The Globe-republican. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1889-1910, 1900-10-25
THE DANGER OF IMPERIALISM.
From the Outlook.

have lost whatever political power they
possessed, and that the government of the
many has become the government of the
few or of one is Historically true But
be who would take warning from history
should examine it sufficiently to learn
what its warning is he should not be
content with the general fact that repub-
lies have been short lived; he should con-
slider what is tie process by which they
is not possible in brief editorial article
to conduct such a historical study; it
must suffice 10 indicate The principle to
which such study conducts-this,
that the TRANSITION. from a republic
to empire las been generally, If moi
Arrays, through a PERIOD Of ANARCHY.
It would be difficult to name any case
in which absolutism has been a gradual
and unconscious evolution from democ-
racy. Lower and simpler forms of GOV
eminent have sometimes passed into an
imperial form without passing through
democracy; but democracy has rarely if
ever passed into an empire except through
anarchy and revolution Greece expert
enced long aud tragic period OF what
we may call States rights and of inter
necine wars between the various States
before the Mace oman Empire was found
ed upon the ruins of her free institutions.
The wars of MariIls and Sulla devastated
Rome before she accepted in exchange
for anarchy and civil war the strong rule
of Julius Caesar. The jealousies of the
Italian cities and the rivalries of the Ital-
ian families, aud the government
which they produced with 'sthe poisoned
cup and the hidden stiletto," prepared the
way for the reign of the tyrants. In
France, there would have been no Napo-
leonic Empire if there had been no Red
Terror; in England, no restoration of the
Stuarts if there had been no Long Parlia-
ment and no fractional fights between
rival parties in the Commonwealth.
These historical events all point in one
directions; they all have one meaning; it
ought not to be difficult 30 understand
their lesson. The danger of Imperialism
in America is not from paltry standing
army of one hundred thousand men; it is
not from the adoption of a colonial policy
over other free countries the
protection of our Interpretation alike
from foes without and disorder within :;
it is not from a gradual usurpation of
power by the President of the United
States; it is not from Capitalization of
any form. The danger is to be looked
for in exactly the opposite direction. 1t
is threatened, if at all, by decentra1iza-
ton, by excessive individlalisn, by
weakness in the Government, by paIter-
ing with the mob, by the forces of popu-
lar discomfort, melted sometimes by dem
agogues, sometimes by honest enthusi-
asts, into passion, and united for factional
ends If ever democracy is overthrown
in America, it will be because the Gov
is too weak, not because it is too
strong. The way to insure the perma-
nRnoQ of 0RmOcranV ia StrAnOthPn ifS
governmental powers.
To Illustrate: Recently in the history
of this country successive mobs have at
tempted TO take control of the railroads
aud determine what trains might run !;
to occupy Pittsburg, Chicago, Brooklyn,
CleYeIand, and ST. Louis aud prevent
free carriage in the public streets; to lay
siege to the iron mills at Homestead and
determine who might enter and who
might not; and in countless cases to pre-
vent by force free Americans from work
ing for such wages and on such condi-
tions a they were willing to accept. OF
all law, mob law is the worst. Any gov
eminent is better than governmen Mt.
The despotism of a Russian bureaucracy
is preferable to that of a Partisan COM
mune. Ce=arisn is not SO bad as perpet-
ual civil wars. The NapoIeoDic Empire
ocracy has not government strong
enough to put down mob, the mob will
be strong enough to overthrow democra-
cy. President Cleveland in dispensing
the mob in Chicago. Governor Roosevelt
in dispensing the mob at Croton Dam,
were defe nding democracy against the
advance guard of imperialisnl; the aui-
thorities in Missouri II leaving St. Louis
so long under mobocracy were promot-
ing the cause of Imperialism in the heart
of the Republic. If the time should ever
come when the people of the United
States have TO choose between the strong
rule of al Emperor and the kind of 1ule
furnished by the Anarchists of Paterson,
who sent one of their number to assassi-
nate King Humbert, they will prefer the
despot, and they will be wise to do so.
We are anti-imperfalists; there
fore in favor of strong government
strong in the city, strong in the tate,
S trong in the Nation The chief danger
of Imperialism comes from those who
would weaken the power of government
i m 8. land where. faction - 81 StronU and