Graham guardian., 1900-09-07
TRUE DEMOCRACY VS.. TOREY-
FEDERAL IMPERIALISM.
Stafford
The HORRORS Of imperialism
70 u v
BY A. BUCK.

BYA BUCK.
The horrors ofimperialism dark
en- the pages of past history as well
as that of the present. In persu-
ing imperial policies the same
methods are being used as in past
ages. Whenever an imperial ruler
wished to extend his dominion
over other lands the people who
inhabited them, unless they sur
rendered without blow, were de
nounced as barbarians and incap-
able of self government. Shortly
after the discovery of America, i'm
perial Spain invaded this continent.
They found in certain parts of
Mexico, and in South America,
highly civilized people. But with
sword in hand they murdered the
best of the people and plundered,
ravished and robbed the. countries
through which they passed. In
stead of bringing civilization, they
destroyed it wherever they found
| it, and instituted barbarism in its
stead.
The cause of the downfall of the
republic of Rome was the dream OF
empire on the part of ambitious
generals and their lackies. Julius
Czar committed the first overt act
when he crossed the Rubicon. The
| empire followed the defeat OF
Pompai and it is known to every
man and woman who has read the
history of Rome under the Empire
that it was rotten to the core from
first to last, as is the case with
all imperial governments. The
forces that overran the Roman
Empire were as well civilized in
some respects as the Romans were
and had been known to the Romas
for centuries, and the onslaught
made by those whom the Romans
denominated barbarians, were re.
talliations for innumberable raids
made by the imperial Romans
upon their settlements fo the pur.
pose of robbery and plumber
Rome was not overwhelmed, how
ever, until she became etfeminate
Her reaching out to conquer and
robb the world had run the EN-
pire hopelessly in debt after hav'
ing taxed the substance out Of all
the people. They had adopted
the gold standard, and this, to.
gether with class legislation and
high taxes, resulted in the people
becoming slaves. The masses
were no longer proud of Roman
citizens, but were surfs. The
courts had become so corrupt that
they openly sold their decisions to
the highest bidder. Men were
sold into slavery for debt and their
families became the prey of the
soldiery. At the time the Roman
empire was overun, Imperialism
had crushed out every spark ofthe
courage and patriotism of the peo-
pie and they cared but little what
became of the empire. Whole
provisions became the wealth of
ane man. The people gave up in
dispair and laid down beneath
their burdens to rise no more.
And, as historian says, "all public
spirit, all generous emotions, all
noble aspirations of men shriveled
and disappeared"
And it is absolutely astonishing
that the New York Sun should
state that:
"Every school boy knows that
wherever the eagles of imperial
Rome lighted they brought with
them law, order and civilization,
just as the imperialism of the
United States, it is to be hoped,
will be permitted to engage in the
same benifcient work"
And, little further along in the
same article the Sun says:
imperialism is natural to the
American people"
"In 1897, the writer overheard a
Chicago banker make the state
ment that: "We need an emperor
here" But we never expected to
see an article containing the state
ments we have qnoted, published
in the New York Sun and repub
lished, as a sweet morsel, in the
Chicago Tribune.
What citizen, until very recent
ly, ever dreamed that imperialism
is natural to the American people?
Does it not sound like voice
from some medieval tomb? And
we, too, are to spread such civili-
cation, law and order as that which
the gilded eagles of
Rome, while all those who do not
consent to adopt as settled policies
with us the doctrines of Alexander.
Ceazar and Nepolean ore to be de
nounced as traitors. Great heavens