The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-08-27
THE IMPERIALISM A K


To the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
1t is hard to accept as serious the charge
that there is any pending danger of the
overthrow of our form of government and
the substitution therefor of imperial
ism. The people of the United States may
well be said to be saturated with the spirit
of our free institutions, and that any move
ment looking to al imperial form of gov
ernment would arouse such indignation as
nothing else would. And yet the country
is confronted with the contention that such
a danger is pending. Under such a status
of things the contention must be accounted
for. Upon what is the fear predicated?
There is a reason for every phase of
thought and fear i'm the public mind
In the midst of a period of great turmoil
and peril the greatest philosopher among
men said: 20 We generation of vipers. how
can We, being evil, speak good things? For
out of the abundance of the heart the
mouth speaketh." Here is the basal philos-
ophy for one phase of the fear, or ex-
preston of fear. of a pending imperialism.
1t is of wide application. But il cannot be
inferred that any great mass of the people
are bad of heart enough to precipitate the
country into the evil feared. The desire
TO obtain power and place has in all times
blinded men to principles of justice and
led them in reckless and devious ways to
attain Ii. Witness the monstrous proof of
this before our eyes to-day. The cry of a
| great party in behalf of a people not half
civilized, ten thousand miles distant on
sea islands who do not speak our ngue,
do not know anything of the spirit of our
form of government, have no traces of our
blood and differing from us in color. The
voice of that same party wrestling the bal
lot, the only safeguard against imperial
ism. from the hands of millions of people
born and grown to manhood in our own
country, who speak our own tongue, are
saturated with the spirit of our form of
government, tinged with our own blood.
though differing only in color. Neither fear
of Imperialism nor protest against its con-
in several of our States is ex-
pressed or heard from those whose eyes
are turned to the Philippines ten thousand
miles away. What shall be said of such
insincerity, such inconsistency? The facts
are more scathing than added words could
make them. The tree is known by its
fruits" the great philosopher said.
| Perhaps Mr. Bryan is not Immediately
responsible for the action of his party i'm
these Southern States. But with the worst
form of imperialism contaminated he could
protest. If he sincerely fears danger to the
country he would. Unfortunately he has
set the pace of inconsistency on this sub
ject by taking up arms to uphold the Ma.
ton in war and then ~resigning his COM
mission To denounce the war; Urging his
party in Congress to ratify the treaty by
which we acquired sovereignty i'm the
Philippines and then going on the stump
demanding retirement and surrender OF
that sovereignty.
Finally there was need of a party issue
in most of the States. and where his pet
16-to-1 ism was not available. though his
silver issue was made essential by him &c
the acceptance Of a nomination, il could
only be paramount" in a few mountain
States, while imperialism was essentia.
In the others. And so the country is wit.
Messing his summer theatricals for the last
time. While amusing enough to the coun.
try, he seems to be 1.-THE old man of the
sea" to his party. Among a people less
intelligent his speeches and his actions
would be bewildering. Herein lies the an,
parent apathy. Blu the people will vote.
JOHN b. CONNER.
indianapolis. Aug. %.