Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-07-13
THE FUTURE FROM FANEUL
HALL.

One of the most eloquent and, in n
way, fairest pleas for Imperialism that
has been made thus far is to be found
in the address of Stephen ,O'Meara,
editor of the Boston Journal, at Fame
uil Hall, on July the Fourth. Natural
ly Mr. O'Meara was only incidentally
partisan in his advocacy of the new
doctrine. Here is his exposition of the
situation in closing:
with dim past and vivid pres
ent, past wrapped in the vestments
OF tender tradition, crowned with our
gratitude, purified by charity. sancti-
fled by death, and Il present naked,
accused, defiled, striving before us to
carry its burdens and conquer its
tasks-between such Il past and such
Il present just judgment can he given
only in the knowledge and the light of
that law which has ruled from the be-
ginning and must rule to the end. the
law of progress through conflict.
everywhere through conflict, always
through conflict.
Il believe that the patriotism of the
fathers is matched i'll the patriotism of
the sons. ! believe that our country
its government. its people and it's pub
lie servants arc wiser and stronger
than ever before. I believe that the
feeble union of States which the faith
crs created. hating. doubling. fearing
through contest and compromise. but
gloriously after all-that the country
which has grown four-fold in size
twenty-fold in population, and Il hun
dred fold in wealth. is guided more
prudently, is guarded more effectively.
and can see before ii Il brighter assur-
anoc for The future than the little re-
hnOpn fuI m
rcer toward the close of the last CEN
tury."
With Mr.. OMeara's optimism we
need not quarrel; 1t is justified by rhe-
toric If not by facts. a careful read
ing OF this excerpt. however. shows n
remarkable fallacy and an equally re-
markablc misunderstanding of the po-
stion and contention of those who do
not share Mr.. O'Meara's optimism as
to the future. This fallacy is the as
sumption that if Imperialism does not
cndanger the existence of the United
States as n nation, we have nothing to
fear from it: that because the feeble
union of States which the fathers Gre
ated" has grown four-fold in size.
twenty-fod in population, and n hun
dred fold in wealth." that any increase
in size hereafter must continue to be
as beneficial as it has been heretofore.
AS Il matter of fact. 1t is not the ma
ton mainly, but the citizen that i'm
perialism menaces. The nation may
grow larger and more formidable TO
its ncighbors. when all the while the
condition of its citizens grows worse.
For a time this is what might be OK
pcctcd with the triumph of imperial
ism to so forward. But it cannot be
too often nor too strongly emphasized
that to strengthen the government
does not mean to help the citizen: 1t
may mean to impoverish and enslave
him. There has been no need to
strengthen the United States as a ma
ton before the war with Spain it was
impregnable. 1t must follow that
whatever exalts the nation at the ex-
pense of the individual is a step in the
wrong direction, and is an actual
menace. While Imperialism increases
the chances OF war and is therefore
deplorablc. the main objection to it
lies in the burdens it places upon
the shoulders of the citizen. the
taxes it eXacts without return. the ex-
aitation of the soldier at the expense
Of the civilian, and. above all. the in
culcation of the ideals OF absolutism
and OF brute force which must finally
result In the destruction OF free gov
eminent.
Mr.. O'Mearas reference to the claw
of progress through conflict" is mis-
leading. Peace hath its conflicts and
its victories even more than war. 1t
is the conflicts of peace. not of war.
that bring progress. This country had
peace for thirty years. and in that
time its trade started conflicts and
won victories in every market of the
world. Just in proportion as the encr-
sies of a nation are absorbed in the
conflicts of war or in preparation for
them will it fail in the conflicts of
peace, the conflicts that make for pro-
Gress. That is history. It's applica-
! ton to our present policy is easy.
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