The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-08-10
An Able Speech BY the Democratic Candidate
For the Vice-Presidency.
Expansion Along Legitimate Lines Not Opposed But the I'm
periastic Tendencies of the Present Administration
Are Not in Accord With the Constitution
tNews-Democrat Leased Wire Service.]

the constitution and a fragrant breach
of the pledged faith Of the nation.
WISE EXPANSION POLICY.
The Democratic party has ever been
the advocate Of wise territorial expan-
sion. During its period Of power our
western border was extended beyond
the Mississippi. Out of the Louisiana
country-acquired under the first
Democratic administration-has been
carved fourteen magnificent states.
Under later Democratic administra-
ton we acquired California and neigh
boring territories. But the policy OF
aggressive expansion in distant is
lands finds no precendent in the peace
full cession Of the Louisiana country by
Napoleon, that of Florida by Spain nor
that yet later of the vast western area
by Mexico. That territory is contigu-
Gus, the Philippines eight thousand
miles distant. That territory was ac-
qured with the declared intention OF
carving 1t into states: this acquisition
contemplates methods of administra-
tion that pertain not to the republic
but to the empire.
When a president of the United States,
twenty-seven years ago promulgated
the Monroe doctrine he supplemented
1t with a disclaimer in substnce upon
our part Of any intention to force our
institutions upon the nations of Europe
or their dependencies. The
ESSENCE OF THE DOCTRINE
Was then understood by the world to
be that, while we forbid the establish
ment of despotic governments upon the
American continent we recognize the
corresponding obligation not to force
ourselves on the old world. If ultimate
statehood for these remote islands be
disclaimed they can only be governed
by the power Of army and navy. What
then becomes Of the bedrock principle
that governments derive their just
powers from the consent of the govern
ed" 3n1Ba
In American politics the world is new
and fortunately the policy of imperial
ism is new but we are daily becoming
familiar with its forebodings. 1t
means a permanent departure from all
| the
TRADITIONS OF THE PAST.
1t abrogates the holding of our great
court that the Declaration of Indepen-
| dence is the spirit of government
the constitution but it's form and letter.
We are told that our republic is now
become world power" In the highest
sense-with the Declaration of Inde-
pendence as it's cornerstone--it has been
in all its past a world power. 1t has
| been the lofty ideal of all liberty-lov-
| ing people. We stand one hundred
years from the hour when the political
forces were gathering which were to
result in the election Of the first Demo-
| cratic president. The masterful day in
| our history was wisely chosen for the
assembling in convention of the repre-
sentatives Of the historic party whose
founder was Jefferson-and whose plat
| form Is the Declaration Of Indepen-
dence. In the great struggle now upon
| us we invoke the cooperation of all
who revere the memory Of our fathers,
and to whom this declaration is not
unmeaning parchment-but the endur-
ing chart of our liberties. Upon the
| supreme issue now in the front-and to
the end that republican government
be perpetuated-we appeal to the sober
! judgment and patriotism of the Ameri-
can people.