The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-07-17

One of the most significant political
straws Of the year is the position OF the
Gold Democrats, so-called, who have
been watching the trend Of events and
weighing the national administration In
the balance Of it's promises. Among the
ardent supporters Of the gold ticket IN
1896 was John II. Clarke, of Youngstown
and Cleveland, who was the candidate
for Judge Of the supreme court, on the
Gold Democratic ticket in Ohio. Mr..
Clarke has come to the conclusion that
any Democrat is safer than any Repup-
lican when ii comes to public office hold
ing and has declared, In no uncertain
terms, for Bryan and stevenson. The
Youngstown vindicator prints the fol-
lowing authorized statement from Mr..
Clarke: .,,s DRAGONS
shall vote for Bryan and Stevenson
and shall do all in my power In aid OF
their canvas.
shall do this without having modified
my views in the slightest degree as to
sound currency from what they were
four years ago. I regard the demand
of the Democratic platform for free
coinage of silver simply as a conces-
sion to pride of opinion In the men VINO
so sincerely advocated it In 1896. 1t Is
no longer vital issue, and the plank
is. in my Judgment, quite as harmless
and not nearly so offensive or insincere'
as the plank of the Republican plat
form commencing the Mckinley admin
tstration of the civil service In Cuba.
But even il free silver were a ques-
tion of practical Importance and likely
to follow upon the election OF MI Bryan
I should, nevertheless, vote the DEM
ocratic ticket this year. This because
prefer even free silver Republic to
gold standard Empire.
The drift Of the Mckinley admins
tration toward Imperialism Is beyond
doubt. 1t is true that the Republican
majority in congress in face Of the pend
ing presidential election, with more dis
cretion than candor, refused to pro-
vide a form of government for the Phil
ippine islands, but the government i'm
posed upon Porto Rico is sufficient.
M THE PRESIDENT
appoints the governor Of Porto Rico ana
the entire upper house Of the Legislature,
a majority of which must be citizens of
the United States. The people of the is
land have no voice whatever except In
a choice Of the members of the lower
house-which Is equivalent to giving
them no voice at all in legislation, since
the upper house and the governor as
well as congress, can defeat any meas
ure originating in the lower house. Add
to this a tariff imposed upon the trade
of the islands by congress and we have
not only precisely the taxation without
representation, which precipitated the
American revolution, but we have an
entire system of government imposed
upon subject people by the hand Of a
stronger power. This is not only the
method of government Of an empire,
but precisely the method Of the British
empire Of century ago. For our gov
ernment to adopt such a policy is to
declare that George III. was right and
that George Washington was wrong.
I believe in George Washington and his
ideals Of government.
With such policy adopted toward
Porto Rico which submitted to our rule
without resistance, yet more arbitrary
system Is very certainly In store for the
kPhilippine islands after their two years
'of war against US should Mr.. McKin-
ley be reelected.
cannot understand how any man
who believes in the ''self evident truth"
of the Declaration of Independence
that "all governments derive their just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned," or, as Lincoln phrased' 1t, that
mo man Is good enough to govern an
other man without that others con-
sent" cannot understand. say, how
any person believing this to be truth.
can consent to continuance of the war Of
conquest in the Philippines.
THESE CONSIDERATIONS
to which should be added the state
ments Of leading Republicans that such
is the purpose Of the future. make 1t
certain that 1t is the policy Of the Nc
Kinley administration, II continued In
power. to establish a colonial empire
after the pattern Of that Of England.
This means large army and navy
and permanent war taxes; 1t means to
put soldier or sailor on the back Of
every man at his work, whether In the
street or at his desk.
Believing as I do that this republic is
better than any empire. shall sink all
tIA.
Democratic candidates. pledged as they
are against Imperialism and for peace
and independence and Justice for the
Philippine islands.
Another consideration that weighed
much with many sound money Demo-
,kcrats four years ago, was the attitude