Arizona silver belt., 1900-10-25
A Definition Of imperialism.

iBy the Hon. Louis k. Enrich of Colorado
 springs Col
 Let us first consider what imperial ism is not. Imperialism is not neces- sarily the maintaining of an emperor or of imperial forms. Those who sug- gest this are trying to throw political dust into the eyes of the people.
 Nor does imperialism necessarily involve an abridgement of the citi- zen's rights. The Englishmen pos sesses as much freedom as the Ameri- can. and, with the sole limitation m the choice of his ruler, enjoys an equal share of constitutional rights. But his queen is an empress, his country arbi- trarily rules subject races without their consent. and he is consequently living under the reign of imperialism
 The Century dictionary gives as one definition of imperialism: The prin- ciple or spirit of empire" In other words, any government conducted ac- cording to the principles or spirit of
 
 ialism. Let me illustrate: President MeKinley's message to congress, Dec. 6. 1897 contained the oft-guoted para graph: II speak not of forcible an nexation, for that cannot be thought of. That, by our code of morals, would be criminal aggression" What sl L.t no plaaF mt thut forcible annexation might be right ac. cording to the moral code of mon archies or empires. but that 1t is d crime according to the code Of morals which should govern republic. In other words, forcible annexation is not epubIicanism; it is imperialism.
 Still another illustration; The Hon, Theodore Roosevelt, in his Life of Bent0n," page 26G says: No one would wish to see any other settled communities now added tO our dU- maln by force; we want no unwilling citizens to enter our union; the time to have taken the land was before set IltTS tdIlt HUI european tions war for the possession of thickly settled districts which, if conquered will for centuries remain alien and hostile to the conquerors. We, the wiser in our generation, have seized the waste solitudes that lay near us, the limitlesS forests and neyer-ending of hn lonely rivers, and have thrust our sons into them to take possessions; and a score of years after each conquest we see the conquered land teeming with people that is one with ourselves" What does Mir. Roosevelt mean? Evi- dently that the peopling of unoccu- pied or sparsely settled territory is re publican expansion; but that the arbi- trary seizure of thickly populated lands against the consent of the con quered race is European imperialism.
 An early American poet, in an ode , to Columbia, brings out the same con trast:
 TO conquest and slaughter let Europe aspire Whelm nations in blood and wrap cities in fire Thy heroes the rights of mankind shall defend And triumph pursue thee and glory attend
 The arbitrary imposition of external laws on people sufficiently numerous to constitute a nation is imperialism. The assumption by any nation of the right of adiudging the measure of self government sufficient for any other nation s imperialism. The clause in the republican platform re- fsrring to the filipinos; "rhe largest measure of self government consistent with their welfare and our duties shall be secured to them by law" breathes the very essence of imperialism,
 The government of men without their rightiul participation Tn the gov erning legislative body the enforce ment of taxation without representa- ton the coercive imposition on