Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-08-09
Communicated.
EDlToR Mo. VALLEY TINES

| A short time ago we read in an ad.
ministration paper the definition OF
imperialism" and the apparent effort
of the writer, was to answer the reader
that this is a great and geed country
we'll able and competent to WELD a
helpful influence over those less fortu-
nate. He stated that the word "lmpe-
rial naturally implied an Emperor as
ruler, and argued that the word as used
in relation to the issues in the present
campaign, was only q bug bear, used
to brighten the uniformed; and as this
country was not under All emperor,
therefore the word 'imperialism" has
no place, or meaning, with us.
Now, it is a recognized fact that the
word imperial means .uling or govern.
ing, from which there is no recourse
and it is just as possible for republic
to become an imperial government as
for an empire to do so.
For instance: England, together with
Ireland. Scotland and Wales, is a king.
dom, of which Victoria is queen; each
of these countries send representatives
to parliament
India, another portion of the same
country has no representation in par
lament, no voice in the making of Its
own laws; it has no recourse from the
laws made for it, and enforced by the
ruling country; and while Victoria is
| Queen of Great Britain, she is also
Empress of India. So France, while
a republic at home, is imperialistic to-
ward its possessions whose people have
no voice in its legislative affairs; and
while the Executive is President of
France, he is defacto Emperor of their
possessions.
An Imperial government therefore
is u government which makes laws, no;
only for the government of its OWL
people, but also fer the government nt
those who are without representation
in the making of those laws This was
the condition of Cuba under Spanish
rule; this is the con 'ition of India UNI
der British rule, and the s4ma conGl-
tions are proposed for Porto Rico and
the Philippines under American rule:
and it matters not whether the home
government is all Empire, a Kingdom,
or Republic; the same existing con
ditions render each an Imperialistic or
governing power. The Shah of Persia
or the Car of Russia, is no more al,
Imperialist than is the Republic that
makes laws for the government Of :.
Possession without the consent of the
people thereof. But We are told THAI
Porto Rico came to us as a free GIFT;
that the people of that island consent
ed to the change, and therefore the
United States has both legal aud a
moral right to frame such laws for the
government of the said island as they
may deem best.
| That we may have legal right may
be true, but long time ago our fore
fathers declared that a sufficient cause
for rebellinn was taxation without rep.
resentatlon, and that all just govern
ments derived its power from the con
sent of the governed; and yet these are
exactly the conditions which are sought
to heimposed upon the newly acquired
territory by the United States; and
while the Mckinley administration
will make no promises of any definite
form of government, or disposition OF
Porto Rico and the Philippines, and
the administration organs only speak
of them as Colonies, possessions, &c.
yet they wonder why the Philippines
not tamely submit to a prospective
vassalage!
The Cuban too, was told that as
soon as stable form of government
could be established, they would be al.
lowed government Of their own. But
they have already received q few ob.
ject lessons on civilization, stablegov
eminent, and enlightened statesman
ship" in their postal affairs, and nc
doubt by the time the Americans give
them the same lessons in Customs, 10
cal taxation, department of education
&c, the Cuban citizen will be thor
oughly competent to run his own ma
chine OH the most approved American
plan, sanctioned by McKinley-Ilanna
and the office holders and republican
politicians, and by that time the reve-
nues of the Island will be so short tina,
it will take at least Two Commission
ers to look after affairs, and this viii
give good opportunity tofurnish few
sappers with good jobs.
We are sometimes led to wonder
whether in the present trouble in Chi
ma we should use the term: "Crimina
Aggression" or Benevolent Assimi-
lation." Every administration organ
hastens to tell us that this government
is opposed to any partition of China
but we remember that President Nc
Kinley said that the acquisition of ter
ritory as result of the war with Spai1
would be CRIMINAL AGGRESSION" anC
when Spain was vanquished. and la,
bleeding at our feet, we demanded the
cession of Porto Rico and the Phillip
ions; but it was not "Criminal Aggres
sion" it was only Benevolent Assim