteed
In our constitute al bill of rights, has
shown himself inv pable of any act of