New-York tribune., 1900-08-25
POPULAR OBSERVATIONS.
ARGUMENTS TO BE ANSWERED.
THE mPERIALIsTIC DEMAGoGIsM OF DEM
ocRATTC ORATORS NOT TO BE
MocKFD OR RIDICULED.

MocKED OR RIDIcULED.
10 the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Will you kindly allow me to reach through
gour columns a number OF Republican spelloinders
ana newspapers?
The Democratic platform says: I'VE hold that the
Constitution follows the flag, and denounce the
Doctrine that Executive or Congress can
exercise lawful authority beyond it, Such is the
basis OF one-third OF the platform and OF Mr..
Bryan's entire speech accepting the nomination
Democrats Will press II their leading Issue They
have an answer charge OF their inconsistency
In making a new issue paramount" when four
years ago their boss proclaimed that the silver
question must be fully settled before all other ques-
lions; It was impossible TO consider imperialism
more than two years ago. and two years ago II
probably had something TO DO with the enormously
decreased Republican plurality in this State as
compared with that in 1895.
agree that our party is doing right IN pressing
the sound money question as its leading ISSUE IN
Guiding our reasonable certainty Of an enormous
manic that would follow the SilverRepu olican-Pop-
t,lo-Democrati atic-Third-party candidates election
But which OF these two issues will the diverse IN
dependent voters regard leading? mean such
voters as have within ten years swung round py
thousands TO Populism and Bryanism, and IN one
campaign by thousands to the gold standard
Some Of them Of course, Will consider the one ana
the remainder VIII consider the other issue as
more or less leading IN Importance Perhaps only
30 per Of all the National voters at the pres
ant date really consider imperialism" the leading
issue This IN view Of the Kansas City struggle
to retreat from the silver issue, is moderate es-
innate and II leaves 80 per cent who may regard
xhe money issue as Of most Importance But some
what near half Of these believe that we should at
least "do something for silver" and they must be
counted with those who on other grounds, includ-
ing that OF imperialism" will vote for the fusion
candidate
IMPERIALISM A BoGIE
Agreeing with Republican newspapers and speak
avA A~aS az 10
Commercial Travellers Mckinley and Roosevelt
club No. / in the last few weeks, that the real
s'paramount ISSUE is currency, instead OF that
which our opponents claim has now arisen to more
critical moment, I viii further agree with them
that imperialism Is a boyle which mono should
sear q goblin, a bugbear. mask, hollow. Doubt
less it should be ridicuIed. and at times briefly
dismissed with contempt Yet largely on this issue
and in 8 weaker form the ruling party was IN 1s4s
turned out Of power; and to-day men like Cochran
Belmont Boutwell, Atkinson, Wellington, Schurz
and Shepard, each Of whom VIII carry some infu-
ence with him. are on this going to Bryan
notwithstanding his Organism Still the speakers
whom have heard and the Republican newspapers
which have read, excepting The Tribune, have
dismissed this issue with less argument than con-
tempt ever since the Kansas City Convention. and
I wish TO raise the question, How VIII this con-
vince the Unconvinced independent voters through
ont the Union? II the party paints "anti-ul-
Deriansrn'' On banners and puts out 'anti-im-
per1al" literature speeches and newspaper articles,
taking advantage Of a misinterpretation OF const-
tutionaI history by 8 few Republicans at tho time
when to Porto Rican exports and imports
given S per cent reduction in duties, and taking
every fair and unfair advantage that be found
or made in the Philippines or elseWherei while, at
the time, If the other party points out that its
opponents the word imperialism IN e
usual secondary and derived sense, and says, LET
10 American fear that we'll ever have titled
empire any real empire and dismiss the subject
with brief attention and with TidicuIe-whch party
viii gain thereby? I believe such a way Of meet
they hope II will continue till the election
" ale we nave gNssi11 rlenbtiul cQnldence TAXED
OF burying BryaIisEa desP--it was hardly wounded
IN 1856 and 1S9S-the Democrats in their gloomy
1900 they would al least reduce the Mckinley ma
jorties in enough States TO encourage their people
should nearly every State increase its Republican
rality, as the case EsfI e, stil in 1901 Organism
mount issue" the corporation question which they
are now preserVlng-on ice-so that it may keep
during four years. Organism may stand many
defeats as '.tariff for revenue only had stood
General B. F. Butler. who. as the Democratic can
date for Governor Of MASSACHUSETTS, was defeat
won that Office.
NOT TO BE MocKED.
Let Us not be deceived: the demagogism Of the
fusion leaders and the discomfort OF the fusion
masses are not Knocked ridculed; neither
they discouraged by a light snow under. II will
require one as deep as can be obtained by patient
y meeting every Democratic issue the level
/ e., by condescending II 1t be condescension, to
everything put forward by our fusion oppone8ts
This, II seems TO me. ought turn their para
OF their making true in the Southern States their
platform warning that imperialism abroad will
lead quickly and inevitably to despotism al home"
and account Of the falsity of the basic claim
fore the Constitution has Immediately followed the
nag into new territorial possessions.
The Tribune has repeatedly discussed and demol-
tshed such claim regarding territorial accessions. as
well as that gIttering Misrepresentation concern
ing the consent Of the governed" Had other
papers holding the same general view done as we'll
our opponents could not now ignore what The
have said to them. These editorials think should
IN some form be among the campaign literature
territory northwest Of the river Ohio had not the
Eeeeral Constitution, but only the Ordinance OF
10, as us constitution AS observed IN a similar
instance by the Federal Supreme Court, in Ma
tional Bank Ct County Of Yankton Q01 u. s., the
organic act OF Congress IS the organized Terri
To Illustrate: d The Federal Constitution guar
antees "a republican form Of government to the
component divisions Of the Union But to the
nor any Republican form Of government: II re-
seIabled crown colony. q The Judges both OF
the supreme and inferior courts of the United
States by the Constitution held their offices during
good behavior. The Northwest Territory's Judges
held their Offices during four years only unless re-
appointed. C0 The Constitution forbade Congress
TO touch slavery prior 10 the year 1903 On assem-
bling in l79 Congress prohibited all slavery in the
Northwest Territory, by re-enacting the Ordinance
Of 49, a. The Constitution made citizens in the
several States entitled all privileges and i'm
Inuniues OF cltizens IN me several States" We
know this not for Northwest Territory citi-
from the fact that in the case Of Utah Terri
tory. when II sanctioned polygamy or bigamy
lawful institution, bigamous citizens could not
claim 'an privileges and inl1nunities. etc, al al
though Utah's organic act had given It the Fed
eral Constitution $50 far applicable (5) The
Constitution directed q census Of the Union to be
taken every ten years 1t was not taken in 1890 in
the Northwest Territory. although it would have
Is congrss m Wa ep6ered to m a3w Is aa1 IN On AaSkS a
Presidential electors be 11icT1