Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-08-28
CONSIDERATION OF IMPERIALISM
Occupied Most ct Charles Towne's Speech al
Duluth, hlinn.

Duluth, Mimi, Aug 27.-The largest
gathering to listen to a political speech
that ever assembled in Duluth. assem-
bled. tonight. at the Armory. when
! Charles Towne opened the campaign
in lengthy address in which he re-
piled to the recent speech OF Governor
| Roosevelt delivered at st. Paul on the
occasion of the national convention of
the League of Republican Clubs. The
speech is considered by many to be Mr.
Townes greatest effort. At its con
clusion he was rendered an ovation by
the multitude present.
Mr.. Towne opened by expressing lack
of patience with any one who believed
in their party right or wrong" or any
President, right or wrong" considering
the latter simply another statement Of
the divine right of kings. He then said
The issue Of first moment in this
campaign is whether the Republic it,
self is to continue. | design to use a
good part of this address in comment
ing upon the speech, mainly concerned
with the topic. delivered in St Paul
recently by the Republican candidate
for Vice President. | shall devote the
greatest part Of the time tonight. to
the consideration of imperiaIism.'
He then reviewed at some length the
causes leading III to ana the chief
events Of the Spanish war ana contin-
ued
1t was thus a mere incident in the
prosecution of our war for the liberty
of Cuba that We found ourselves in the
/, I.1.,
circumstances We're such as to compel
US to pursue in these islands thereafter
the policy for which the administration
has become responsible. a brief consid-
GRAFTON. however. of those circum-
stances will suffice to show that the
policy adopted was not only unneccs-
sary but that it was in the highest
sense disadvantageous to the United
States, While involving the utmost
cruelty ana injustice towards the in
habitants ~ those islands ana violat-
ing every principle Of good faith and
the honorable traditions or American
diplomacy.
But the statement that We never
promised the Filpinos their indepen-
dence conveys false impression. our
conduct was such as to estop an hor-
orable nation from using such a plea
as justification or excuse for attempt
ing to subiugate the islands.
Tho Filipinos made no secret of
their object in rebelling against the
Spanish government. What they de-
sired to do was to form a government
of their own and to be absolutely in
dependent Of Spain.
1T is important to bear in mind that
the Filipino republic established under
the leadership of Aguinaldo was rec
ognized ana capable government
throughout the island Of Luzon and
several adjoining islands Of the south.
"Of course, since we had secretly
formed a determination To seize the is
lands. it is apparent that whenever
that design became manifest or We at
tempted to put it into effect, the Fill
pinos. if they were earnest when de-
claring their object to be Independent,
would resist it. The aggressor, re-
gardless Of who struck the first blow,
would be not he who stood in defense
of a right, but he who by act or threat
compelled the other to defend it, As
a matter Of fact. as shown by Gen.
Otis official report, the troops fired
the first shot and the Filipinos stood
on the defensive"
Mr.. Towne then discussed the pro-
tocol and the treaty of peace and thu
proclamation Of January 3, 1899. at
Manila, which he declared lis Of the
very essense of Imperialism
But" he went, what is probably
as sinister in this proclamation as even
this fragrant endorsement Of force as
the basis Of political authority. and as
significant Of imperialistic tendency n
the executive. is the cool Assumption
by the President of the power to act
before the execution of the treaty. The
treaty was then not ratified. 1t hal
not indeed been approved by the Sen
ate"
Taking up Governor Roosevelt;
speech he declared to to be enormously
disappointing. Neither in matter or
in manner is it worthy of its occasion.
In respect Of argument, the speech IS.
with rare exceptions, an alienation of
evasion and assertion. In spirit it is
a compound of scold and scullion. AS
to its facts, it abounds in inaccura-
cies."
Mr. Towne then argued against possi-
bic constitutional rights under which
the United States could hold and gov
ern colonies, ridiculing the alleged
claim that this right was given by that
provision Of the constitution.