The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-13
ORATOR O TIE EAST
Continued From First Page.

Continued From First Page.
policies of conquest, of rapine. of ag-
gression and of plumber, which will lead.
through the oppression of others to the
ruin of ourselves. (Applause.)
Now, l am aware, ladies and gentle
men, that it is exceedingly difficult, in
one sense, to discuss the paramount
issues of this canvass, for the reason
that our Republican friends decline to
give us a definition of their own policy
or to accept a definition from US. This
multiplies. as | have said, the difficulties
of the discussion, but this is conSoling,
because no party and no man can be
formidable in enforcing q policy, while
he Is ashamed to define that policy in
spirit of candor.
While the Republicans shrink from
the description of Imperialism, we need
have no fear that they will be very eff
fective in forcing imperialism upon the
people of this country. But without
stopping to discuss that, in order to
avoid any possibility Of confusion ar.s-
ing from the misapplication of terms,
it may be well to describe just what the
Republican policy is-to state the things
which from their newspapers, their lead
eTs, their orators and their candidate,
they declare to be their purposes and
from those purposes to reason for our
selves what is the character Of the policy
which they represent
THE REPUBLICAN POLICY.
Now, believe. if there are Republicans
present, they will concede it is the policy
L
islands, and to hold them against the
consent of their inhA bitants, and to gov
ern them, not through our constitutional
government, but through certain office
holders, who are to be appointed by the
president, and who will exercise their
functions outside of the constitution and
independent OF its limits. Now, Demo-
Gratis call that imperialism; Republicans
call it benevolent assinnil ltion. (Ap>
plause.) 1t doesn make any differences
what either we or they chose to call 1t,
We must Judge it by the (. uitS it will
bear. ! have no doubt Mr. Mckinley
is honest in repelling the lnputai that
he wants to es .ablish imperialism upon
the ruins of the republic. | have no
doubt that MIR. Mckinley believes his
purpose IS benevolent assimilation.
have no doubt that the pow ers which he
seeks to attain he means 20 exercise III
all kindness and with all beneVolence. L
have no doubt, in fine, that it MIR. Nc
kinley succeeds IN making Q deapotism,
ii will b. q benevolent despoti M, But
it is the benevolent despOt of whom 1
am chiefly afraid. No man nee1 fear the
vicious despot. While the first deSpot
has usually been benevolent. his success
Sors have always abused the powers for
the oppression of the people who trusted
him. The people are induced to san ton
the assumption Of extra ordinary powers
by the personal character Of the person
who asserts the right TO them. If l were
asked to name the best king in history,
l should say it was Louis TX. of France,
and yet. the kingship founded upon his
which the world has any record. When
We estimate 4 policy, we must estimate,
not by the good which it may do, but by
the evil which may be accomplished from
its powers. When we discuss the impe-
rialism of Mr.. Mckinley, we are not dis
cuSsing any good lhings which he mi h (
do if he established imperialism in this
country, but the evil things which a baser
man might do who would succeed to his
powers
Now, I take 1t there can be no dispute
of the accuracy of the statement which
] make of the character of this policy.
1t is the taking of these islands, the
holding them against the consent of the
Inhabitants and governing them. not
TIN ough the constitution, but outside OF
it Our Republican friends claim a iusti-
fication for this the ground that it is
expansion, and this merely illustrates
how the perVersion of phrases may often
result in perVerSion Of morals The
word expansion is an excellent word
1t is a word respectable in the literature
of this country for a hundred years. 1t
represents a policy of enlightenment Of
progress, and of civiliza ton If this plan
of MIR. Mckinley were expansion in the
sense which the Democrats have at
tached to it, I would not be here to op-
pose it, but l would be everywhere my
voice could reach supporting and advo-
eating it in the interest of the whole
human family. (Applause.)
A VERY DIFFERENT CASE.
If, for instance, there were a PROPOSE
ton before the people to extend our gov
eminent over Canada, if 1 could see there
beiRg extended over this whole North
American hemisphere, I would regard it
as a prospect of meaSureless benefit and
happiness for the whole human race If
would be productive of such good results
to the people of both countries that it is
difficult to conceive of the magnitude
It would of itself settle every question
of foreign policy which has disturbed