Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1900-09-07
Expansion Not Always Imperialism.

Expansion Not Always Imperialism.
The expansion which Democracy
has favored has been the acuurement
OF territory contiguous to our own on
the North American continent, or of
the islands adjacent th0eto, which
could be the abiding place of a homo
genious and compact people, governed
under the constitution rs the fathers
framed it. The expansion in 1903,
when we acquired Louisiana in 1919,
when we obtained Florida; in 1915,
when we secured Texas, and in 1913
when we annexed Mexico, was consist
ent with the craftsmanship of the
Democratic party, which held to the
firm conviction that Americans Che
citizenship of the United States)
should rule America.
That kind of expansion was the cul-
mination OF the Monroe doctrine; it
was growth and development of q
great national government, upon the
lines marked out by its founders. 1t
was giving more people the benefit of
our constitution and our free institu-
tions, and was the exact opposite of
the colonial system, which expansion
now means: the government of widely
separated colonies by military force,
with or without the consent OF the
people so governed, thus transgressing
the fundamental principle on which
our government is based. A colonial
government can only be maintained
by force, and that implies the exist
ence OF q large standing army, the
greatest menace to free government
1t means increased taxation, which
more widely separates the gulf be-
tween the independent and dependent
citizenship OF a Republic.
That there is danger in the sophis-
try OF those grasping after imperial
power, is manifested by the fact that
our people are slow to believe that
American ideas can be so easily sub.
verted by those who have grown up
under the patriotic teachings of our
eminent statesmen. But the change
comes so slowly, and by such imper-
ceptible degrees, that it may be we'll
under way before we lose faith in
those who, having attained wealth, are
looking for some other means bv
which to crafty their worldly, selfish
aspirations. A warning note, which
should have been needed, was sounded
when wealthy plebeians were willing
to sacrifice a large proportion of their
worldly possessions for alliances, by
marriage, with the effete aristocracy
of the old world, barred as they have
been from obtaining a title OF nobility
in their own country. Another index
OF this ambition was the banding to.
gether OF trusts, whereby fabulous for.
tunes could be acquired, and class dis
tinctions established, with an ultimate
design OF establishing caste MS social
heritage, the sure accompaniment of
the imperial rule to which we are fast
Fastening.
Had this object been avowed in any
more direct terms than Mark Hanna's
declaration that the British govern
ment was "good enough" or the asser.
ton of Republican Congressman that
the Constitution had served its pur.
pose. or the holding OF national con-
vention in the city of all others which
should have aroused patriotic memo
ries, without = single reference in plat
form or proceedings that exhibited the
least feeling Of respect or reverence
for the hallowed principles which had
eInanated from Independence Hall, it
would have at once aroused the Amer.
lean spirit in manner that might
not be misunderstood. But these in.
dications of radical change in the
interest of leaders, are ignored by the
masses, simply because they feel &C.
cure in latent patriotism, and implicit
faith in the mighty power, of the peo-
pie.
The danger lies in this fancied Sc
curity. The people may be bound
hand and foot before they know that
the scepter has been withdrawn from
their hands. We may pass on to i'm
perial rule before we know the change
is made. We may have an armed
force TO subordinate the ballot itself,
and disposition on the part of our
rulers to use it, before we realize that
such things can be on free American
soil and after full century of the
blessings OF freedom.
Hon. Arthur Sewell, the Vice Presi.