Mexico Missouri message., 1900-08-23
lican newspapers that if the enhanced

CROWN Oh tdTlH pTOtectlOn, as tHSt
admit, then it follows that the abo,i-
ton of the tariff will dissolve the
trust. / concede the correctness of
their logic and the business of their
demand, but why limit it to remedial
legislation in one article of commerce
only? If free trade in the articles en-
tering into the composition of paper
will abolish the Paper Trust and low
er prices, why not apply the same
remedy to other trusts which have
raised the prices of their products?
Is it not unfair for the republican
press to ask relief from the exactions
of Paper Trust for themselves, while
at the same time clamoring for the
continuance of the Dingley law, which
permits the organization of Nail
Trusts, Lumber Trusts, Sugar Trusts,
Steel Trusts, Barbed Wire Trusts and
a thousand other trusts which rob
farmers, miners, laborers and other
worthy classes of our people?
Mr.. Chairman and fcllow-citizens,
the democratic party will apply the
very simple remedy of tariff reform
and dissolve all tariff trusts, includ-
ing the Paper Trust, shortly after it
comes into power on the 4th of March
next. Under the democratic admins
tration of Mr.. Bryan this country will
return to the worldwide policy of
commercial expansion.
We intend to reduce the obstructive
wall of taxation to the revenue point,
and thus destroy the Tariff Trust.
We intend to repeal all laws which
stand in the way of the restoration of
the American merchant marine; We
intend, under the policy of reciprocal
trade, to compete with England for
the commerce of the world; we intend
that the American flag shall be at the
masthead of our own vessels carry
ing our own commerce.; we intend
that the Union Jack of England shall
no longer be the emblem of our ma
tional humiliation on the high seas;
we intend to abolish the Mark Hanna
policy of the republican party which
permits England to carry more than
ninety per cent. of American COM
merce, while the Stars and the Stripes
float over our vessels carrying less
than ten per cent; we intend to con-
struct the Nicaragua canal by this
government, and control and defend
it without the aid or consent of Eng
land, and thus develop new markets
in the orient by shortening the lines
of ocean transportation; we intend to
say to the men who own iabor-saving
machines: Run them on full time"
for with the restoration of CONNER.
cial expansion you will find markets
for your products in every seaport
mart of the world; we intend to give
to labor constant and profitable en-
ployment under this policy; we intend
to give the farmers better markets
for their products under this policy;
we intend, in fact, to establish an En-
pire of Commerce rather than an En-
pire of Force! With intelligent labor,
unrivalled machinery, cheap capital
and free institutions, this coun-
try, under the policies of the Kansas
City platform, will become the might
est commercial nation of all the ages.
1t is not possible for the imagination
of the most gifted artist to portray
upon canvass the commercial glories
which shall be ours, if we return to
that policy under which this country
once surpassed England in prowess
upon the seas.
We want an empire upon the high
ways of ocean commerce and in the
seaport marts of the world. This en-
pire will not require large standing
armies; it will not call for conquering
legions; it will not depend upon
cleaning bayonets or flashing swords,
but will be buttressed upon the abili-
ty, the thrift and the energy of the
American people which can master
the world in commerce.
THE POLICY OF IMPERIALISM.
But, fellow-citizen, j must hasten to
a conclusion. have already occupied
more time than / had intended to &C.
cupy in the discussion of questions re-
lating to internal policies. 1 come
now, in the order of my argument. to
very brief discussion of a very great
issue. 1t is not an issue involving the
annexation of adjacent territory to
be ultimately uplifted into statehood.
but an issue involving the acquisition
of remote islands, already more dense
ly populated than our older states, to
be governed by congress as colonies
in disregard of the protection of the
constitution.
The democratic party has always
been a party of progress and of great
policies. Its territorial policy has been
the policy of expansion in entire har-
mony with the Monroe Doctrine. The
first contest for territorial acuuisi-
ton was with the old federal party,
which stoutly resisted the extension
of our borders. At the time the demo-
cratic party inaugurated its first pres
ident, Thomas jefferson, on the 4th
of March, 1901, there were but Is stars
in the blue field of our national flag.
There are As stars there now, with
other territory out of which can be
created splendid states. Every acre
of territory added to the Union prior
to the acquisition of our island pos
sessions was contribution by the
democratic party. Our territorial area
which was but s27,ss4 square miles at
the time of the organization of the re-
public has expanded to3, O25, 800 square
miles under democratic craftsmanship.
Include the Alaskan territory, because
even that acquisition was made under
the administration of President John
son after he abandoned the republic
an party.
The Louisiana purchase, Florida,
Texas and the extensive domain add
ed as a result of the Mexican war
came into the Union under demo-
cratic administrations at total cost
of only 52,2OO,OOO to the national
treasury. This cost, of course, does
not include the 100000 paid for the
Philippine islands under the Paris
treaty. All of this vast empire was
contiguous territory, thinly popu-
lated, and out of which we have
carved great sovereign states, now
the homes of millions of energetic