Marshall County independent. (Plymouth, Marshall County, Ind.) 1897-1902, 1900-08-17

uCHl. either at the time Oh the TdlllCdllOil
of the treaty or at any time afterward,
1t would have taken the question OF I'M
perialism out of politics and left the
American people free TO deal with their
domestic problems. But the resolution
was defeated by the vote of the republic
an vice president, and from that time
to this a republican congress has refused
TO take any action whatever in the mat
ter.
When hostilties broke out at Manila
republican speakers and republican edl-
tors at once sought to lay the blame upon
those who had delayed the ratification
or the war, the same republicans nave
accused the opponents of imperialism OF
giving ENCOURAGEMENT to the F1nplnos
This Is a cowardly evasion of the re-
sponsibility
If it is right for the United States to
hold the Philippine islands permanently
and initiate European empires IN the gov
eminent OF colonies. the republican party
ought TO state its position and defend it,
but ii must expect the subject races TO
protest against such a policy and TO re-
Slst TO the extent of their ability Inc
ElilplnOS do not need any ENCOURAGEMENT
from Americans now living. Our whole
history has been an encouragement. NOT
only To the FihpinOs. but to all who are
II the republicans are prepared 10 CEN
sure all who have used language CAL
culated to make the Fllipinos hate for
elSn domination let them condemn the
speech OI fdtTlck Henry. w men lie Ut
tered that passionate appeal. Give me
liberty or give me death he expressed
sentiment which still echoes in the hearts
or men. Let them cenSure JEFFERSON, OF
all the statesmen of history none nave
used words so offensive to those who
would hold their fellows in political bond
age Let them censure Washington, who
declared that the colonists must choose
between liberty and slavery. OR. II the
statute of limitations has run against the
sins of Henry and jefferson and Wash
lnStOn. let them cenSure Lincoln. whose
Gettysburg speech will be quoted in de-
tense OF popular government when the
present advocates Of force and conquest
are forgotten.
Someone has said that a truth once
spoken can never be recalled Ii goes on
and on. and no one can set limit 10 its
influence. But IL II were
possible to oblitera;e every word written
or spoken in defense of the principles set
forth in the Declaration of Independence.
Il war of conquest would still leave its
legacy of perpetual hatred, for 1t was
God Himself who placed in every human
heart the love of liberty. He never made
a race of people low in the scale Of
civilization or intelligence that ii would
welcome foreign master.
Those who would have this nation enter
not only the effect of Imperialism on
the FilipinoS. but they must also cal
culate its effects upon our own nation
We cannot repudiate the principle of self
SUI u ilIiltiil III the fuillDDlilcS MlluOul
weakening that principle here.
Lincoln said that the safety of this
nation was not in its fleets, it's armies.
its forts. but in the spirit which prizes
liberty as the heritage of all men in all
lands. everywhere. and he warned his
countrYmen that they could not destroy
this spirit without planting the seeds of
despotism at their own doors.
Even now we are beginning to see the
paralyzing influence of Imperialism.
this nation has been prompt
To express its sympathy with those who
were fighting for civil liberty. While our
sphere of activity has been limited to the
western hemisphere. our sympathies have
not been bounded by the seas. We have
felt ii due to ourselves and To the world,
as We'll to those who We're struggling
Tor the right TO govern themselves, to
proclaim the interest which our people
have. from the date of their own indie
pendence, felt in every contest between
human rights and arbitrary power.
our nation was small the struggles of
Greece aroused our people. and Webster
ana Clay gave eloquent expression 10 the
universal desire for Grecian ndepend-
ence. In 1895. all parties manifested
lively interest in the success of the Gu
bans, but now when a war is in progress
in South Africa. which must result in ex-
tension OF the mOndrchlal idea, or in the
triumph of a republic, the advocates of
imperialism in this country dare not say
IA word in behalf of the Beers. sympathy
iDl the ducts ubtS uOl arise from any
toward England the
American people are not unfriendly to-
ward the people of any nation. This sym
pathy is due 10 the fact that. as stated
in our platform. believe in the prin-
cples of self-goyernment and reject. as
did our forefatherS. the claims oil mon
trchy. II this nation SUrrtnders its
belief in the universal application of
The principles set forth in the beclara-
lion of Independence ii will lose the pres
tige and influence which it has enjoyed
among the nations as an exponent of
popular government.
Our opponents. conscious of the weak
ness OF their cause. seek to confuse i'm
perialism with expansion. and have even
dared to claim Jefferson as a supporter of
their policy. Jefferson spoke so freely
and used language with such precision
that no one can be ignorant of his views
On one occasion he declared: IF there
be one principle more deeply rooted than
any other in the mind of every Ameri-
can. ii is that we should have nothing
to do with conquest" And again he
said: Conquest is not in our prin-
ciples: ii is inconsistent with our gov
The forcible annexation of territory
TO be governed by arbitrary power differs
Is much from the acquisition of territory
TO be built up into states as monarchy
iiffers from a democracy. The demo-
cratic party does not oppose expansion,
when expansion enlarges the area of the
and incorporates land which can
be settled by American citizens or adds
to our population people who are will
ing TO become citizens and are capable
Of discharging their duties as such The
acquisition of the Louisiana territory
Florida. Texas and other tracts which
have been secured from time to time.
enlarged the republic and the constitu-
ton followed the flag into the new GER
ritOry. 1t is now proposed to seize up
OH distant territory, already more densely
populated than our own country and 10
force upon the people government, for
which there Is no warrant in our con-
stitutiOn or our laws. Even the argu-
ment that this earth belongs to those
who desire to cultivate it, and who have
the physical power to acquire ii, cannot
be invoked to justify the augmentation
Of the Philippine islands by the United
States. If the islands We're uninhabited
American citizens would not be willing To
go there and till the soil The white
other nations have tried to coloniZe i'm
The same latitude. The Netherlands
have controlled Java for 300 years and
yet today there are less than 60 600 Deo-
Pile of European birth scattered among
the g. 100000 natives. After century and
a half of English domination in India less
than one-twentieth of one per cent. of
the people of India are of English birth
soldiers to take care of the tax collectors
Spain has asserted title to the Philippine
islands for three centuries and yet. when
our fleet entered Manila bay, there were
less than 10000 Spaniards residing in the
A colonial policy means that we shall
send to the Philippine islands a few
traders, a few taskmasters and a few
office holders and an army large enough
to support the authority of the people
while they rule the natives.
IL we have an imperial policy we must
nave great standing army as its ma
tural and necessary complement. The
spirit which viii justify the forcible an
nexation of the Philippine islands will
Justify the seizure of other islands and
the domination of other people and with
wars of conquest we can expect a Ger
tain. If not rapid. growth of our military
establishment. That large permanent
increase in our regular army Is intended