The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-01-27
Imnerialiam and Militarism.

We have had Two questions forced into lhe
arena Of politics since the war They are new
questions questions which the American peo-
pie have not had a chance to eousider-and
want TO dwell on them Tor little while to-
night The FIRST is the size Of our standing
army How many soldiers did We have 10 our
Regular Army in 1896 /? twenty-five thou
sand. Twenty five thousand soldiers we're
enough for Republic of 20. 900, 600 OF pso-
pie. aud yet in December, lSgS, the President
asked Congress 20 authorize the raising 0t
standing army Of loo, ,000-- an army four times
a. great. What does il mean? Il means
gigantic step toward milttarism IN the United
States. i 1t possible that the people can see
this step taken without alarm Heretofore
we have depended upon the citizen soldier.
He has been oar anchor. We have said We
wuuli do what was right, and then, # we had
lrouble, we could call upon our citizens to De,
tend the nation
But nov We are to have hired soidiery
ike the nations Of Europe. au army iour times
as great as the army We bad when the Repuh
hcaa party came into power. aud this, OF
course, was to be made withou, consulting the
people. because, il you look at the platform
Of the Republican party IN 1890, yon will hnd
that there was no plank in i asking t5F an
srmY VI 100 OOe, or for any increase IN the
Standing AifnN. WY NN WG NNNA - tN* -
army now Hhy7 They say because OF the
ncw policy upon which the nation bas entered
Bat have the people decided 70 enter upon q
new polieyg There has been no vote by the
people since the Presidents policy has been
declared This message asking for 100000
soldiers for the Regular Army was sent 20
Congress u month afler the election al which
the present Congress was elected. and the
people have never decided upon that foreign
policy that Is relied upon to justify an army
Of 100 coo But. my friends, II we have in
perialism We shall have militarism; II we have
= policy that reaches out by force and drags
under the flag unwilling subjects, It viii be
necessary TO have q large army 90 keep those
peoples from, making faces rs they swallow
benevolent assimilation. Applause
'And, therefore, these questions can be
treated together II We don't have imperial
ism. they can't Justify a large army; If We do
have Imperialism, You will never see the day
when We have n smaller army than We have
new. There are some who think that we
haven't any right to discuss the Philippine
question while the war lasts.
.'Ah. my friends, il will be q sad day when
the people Of this nation are not able 10 crj'i-
else their public servants. IL viii be a sad
day when every act Of every public servant
cannot be brought before the bar of public
opinion. Why, | read a speech the other
day 10 which man said we must not criticlse
the President here because the Filipinos
don understand free speech. and when they
read anything said in this country against the
President they suppose that the President
mast be in majority or else be wouldn't per
init that thing to be said. Laughter Do
YOU see the philosophy Of it2 When this race
comes into contact with an inferior race that
does not understand free speech, then, instead
of lifting them up and making them 10 under
stand free speech. we are to be denied free
speech because they can't understand il;
tAuplauSeA