The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-28

fundamental principles in our gov
eminent. 1t is not at issue in this
campaign. AS question involving
particular annexation, as of Cana
Ga or Mexico, with the consent of the
people of the territory to be annexed,
1t is to be discussed on its merits,
apart from the bottom principles of
government, and in consideration
chiefly of the character of the people
to be annexed, the location of the
territory and the wisdom or unwis-
dom of placing no limits upon the
boundaries of a free nation of CO.
equal States.
imperialism is vitality different
matter. 1t means the forcible annex
alton OF peoples to be held outside
of the constitution and governed by
arbitrary power, without any respon-
sibility whatever to the subject col
Ony. This is the course of the admin
istration respecting the Philippines
and Porto Rico, and the Imperialism
of the Cars government is not more
pronounced and absolute than this.
The engagements of United States
territory i'm the past have been OF
territory mostly uninhabited, and
without opposition where inhabited,
and territory which has either been
already raised into Statehood or is
on the way thereto. The present
anneXations are by force, of terrific
ry more densely populated than our
own, and territory TO be held in
State of vassalage outside of the con-
stitution. That was expansion; this
is Imperialism. AS Senator HOar said
in his speech of April II:
The men who say that Jeffer-
son violated the doctrine of the
Declaration when he bought Lou
isiana, and John Quincy Adams
when he acquired Florida. and
Sumner when he made his great
speech for Alaska, might, with as
much reason, justify rape. by
citing the precedent of every law
full marriage that has taken place
since the beginning of time.
ut is asserted that ''imperialism"
is a trumped-up term, and antl-lmpe-
rialists are asked to produce the en-
neror. or even his shadow. The forms
of Imperialism never appear until
long after the essence of it has gain
ed hold on the government. And
the people are now face to face with
the essence of it. The term is no
recent invention. 1t has an accepted
meaning for precisely the tendencies
now under consideration. Froude,
the English historian, is writing of
the imperilizing of Rome, and of inn
peral rule and of an imperialist over
throw of the Roman republic, when
he says:
eff there be one lesson which
history clearly teaches it is this:
That free nations cannot govern
subject provinces. If they are
unable or unwilling to admit their
dependencies to share their own
constitution. the constitution it.
self will fall in pieces, through
mere incompetence for its duties.
"And imperial Rome began when
Republican Rome began career of
conquest and refused to admit its de-
tendencies to share in the Roman
constitution. That was Imperialism,
not expansion, and it differs in no
essential respect from the policy
which Mr.. McKinley's administration
would now force upon the United
States"
Expansion made Rome great and
powerful country; Imperialism
brought about its fall. This Repnb-
lie is great as a Republic; if it fol-
lows the course now pursued by this
administration its days as Repub-
lie are rapidly drawing to an end.