The Elk Mountain pilot., 1900-07-24
IMPERIALISrl---WHAT is ITp

November, tne people Will recog-
nize that it is but thing of straw.
Imperialism presupposes an en-
pire, and the magnificent domain
over which our lovely banner flies
is imperial in its beauty, in its
products and in its extent. Such
a wealth of hill, mountain, plain
and prairie, such an abundance of
crystal lakes and such a network
of commerce-bearing rivers were
never before bestowed upon any
people. Every State is an empire;
every county is principality, for
which, as true Americans, we are
proud, and for which, as Christians,
recognizing God as the God of ma
tions, we should be deeply CRATE
full.
This domain has been given to
US by a power that is higher than
any party or policy, though the
Republican party was called into
being in order to protest and battle
against the division of this mighty
empire, which Democracy declared,
in the press, in its platforms and
on the bloody battlefields, should
be divided. To this extent the
charge of Imperialism can with
truth be made against the Repub-
lican party. Abraham Lincoln
was the embodiment of that i'm
perial idea, and a martyr to the
cause of one flag, one country, and
one imperial destiny.
Imperialism, if it means any
thing the Democracy would have
the people believe, implies IN en-
peror, a dynasty, throne, a crown
and a scepter. This feature of i'm
perialism, by no stretch of partisan
Misrepresentation, can ever be
charged against our honored Pres
ident and candidate for the Presi-
dency. He was the choice of the
people; he was honestly elected in
a constitutional manner and has
been SO loath to oppose the will of
the people, as expressed by legis-
lation enacted by Congress, that in
the four years of his Administra-
ton he has vetoed but four bills.
He will serve his two terms as
many other good Presidents, both
Democratic and Republican, have
done, and will then give way to his
successor, chosen as he was chosen,
by the free votes of sovereign
people.
The partisan accusation of i'm
perialism, when translated into
plain everyday English, in the
light of the history made during
the brilliant administration of
President Mckinley, is simply
this: The Republicans declare the
islands transferred from Spanish
to American sovereignty by the
Treaty of Paris. The Democracy,
SO far as it has policy, would
have the master nation builder of
the world abandon its plain duty,
furl our triumphant flag and hunt
an easy future rather than a work
ing future. Porto Rico, recogniz-
ing the fact that she can not stand
alone, does not wish to become an
independent power, and the only
thing possible is for the United
States to continue its sovereignty,
which is Republican, or to invite
Spain to re-enter the Western
Hemisphere and commence anew
her policy of misrule, of robbery
and extortion from which we have
delivered Cuba. To plant the GUS
toms of the seventeenth century in
the dawn of the twentieth century
is Democratic. This is the logical
conclusion when the Democratic
cry of the Democratic platform is
analysed.
The same is as true of the Phil
ippines as of Porto Rico. Will
the Democrats dare to fix date
for the evacuation of eitherp They
are under the flag of the Republic,