Willmar tribune., 1900-10-20

| ulllpplneS IL we SuDJugaUe them at
the cost OF ever SO much blood and
and devastation. ard then rule them
by a substantially despotic sway. But
who are they? Not the people at large,
especially not the laboring masses,
but a favored few. And here invite
the especial attention of our conserva-
tive fellow citizens who are so much
alarmed at the possibility that the po-
lltl"al struggles in this democracy-a
democracy working through universal
suffrage-may develop into a struggle
OF the poor against the rich.
Have they considered bow ant this
Kind OF imperialistic policy will be to
lnclte and hasten such developmento
What was it that so powerfully
aroused the masses of the American
people about the law denying the
Porto Ricans free trade with the
United States? 1t was the sudden
revelation of what imperialism really
ls-the arbitrary rule of one people
oyer another: it was the breach Of
promise OF freedom and prosperity we
had given the Porto Ricans, who from
the depth of their misery and despair
vainly appealed to our sense Of ius1-
ice; it was the spectacle of the presi-
dent and the secretary of war aban-
don'ng for some reason their empt attic
declarations Of ''plain duty"
1t was. indeed, all of this. bnt it was
something more. 1t was the fact that
this Porto Rican business appeared
like the lifting of curtain behind
which the people saw the figures Of a
group of men trying to control. and
to large extent actually controlling.
our government to enrich themselves
oy manipulating our colonial policy.
What impression do you think that
such scene must produce upon the
popular mind at a time when "pl,toc-
racy' is a word IN evervbody's
mouth?
Far more than any other kind Of
government does a democracy work.
ing through universal suffrage need
the conservative influence of hieh
principles and ideals of right and
justice and of popular beliefs founded
upon such principles and ideals: for
when they disappear the evil passions
OF cOvetOusness and Of selfish ambi-
ton take their place and become the
only motive power of action, there re-
naming nothing higher to appeal to.
And that is the direction in which the
lmperia'istic policy is driving Us.
Nothing can be more dangerous in
a democracy like ours than the preva-
lence OF the notion that might is right
"a notion involving the worst kind of
anarchy, above and below. And that
principle is preached and proclaimed
every day by this imperia]istic policy.
IS 1t not high time that the American
people, sobered from the debauchipg
lntoX'catlon Of victory, should rise up
again to a just appreciation of the
true responsibilities of this great re-
public? That true responsibility is
its responsibility for the maintenance
OF the great principles upon which it
was founded.
1t is its responsibility for the great
lesson 1t Is to administer to mankind,
that true democracy means not only
the assertion of ones own rights, but
also just esDect for the rights OF
Others. and that this. democracy of
ours Is able to resist the temptations
which might seduce it from it's fidelity
to that high obligation. 1t is its re-
sponslbiity for the ful6llment OF the
great promise expressed by Abraham
Lincoln on the battlefield Of Gettys-
burg, that "government Of the people.
by the people, for the people, shah
not perish from the earth.''
Who will deny that this responsible
1ty-our true, our paramount respons-
ibility - imperatively demands the
abandonment of Il policy to subjugate
as subjects to our arbitrary rule an
another people aspiring to liberty and
independence? That there are diff
culties in the way of that abandon
ment is true. But these difficulties, as
| have shown, do not consist in their
setting up an independent government
,, with our aid and assistance and in
our protecting them against foreign
, interference.
:, The main difficulty-the only real
djfficulty--is in ourselves. 1t is the
difficulty of battling the greed of some
persons who want 10 rule that country
for exploitation; it is the difficulty of
curbing our own vanity and false
. pride, which would persevere in ap
ambitious course, however wicked, be-
cause we have once entered upon it.
These difficulties of meeting our true
/, responsibility is great: but, to quote
Bishop Potter's words again, it would
indeed 'be a source of national NOR
:, ti6cation if we gave up our RESPONSE