Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1900-07-12
Again Declares that all Governments Get Their Just
Powers From Consent of the Governed--
Opposes Imperialism
Which Leads to Despotsn--Dem that McKin-
leys Policy of r1tarism be Overthrown--
Opposes Private rlonopolies.
Chicago Platform Reaffirmed--Denounces the Pres
ent Currency Law, Blacklisting, and Gov
ernment by Injunction.

I nearly a century to the republics of
| Central and South America.
| The greedy commercialism which
dictated the Philippine policy of the
republican administration attempts
to justify it with the plea that it will
pay, but even this sOrdid and un-
worthy plea fails when brought to the
test Of facts. The war Of terminal
aggression against the Filipinos, en-
failing an annual expense of many
millions, has already cost more than
any possible profit that could accrue
from the entire Philippine trade for
| years to come. Furthermore, when
trade is extended at the expense of
liberty the price is always too high.
| We are not opposed to territorial
expansion, when it takes in desirable
territory which can be erected into
states in the union, and whose people
are willing and tit to become Ameri-
can citizens. We favor trade eXpan-
! sion by every peaceful and legitimate
means. But we are unalterably Op-
posed to the seiZing and purchasing of
distant islands, to be governed outside
Of the constitution and whose people
can never become citizens.
We are in favor Of extending the
republics influence among the ma
| tions, but believe that influence
! should be extended not by force and
violence but through the persuasive
power Of a high and honorable eX-
ample.
The Importance Of other questions
| now pending before the American
people is in no way diminished and
the democratic party takes no back
ward step from it's position on them,
but the burningi issue Of Imperialism
growing out of the Spanish war in
| wolves the very existence of the re-
public and the destruction of our free
! institutions. We regard it as the
paramount issue of the campaign.
| throw Militarism.
The declaration in the republican
platform adopted at the Philadelphia
convention held in June, 1900,
that the republican party ''stead-
faStly adheres to the policy announced
in the Monroe doctrine" is mani
ifestly insincere and decepti This
profession is contradicted by the
Iavowed policy of that party in op-
position to the spirit of the Monroe
doctrine, to acquire and hold sOver
leignty over large areas of territory and
large numbers OF people in the
eastern hemisphere.
\ We insist on the strict maintenance
Iof the Monroe doctrine and in all it's
Integrity, both in letter and in spirit,
as necessary to prevent the extension
Of the European authority on this
lcOntinent and as essential to our
lSupremacy in American affairs. At
the same time we delare that no
american people shall ever be held by
force in unwilling subsection to Eu-
ropean authority.
We oppose militarism. 1t means
|cOnquest abroad and intimidation and
depression at home. 1t means the
strong arm which has ever been fatal
to free institutions. 1t is what mil.
lions Of our citizens have fled from in
Europe. It will impose on our peace
loving people a large standing army,
an unnecessary burden of taxation
! and constant menace to their liber-
ties. A small standing army and a
well disciplined state militia are amply
sufficient in time of peace. This re-
public has no place for a vast military
lService and cOnscriptiOn. When the
nation is in danger the volunteer sol
dier is his countrys best defender
The national guard of the United
States should ever be cherished in the
patriotic hearts of free people,
Such organizations are ever an ele.
ment of strength and safety.
For the first time in our history and
coeval with the Philippine conquest
has there been wholesale departure
from our time-honored and approved
system of volunteer organization.
We denOunce it as un-Amercan, un-
democratic and un-republican and as
a subverSiOn of the ancient and fixed
principles of free people.
Unceasing War Against all Private Mo-
nopolies.
Private mOnoplieS are indefenSible
and intolerable. They destroy COM
petition, control the price of all ma
terial, and of the finished product,
thus robbing both producer and con-
sumer. They limit the employment
of labor and arbitrarily fix the terms
and conditions thereof deprive indi-
vidual energy and small capital of
their opportunity for betterment.
They are the most efficient means
yet devised for appropriating the
fruits of industry to the benefit of the
few at the expense Of the many, and
unless their unSatiate greed is
checked all wealth will be aggregated
in a few heads and the republic de-
)stroyed. The dishonest palterine