Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-08-09

choke the progress Of liberty in AM
erica, and throughout the. world. Tha
obnoxious weeds cultivated by McKin-
leyism must be cut down, uprooted and
stamped out. and the people will see
to it, through the fundamentally Of
the Democratic ticket.
One portion of Mr. Bryan's address
has particular reference to the effects
of the imperialistic idea. He said on
this point:
! Even now we are beginning to see the
paralyzing influence of imperialism. Here
tofore, this nation has been prompt to ex-
press its sympathy for civil liberty.
While our sphere of activity has been
! limited to the western hemisphere, our
sympathies have not been bounded by
the seas. We have felt 1t due to our
selves and to the world. as well as 70
those who were struggling for the right
to govern themselves, to proclaim the in
tereSt which our people have, from the
date of their own independence, felt in
every contest between human rights and
arbitrary power. Three-quarters of a
century ago, when our nation was small,
the struggles of Greece aroused our peo-
pie, and Webster and Clay gave eloquent
expression to the universal desire for
Grecian independence In 1896, all parties
manifested a lively interest in the success
of the Cubans, but now when a war is
in progress in South Africa which must
result in the extension of the monarchial
Idea, or in the triumph of a republic, the
advocates of Imperialism in this country
dare not say a word in behalf of the
Beers. sympathy for the Beers does not
arise from any unfriendliness toward
England; the American people are not I'M
friendly toward the people of any nation.
as stated in our platform, we believe in
the principles of self-government and
reject, did our forefatners, the claims
OF monarchy. If this nation Surrenders
its belief in the universal application of
the principles set forth in the declaration
of independence, it will lose the prestige
and influence which it has enjoyed among
the nations as an exponent of popular
government"
His illustration is a happy one, and
the application OF the point will read
lily be made and its Importance appre-
ciated. When we became involved in
the Philippines we took a long step
away from all our national traditions,
and if we hold our ground there, at
vast cost, that step must inevitably
lead to others. The imperialistic idea
grows by what it feeds upon Tia
acquisition of territory in remote parts
OF the world renders it necessary to az
quire still more, to protect what we al
ready have, and so it would go on ur-
til, like England, we should rule coun-
tries and peoples in every quarter OF
the globe by force of arms, and our
people at home would pay the bill in
treasure and blood and suffering. Mr..
Bryan has delivered a telling and eff
fective blow at the Republican party.
Upon that issue alone the organiza-
ton is beaten before the people. 1t is
the paramount issue of the fight now
on.
Mr.. Stevenson's remarks were of a
more general nature, ne touching Wig
orously upon other issues aside from
imperialism, and his speech was, like
that of Mr. Bryan, ringing appeal to
the people to recognize the political
situation and take suitable action. The
Register this morning covers these ad-
dresses in full.