The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-03-06
POLITICAL PERDITIOx AHEAD

Every day some new complication
arises in the execution of the plans of
the imperialists which arouses the won
der Of all beholders as to just the point
In national and international relationship
at which We must ultimately arrive. No
one believes that there Is either star or
compass available to guide the weary
mariners of American imperialism
They set their sails and cast away their
moorings and went forth on the great
sea of political experiment. And they
are now merely drifting whichever way
the winds and the tides OF rock-bound
coast may drive them.
Now. that these tempest-tossed mari
ners have succeeded In escaping present
disaster by throwing the oil Of IS per
cent reduction over the turbulent waters
OF the Puerto Rican tariff, heavy wind is
rising in another quarter which threat
ems to swamp their craft The sultan
Of Sulu. his concubines and his slaves.
his Mohammedanism and his general bru-
tally are becoming subject Of Increasing
whether We are to punish polygamy in
Utah while we foster and subsidize 1t in
Mindanao: whether. after abolshing
slavery at such a terrible cost in certain
portions of our old possessions In which
1t was maintained. We are to grant to
1t the sanction of our armed protection
If need be in our new possessions. In
oldentaily, the Inquiry is being heard
whether this Is really a Christian ma
ton, and whether If we have God in
our constitution it is the Christians God
or only the god whose prophet Moham-
med Is
1t was easy to brush these injuries
away while all was yet an experiment.
and We We're cropping our way In the
labyrinths of the Philippine group. But
now. that we are assured that the islands
are to abide with us. after we have de-
creed all Philippine insurgents to be mere
guerrillas and have declared the insur-
rection at an end, public sentiment has
grown quite insistent 1t VIII not be put
t.,
being a part OF the United States, the
constitution cannot be said to extend to
the Sulu group, and that therefore all
things are there possible without carry
Ing any upfavorable reflection on AmerI-
can political institutions or ways.
According to modern imperialist learn
Ing the constitution did not extend to
the territory of Utah when we abolished
polygamy there. The moral stain Of that
relationship rested on the entire people
Of the United States and on their gov-
eminent, and they proceeded to wipe
1t out. How can we continue to apply one
rule Of moral conduct to Utah and with
hold 1t from Sulu or Mindanao. unless
we are ready to admit that the wrong Of
poiygamy is only relative? Have We no
moral obligation to abolish slavery among
the Moro tribe In the Philippines? If wa
have not, then England had none when
she destroyed the inhuman institution in
her African possessions, and wherever
she claimed to rule by right of conquest
treaty or purchase.
The truth of the entire wretched stu
alton is that we are dlsgracing and MAX
Ing fools of ourselves as a nation. We
have entered on a career which leads us
away from all our political landmarks.
and it is not surprising that persons of
ordinary intelligence and virtue. who do
not allow themselves to be carried away
by party political frenzy, can distinguish
poi'licai perdition as the only prospect
ahead of US.