Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1900-10-11


that race and that, therefore, could well gov.
ern the Philippine Islands as colonies. / do not
question the capacity Of the race we'll and wise
" 70 govern others. / object to the Philippine
policy because it antagonizes the principles upon
which this government was founded, which have
controlled its life up to the present time and the
perfection Of which has been the hope and aspira-
tion Of every true American.
Very few nations, very few Individuals live up
to their high ideals, but surely the Declaration Of
Independence has been the ideal OF cur life, and
we have striven to make it more and more real
Now government by force is the very antipodes OF
this and to introduce government by force over
any portion Of the nation is to start the second
quarter of the second century Of our life upon
principles which are the exact opposite Of those
upon which we have hitherto lived. It is one
thing to fail Of reaching your ideal; 1t IS an e.l
tirely different thing to deliberately turn your
back upon it.
The test Of government is not in the outward
mechanical display of order, but in the capacity
to develop the best men, and we have lived in
the faith that government by the consent Of the
governed develops the best men. We have not let
the wise rule the ignorant, the learned the TN
learned, the rich the poor, but We have appealed
always to s'the plain people as the ones In whose
Judgment to rely and upon whose shoulders should
rest the burden Of the government
Ideals are, after all, the eternal force. Human
life and destiny arc controlled by them. They
may seem today Of little significance, but around
them gather material interests, and tomorrow
their power is disclosed.
Parting of the Ways.
Government by consent and government by
force no matter how well the government may be
administered are two essentially antagonistic
principles. Doubtless no immediate conflict viii
follow We may see large measure of prosper
ity, but are we not sowing the seeds which in the
10 -
BILE fer our children and our childrcn's children7
Evils of Empire.
necessity OF colonial possessions is an increase
in our regular army, and the first increase pro-
posed is from 10000 to 100000 men. 1t is a
strange commentary that at the close Of the nine
teenth century the head Of the most arbitrary
government in the civilized world the car Of the
Russias, is inviting the nations Of the world to
decrease in their arms while this. the freest land,
is proposing an increase in it's Yet such seems to
be the imperative need, if enter upon the sys-
tenn of colonial expansion.
! Great Economic Questions Confront
Us.
Now the great economic problem in this coun.
try is not how few men make more money
and pile up larger fortunesas but chow can the
great body of the people make a fair and COM
Portable hyingT The right to work is again and
again insisted upon as more important than the
right to vote and the cry OF the right to work is
supplemented by the cry that the state furnish
work to all who cannot obtain it elsewhere
Are We likely to aid in solving this problem by
bringing into our national life 100000 or H.
100000 of unsltilled Malay iaborers2 We have shut
the doors against the Chinese Are they any
worse than the Ma'ayg shan we Introduce in this
nation more cheap labor2 / do not slender at the
/ action Of the Federation Of Labor in protesting
against new competition ot cheap labor as well
as an increase af the army. with It's consequent
increase Of burden and taAation on the employed
laborer.
Evils From Concentrated Wealth.
But they say there is money IN it. Aud, after
all, this is really the most potent factor In The
/ proposed reaching cut after the islands Of The
orient. The wealth of 0Emus aud Of Ind Is today.
/ as IN tie days os Milton. the expectation and the
/ dream of many Possession Of the orient. with lis
accumulated wealth of centuries dazzles The I'M
7 agnation and conluses the Judgment The hazs
of mystery hangs over that vast domain. Wealth
untold is believed TO be there, ready to be appro
1 priated by any dominant power All the nations
and tribes come within Lord SaIissusyss defntioz
Of dying nations and must soon be divided be
tween and appropriafe5 Is, .he living 4a7 srsss
i ing nations. China IS held out dying nation,
filed with inexhagstbIe wealth, and why should
we not share in its appropriation2 What picture
i this IS. The eagle Of liberty standing like
( s.IIl fares the land, to Fastening ills prey,
I Where wealth accumulates and men decay
The Casars saw the spears Of their victorious
/ legions cash in the sunlight OF every known land
and in their triumphant return they brought with
them the accumulated wealth OF all the nations
they had subdued. The splendor Of imperial Rome
outshone the world, but the wealth thus obtained
without value given undermined the empire, and
the glory OF Rome is simply memory. Napoleon
/ beheld the shining star Of destiny; and them
I Does human nature change through the eenturiesl
/ We stand today facing the temptation which
comes from the possibility Of rapidly accumulated
/ wealth. What right have TO anticipate that
the same result Will not follow ii we pursue the
same course Of taking what We have not fully
earned?
Our Present Form OF Government.
The problem we have sought to work out II
this nation is that OF government Of and by ane
for the people. A great nation upon that princi
1 pie seems possible only under federal system.
system which regulates all matters Of local Interest
to the several states and exercises through the
tional government only those powers and fune
tions which make for the general welfare. w
have wonderfully prospercd in administering suci
system in compact, continental territory eael
part Of which has been possessed and controlled
by race capable Of self government
"Dutys and 'sDestiny" Divided.
This is no trifing question and is not answered
by any gush about duty and destiny. In fact, al
his talk about destiny is wearisome. We mak
sur own destiny. We are. not the victims, bu
the masters of fate, and to attempt to unload UP
on the Almighty responsibility for that which vi
choose 10 do is not only insult TO him, but t
ordinary human intelligence.
blessings of Our Example.
We are told we have become SO great and pow
erful that the world needs US, but What the worl'
most needs is not the touch Of our power, bat tn
blessings If our example. 1t needs the bright ex
ample Of 4 free people not disturbed by any illu
sions Of territorial acquisition, Of pecuniary gaii
or military glory, but content with their posses
sions and striving through all the abilities. activi
tics and industries of their wiscst and most ear
nest leaders to make the life OF each individua
citizen happier. better and more content.
Two Courses - which VIII Yos
choosef
Two visions rise before me:
One of nation growing in population, richie
and strength, teaching out the strong hand t
bring within its dominion weaker and distan
races and lands, holding them by force for tn
rapid wealth they may bring, with perhaps tn
occasional glory, success and sacrifice OF war;
wondrously luxurious life into which the fortunat
few shall enter, accumulation Of magnificent
which for term viii charm and dazzle, and the
the shadow Of the awful question whether huma
nature has changed and the old law, that histor
repeats ITSELF has lost its force, whether the as
cending splendor Of imperial power is to be fol
lowed BY the descending gloom of luxury, deea
and ruin.
The other Of q nation where the spirit Of tn
pilgrim and the Huguenot remains the living an
controlling force affirming that the Declaration
Independence, the farewell address Of the Father
| His Country and the Monroe doctrine shall neye
! pass into innocuous desuetudes dcyoting its enei
gies to the development OF the inexhaustible II
sources Of its great continental territory; solvin
the problem Of universal personal and politiea
liberty. OF government by the consent Of th
governed, where no king, no class aud no rae
rules. but each individual has equal voice an
mower in the control of ALL where wealth come
/ only as he compensation for honest toll OF han
or brain, where public service is private duty;
| nation whose supreme value to the world lies nc
in its power, but in its enfailing loyalty to tn
high ideals Of its youth, its forever lifting il
strong hand not to govern, but to protect u
weak, and thus the bright shining which brighter
more and more into the fadeless and eternal day.
From the Mouth OF an ASS.
The other night in Chicago Mar
Hanna, following the example of Ba
laam's ass. opened his mouth an
spoke, and unless l miss my guess th
Republicans win regret Marks oratiol
only once, and that viii be until th
end of the world.
Mark said, 81 would like for Mr.. Brs
an or any other Democrat to tell N
what q trust is"
/ . -.