Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-10-23
the cay OF "ImPGRlAlisaa. =

the cav or "imPGRlAusM."
ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF War NRIKLH-
JOHN ANswRns n.
Tue following are the leading features
Of the speech Of Assistant Secretary OF
War George D. Nelklejohn, at Grand
Island, Neb.:
TIE leaders Of he Democratic party
realize that naturally and In TIE regular
order Of things the citissn ID afraid 70
trust The Democratic party and Demo.
cratic politicians with place and power,
and 70 put the a6hirs 81 the nation Into
their charge and keeping. In order %
overcome this widespread aversion u 10
necessary to mako ths people believe
that thefe ID Q greatsr danger 10 store
for thsm than 10 endure another Demo.
cratic administration. Il will b dim-
cult task, however, 70 make men and
women who lived under the last Demo-
cratic administration believe this. Hop
Ing 70 scare the people into putting the
Democrats into once the leaders OF that
party have revived the cry OF "imperisl'
Ism"
What ID meant by ''imperiallsm"s Ny
friends, the only thing It means today 10
that those who raise this cry want Office.
Il II tho cry Of . forlorn hope, OF .
bsffied desire. Il ID On old, WORKOUT cry
In American politics. Whenever No have
had Q particularly able President and
Administration; whenever the policies
Of the party 10 power have benefited the
people, and We were prosperous and
happy; whenever the opposition could
find nothing 70 criticise, this cry has
been raised by the party which Was out
and wanted TO get 10.
Washington was charged with having
90 ambition to be king. John Adams
Was charged with the same ambition,
and to accomplish Il was said TO have
entered into secret alliance with Eng
land. The Same charge Was made
against Thomas Jefferson. Even the
members Of bis own party compared
him To Napoleon. james Madison en-
esged In actual war With England and
theoretical war with France, both 1t
the same time, but the cry was raised
against him. They said be bad secret
alliance with Russia. Then they said he
had secret alliance with Napoleon. The
CRY Of "imperialism" was heard by An
drew jackson every day be was In Office.
Abraham Lincoln heard this cry Of Tin.
periaiism" above the roar Of battle and
the clash Of armies, and Il found echo 10
the discharge Of On assassin's pistol,
whose bullets hiss he accompanied with
the words they had taught him were
true, "Thus always TO tyrants." The
great patriot, soldier and statesman,
Grant, whom all the world for ages yet
TO come will venerate and honor, had to
hear this same old cry and bear In
silence this dsstardly attack.
The charge Of imperialism now being
made against Mckinley and his admins
| tratiou will be considered % baseless
and absurd BY future generations, - We
now consider that charge against WASH
ingtou, Lincoln and Grant.
But often - this cry has been raised,
Il has never been effective. The Amcri-
can people know that Abraham Lincoln
spoke the truth when he said In bis
own defence: "There 10 no fear OF the
people loslng their liberties. We all
know this TO be the cry OF demagogues,
and none but the Ignorant will listen to
t."
Does "imperialism" consist 10 the
acquisition OF nav territory BY the
United States. II % "imperialism
runs through oil our country's history.
The original thirteen states arc but .
small fraction OF this country - IL ls to
day; the balance was acquired. II 90,
the trainers Of the constitution were im-
perialists. for they gave congress the
power to dispose OF and make oil need
ful rules and regulations respecting the
territory or other property belonging 70
the United States Cart. 4, sec. 81.
Does the acquisition Of territory BY
purchase constitute "imperialism",
Then write that word across the fame
Of Thomas Jefferson, for It Was he who
~ President Of the United States pur'
chased Louisiana. Under the Demo
cratic sdmlnsstrstion OF James Monro<
this republic purchased Florida In 1919
Under the Democratic administration oil
Franklin Pierce We In 1853 secured what
ID now the southern portion OF Arizons
by what 10 known - the Gsdsden pur'
chase. Andrew johnson and william
n. Seward negotiated the purchase Of
Alaska.
IL II "imperialIsm" for the United
States to acquire territory and SOY.
ereignty BY force Of arms, BY conquest
II it 10, then our forefathcrs were impe
rislists when they wrested the territory
OF the colonies from England by Wal
and established sovereignty thereover
Did the conquest Of this English terri
tory arrest the progress OF civilization
and destroy the liberty OF mankiuds
This republic had . Democratic I'd
ministration 10 lS48. James X. Poll
Vas president and James Buchanan sec
rotary Of state. Under that ADMINISTERS
ton, the armies Of the United States To-
vaded and conquered California and New
Mexico. The conquest WAS effected IN
der Q Democratic administration, and
the territory Was incorporated into thu
United States by Democratic Congress
Il Il "imperislism" to acquire public
rights over territory without the permits
sion Of the inhabltantsi II 20, then ouI
forefathers were imperialists when they
acquired the right TO govern territory
occupied by the Tories 10 l778. Thei
Jefferson and his Congress and thii
nation were imperialists when they
bought Louisisna without the permits
sion OF the inhabitants. For years aftel
the purchase the inhabitants implored
Napoleon TO rescue them from the United
States.
When We purchased Florida We did
not ask or receive the consent Of the To-
hsbitants. Andrew Jackson Was made
President because Of his victories ovel
the Inhabitants of that territory who re.
fused TO recognise the authority Of the
United States.
After the United States had completed
the conquest OF New Mexico and Cali
fornIa, and instituted . civil government
therein, the inhabitants rose In insur-
rection and exerted themselves TO the
utmost endeavor 70 compel the United
States to withdraw therefrom.
Did anybody think II necessary TO %
cure permission from the Inhabitants OF
Alaska before purchasing that country
from Russiai
Each Of these transactions vas pre-
cisely like that which placed the Philip
pine Islands and their Inhabitants under
our sovereignty. Furthermore, II ID IN
indisputable fact that greater per cent
of the Inhabitants Of the Philippine 10
lands desire 70 go the sovereignty. Of
the United States estshlishod and main