Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1900-08-10
NO. I2.


reference; a speech that is made up of invect-
i've, Misrepresentation and vituperation.
"Referring to the Democrats, he said: They
stand for lawlessness and disorder, fo- dishon-
esty and dshonor, for license and disaster at
home, and cowardly shrinking from duty
abroad
'This is reflection on the intelligence and
patriotism and the honor of every Democrat in
the country. 1t is personal insult to the six
and one-half millions of men who supported
Mr.. Bryan in 1896, and to the eleven millions
of freemen who are going to support him in
1000.
'I wish to avoid even the appearance of Sc
verify, and, as have not the language to prop
erly characterize this mans career, l shall not
attempt it. He is the right man to defend
criminal aggression and the abandonment of
plain duty by the president. He is the right
man to defend war of conquest, the burning
of towns, the slaughter of people and the assas-
sination of liberty"
Mr. Altgeld reviewed the history of the Paris
treaty and the events that have since occurred
in Porto Rico, Cuba and the Philippines. He
quoted from army officers and soldiers to sus-
tain his condemnation of the administrations
colonial policy, and, coming to the question of
militarism, said:
eff, in time of peace, with no trouble threat
ening, you can jump military establishment
from 22 900 to 100, 900 men all at once, will it
not be easy then to jump to 200, 900 and 3oo,-
600, and will it take us long, do you think,
until we have military establishment equal to
that of Germany or Russia? Government by
brute force means militarism. 1t cannot be
maintained without it. And the colonial policy
means militarism. 1t cannot be maintained
without it. The whole system means the sap
ping of the vitality of the country. 1t means
false standards of patriotisni-false standards of
honor. 1t means a feverish display of barbaric
splendor for brief period. 1t means the deg
radiation aud impoverishment of the masses of
the people. 1t means the death of free insti-
tutions. 1t is not new question. 1t is as old
as government 1t has been tried repeatedly
and repeatedly, and all history has but one
voice OH this question.
"Now, my friends, we propose to stop this
criminal aggression. We are going to stop
bloodshed and devastation in the Philippines
by saying to the Filipinos that when they es-
tablish government which, in our judgment,
is good government, worthy of recognition,
then we will withdraw on such terms as may
be just
I'VE are going 10 90 Wnat the president
called our plain duty toward the Porto Ricans.'
We are going to re-declare that King George
was wrong and that bis principles shall not
disgrace our statute-books.
"This is not partisan question-it is an
American question. In 1861, you were not
asked, Are you Democrat or Republican?
You were only asked, DO you love the flag of
your country, and will you fight for it?' To
day, you ale only asked, DO you believe in free
institutions, and will you help preserve them?
care you a son of the Revolution? Then
step to the front and help save that for which
your ancestors died.
'Do you believe Washington was right when
he led his men over the icy hills of Valley
Forge? Do you believe the fathers were right
when they fought at Bunker Hill or fell at Lex
ington? Do you believe Lincoln was right
when he stood on the battle field of Gettysburg
and prayed that government of the people, for
the people and by the people might not wither
from the face of the earth? Then join the
free men of America in one supreme effort to
again establish republican government at
forever drive Hanna and the
syndicates from the temple, and put an end to
milltarism and McKinleyism."