The evening times., 1900-10-18
THE DANGEROUS POLICY
Major Denny Makes a Vigorous
Speech Against Imperialism.
Republicans Encouraging Militia risn
and Doctrines Repugnunt to the
ConstifutIon-GrnVe Questions to
Be Settled by the American People
at Coming Presidential Election

BALTIMORE, Oct. 1S.-Major Denny. the
Democratic nominee for Congress, address
ed large and enthusiastic audience here
last night Major Denny began his address
by asserting that his devotion to free Gov
ernment and its best interests is above all
PARTON or section He spoke Of the pro-
visions of the American Constitution which
were intended to protect and and to secure
to all the blessings OF civil and religious
liberty. He did not think these ideals
were upheld by maintaining large stand
ing army to hold unwilling Asiatics in sub
lection or arrange territorial expansion on
the plan of making colonies His remarks
were warmly applauded.
Speaking of the dangers which the coun-
try is facing, he said:
We are encouraging militarism in a
country where large standing armies are
to be deprecated as menace to ourselves
We have been raising under the war meas
ure acts during each of the three last
years, approximating S9G0,00O,000 yearly-a
sum nearly double that raised before we
undertook the grand act of liberating the
Cubans from their oppressive yoke. We
are for the first time in our history pro-
claiming a dangerous doctrine-that Con-
gress can Iegislate for Territories at its
own will, unrestrained by the Constitution.
We are proclaimed TO the world by our re-
cent acts that We buy not only lands,
but the sovereignty of the people who own
them and that we can place over them
military governors and keep them from
representation in common representa-
tive Government as territorial dependen-
cies"
Major Denny said he appreciated highly
his unanimous denomination, and, if elect
ed to Congress- would use his best efforts
tn hP q
the Constitution as Interpreted by the
founders of the nation. Returning TO ma
tional questions, he said:
The grave questions now before this
country are: Shall the Republican con-
struction of the power of Congress TO
1egslate for the Territories, free from
the restraints of the Constitution, pre-
vail not? Shall the Government con
tinue It's present policy toward the Porto
Ricans? Shall it assume righ fully, the
power to tax its imports. when sueh pow
er has never been claimed or exercised
over any other Territories during cur
history. Shall there be expansion over
the sovereignty cf any foreign people by
conquest, the consequence cf which would
be enforced obedience to cur laws, 81 nply
because We possessed the power which
we assumed to acquire when we made a
treaty of peace with Spain?
This ration has now been at war fer
two years with the Filipinos without
even an act of Congress authorizing war,
and vet we have failed even by force to
acquire full possession of those islands
we bought at a time when we knew tley
were fighting Spain for their OWE free
dom. Shall we stultify ourselves as the
great exemplars Of liberty emil hten n Z
the world by holding dependencies or
colonial possessions and to the same ex-
tent that England held our cCuatry te-
fore the Revolution and as she n w holds
India? Shall we follow in the wake of
that proud WaF-making nation and COB
bic up defenceless people, as England
has the republics of South Africa. I can
not for a moment subscribe TO such a
policy in this Government; to such ex
ampies of wrong and injustice.
The fact is this Government. il seems
to me, has failed to do its whole du to
those struggling republics when Congress )
refused even its consent to pass resOlu-
tion of sympathy for them CT to res rect-
fully suggest mediation to save the life of
these two little republics. ROW lying
bleeding and PROSTATE in the claws Of the
English lien.
The Democratic party, in the true
spirit eff liberty, steps forward and man
fully appeals to the GoveTnme Mt and to
the majority in Congress, who ara need
lessly plunging us into continued warfare
and enormous expense, to chang the
course We argue that they are assum-
ing to lead Us on dangerous grCu-d5 AMI
>.
The people want DO foreign extensions
which require large standing armies to
maintain.
AT the head of our party which op-
poses wrong and oppression in every
form, is the Hon. William J. Bryan. the
represen tative of the people of this eoun-
try on this momentous Issue. He says
the financial issue is but a trifie as com
pared with the doctrine of imperial
istic government now inaugurated in Por-
to Rico and the Philippines. If he is
elected this Government will, with the aid
of a Democratic Congress, return into TIE
bright and safe paths Of peace which
paths are hedged about on either side by
the Bill OF Rights AID the Constitution
A Democratic Congress will not claim the
power to legslate outside of the Consti-
tuition and free from its limitations. II
will not forcibly or otherwise extend its
possessions beyond the Pacific ocean, but
on the contrary, 1t will lend its influences
and encouragement to every nation striv-
ing for freedom, and will enact laws that
viii Justly and speedily relieve US from
foreign territorial entanglements.
Major Denny next devoted some time to
tne Porto RiCan question. President Nc
Kiniey. in his message to Congress, said it
was our plain duty 20 abolish all customs
tariffs and give to Porto Rican products
free access 10 our markets Representa-
tives of the sugar industry, however, were
powerful enough to cause the imposition
of a tariff Thus - said Major Denny
'for an illegal purpose and for the frst
time in the history of cur nation, ha:
Congress levied tax on part of its owl
annexed territory and not On another
part. when Section of Article I OF the
Constitution declares expressly that such
taxes shall be uniform throughout the
United States.' Proceeding from this
standpoint, the speaker said:
We have been going from bad Il
worse under the impulse of great monop-
olies protected by continued war taxes
until now the Republican party is able tt
demand from such monopolies all the
contributions for campaign purposes they
may require in order to have continued
legislation for their monopolistic purposes
without due regard for the interest ana
happiness of the people. They now ap-
peal to the full dinner pail and to fnan-
cial prosperity for such as are suppIyine
war material, regardless of the blood an{
great treasure the people have contribu,
ted il taxes to maintain our declaration:
made in the Interest Of Cuban freedom
We have fought for their liberties. ant
continue to fight 10 suppress the FfIipi-
nos, from whom we are Withholding the
same blessing.
The party in power cannot expect this
grave departure from the letter and
spirit OF our institution to be ratified by
xEEzE