The Savannah morning news., 1900-07-06


Republican party fondly hoped would as
sist in giving il another lease of power.
furnishes the issue in the presidential
campaign which the Democratic party
makes the paramount one. 1t is the is
sue OF imperialism. While ii is true that
party cannot make an issue paramount
/ by simply saying that il considers it so,
I there is every reason for thinking that the
/ people viii regard the issue of Imperialism
/ as the paramount one in the campaign.
| They are thinking about imperialism more
| than any other public question. 1t Is
| brought home 10 them by the burdensome
war taxes which are continued in force to
maintain armies TO carry out the impe-
realistic policy of the Republican party.
and it is kept fresh in their minds by the
fear that if the movement in the direc-
ton of Imperialism is not checked il will
acquire such force that it will change the
form OF the government from republican
to imperial
The Democratic party is not against ex-
pansion-the right kind of expansion. 1t
has always been the party of expansion,
but it does not believe in acquiring dis
tant islands by purchase or conquest-isl-
ands inhabited by people who cannot ever
become citizens. There is no doubt that
the declaration against imperialism is a
strong one. The great majority of the
American people are against holding on to
the Philippines as permanent possession
They see no profit in them, and, besides,
they do not believe that it is consistent
for a republic to deprive peoples of their
liberty. The Democratic party does not,
of course, favor abandoning the F'ilfpinos
Its policy is to assist them in establishing
stable government and then make
them independent, giving them such pro-
lection however, as we give the republics
of South and Central America. If the
policy of the Republican party is adhered
to imperialism and miltarism are certain
TO be the result.
The declaration against trusts is in
striking contrast with the trust declara-
ton in the Republican platform. The
Republican declaration creates the i'm
preston that the party making il is trying
TO find an excuse for trusts. The Demo
cratic declaration leaves no doubt in the
public mind that the Democratic party is
very much in earnest in its purpose to de-
stroy trusts that seek to rob he people
There are two things in the Democratic
declaration that are worthy of special no
tice One is the assertion that the Ding
ley tariff is largely responsible for the
trust evil, and must be reformed. and the
other is that there appears to be a sort of
understanding between the Republican
party and trusts that trusts shall contribute
literally to the campaign fund of that
party in return for its protection. 1t is
doubtful If the plank against trusts could
be better or more strongly expressed.
1t is a question, of course. whether the
convention acted wisely in making a dis
tinct declaration in respect to silver. The
opposition to giving silver prominence in
the platform was very great StiH, the
people know where the Democratic party
stands on the silver question. and it is
probable that those Democrats who will
vote against the ticket because of the sill
yer plank would vote against 1t if the plat
form contained only a simple reaflrmation
of the Chicago platform. The party has
dealt frankly with the people and, after
all, the people are always more willing
and ready TO trust party that deals
frankly with them than they are to trust
a party that does not appear to be willing
TO trust them
The platform is a much better campaign
document than the Republican platform
II is a stronger and ADLER document from
every point of view and it is safe TO say
that there will be no charges made that
parts of it were suppressed by the Plat
form Committee. as there were in the case
of the Republican platform.