Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-06-26

sitions, not because of fitness for the
trust imposed, but as reward fol
political work.
1T is the part of wisdom to learn
from experience the real tendencies
OF things and shun the rocks upon
which other nations have been
wrecked. 1t is true that the Pc icy
of the administration in relation to
these islands has met with opposition
from some of the best and Purest
men in the republican party, hut
when the opponents to the policy of
imperialism have urged that if the
doctrine Of righteousness and freedom
and human right dictated our course
in Cuba, that the same doctrine de
| manded a like course in the Philip
pines. they have met with the an
| swer that the mountains of the ISL
ands were rich with iron-that there
were great stores of coal there, and
that the streams and valleys. were full
of gold.
Justice and freedom and human
rights weigh as nothing with these
men as against dollars and cents, and
so our soldiers are laying down their
lives, not in a war for liberty, but in
war of conquest, that trade may be
extended. There are others who at
tempt to defend this policy Of imper-
ialism by insisting that we mus.
protect the honor of our tiss.
Flag Emblem OF Hypocrisy.
I'VE yield to no party in our devo-
ton to our country's flag, but we pro-
test against policy which makes it
an emil lem of that hypocrisy which
seeks to cover a war of conquest with
a cloak of humanity and religion. an
EN- blem of the greed which would
treat matter involving our national
honor, the integrity of our institu-
tions. and the peace and character of
the repu bile, as a mere matter of dol
lars and scents-an emblem of the i'm
perialistic am bition which mocks the
noblest part of our history and stamps
the greatest national heroes of
our past as hypocrites or fools. No!
The thoughtful mind, when it sees a
nations flag. sees not the flag. but
the nation itself, and whatever its
symbols or insignia, he reads chiefly
in the flag, the government, the prin-
ciples, the truths, the history, that be-
longs to the nation that sets it forth.
our flag floats it shall be the banner of
liberty. nourished in its spirit and
carried in its service, and never the
banner of despotism and wrong.
My friends, there is great danger |
to the republic in this policy of i'm
perialism-this reaching out for dis
tant lands to be governed as subject |
provinces. Such a colonial system
destroyed all hope of republicanism
in olden times. It can exist in no |
free country, because it uproots and |
eliminates the basis of republican
institutions, that governments de-
rive their Just powers from the con-
sent of the governed
Republic or Empire:
"The question presented to theAmer-
lean people is not the question of the
of the republic over ter
ritory to which we extend the bless
ings of our free institutions, a policy |
which all would welcome if accom-
plished peaceably and honorably. No.
The question for your consideration
is the question between the republic
and the empire, between liberty and
slavery. between the declaration of
and Imperialism, be-
tween the doctrines of Washington
aud Jefferson and the doctrines of
George Ill. and Lord North. and with
a firm reliance in the love of liberty
which God has planted in the hearts
of the American people. firmly be-
lieve the people will hurl aside those
who, in the delirium for trade and
seek to destroy the charac-
ter of our Institutions.
But will not trespass longer on
your time. l have every faith that.
true to the interests of the people
whom you represent, you will formu-
late platform reaffirming the great
principles of democracy enunciated
n the platform of 1895. and protest
ing against this new aud dangerous
doctrine of imperialism. l feel sure,
too. that in choosing among the di:-
ferent candidates for state offices
your action will be prompted by a
iesire to do that which is for the best
interest of the party and the state.
In the national campaign upon which
we are about to enter, the great COM
mon people, who constitute the very
bone and sinew of the republic. turn
heir faces with one accord toward
1ne man and ask that he lead them
n the political battle for the peoples
rights. And how wise their choice,
Bryan the Peoples Leader.
Someone has said that the story of
Napoleon should come from the lips of
who know no language
rich enough to paint the great captain
IF the Nineteenth century, and that
he story of Washington should be
aiken from the hearts of Americans,
who think no marble white enough on
which to carve the name of the Father
IF their country. So, it seems to me
hat the task of leading the democratic
hosts. of pleading the peoples cause
md of teaching the gospel of true de-
should be given to that
yreatest exponent of democratic prin- !