The Negro world., 1900-04-14
IMPERIALISM AND PORTO RICO
Issues na.sd Upon con.titutionSI and
Human Grounds That VIII
Help Democrats.


A few weeks ago IL would have re.
quired the gift of a second sight To dis
,over that out of the seemingly simple
matter of the fiscal government OF Por.
to Rico would spring an issue that
would, for time at any rate, split the
republican party in twain and cause
more discussion, more diSsension with
in the party ranks than has been wit
messed since the days when the presi-
dent strove to prevent war with Spain
for the liberation of Cuba. In n sense he
Porto Rico tariff will be leading issue
of the campaign, Its Importance pro-
ccetls, however. not wholly from the
immediate issue involved in congress
that Of raising revenue from and for
the Porto Ricans-hut rather from the
fact that IL Is one incident, and n glar-
ing one, in what the democrats believe
to be the steady progress Of this admin
istration away from republican princi-
plies toward the establishment Of cm-
pire. II Is one chapter In the fast grow
ing history of imperialism In America,
and that issue--the Issue of imperial
ism--will beyond doubt be one of the
most vital issues of the campaign. II is
peculiarly fitting that democratic
convention, held on the anniversary OF
the adoption of the Declaration of In
dependence. should stand as the oppon-
cnt OF plan to tax dependency with
out granting II representation Ia the
taxing body--and that is the plan which
the republican house of representa-
tives now proposes and which the pres.
ident, after some yacillation, has eX
pressed his willingness to accept
But the whole programme OF imperi-
alism Is an antagonism to those ideas
which were cnunclnted IN the immor-
tai declaration. and which are the
foundation Of our national existence.
So obvious is this that the more logical.
though less polite, defenders Of impe-
rialism have been compelled 10 throw
overheard both the Declaration of In
dependence and the constitution, de-
claring the one mere collection of fine
sounding but impractical phrases and
the other to have been outRrown. The
democratic party will stand ns the de-
fender of the constitution. the unfulter.
ing champion of every word and phrase
in Thomas Jcifernon's declaration OF
defiance 20 that British power under
whose wing to-day IL seems the United
States is expected TO nestle for protec.
tion.
Nor Is this issue Of fanti-lmperialism
"A constitutional one alone. II Is broad.
ly human. emincntly moral issue.
The anti-imperlalist sympathiEes with
the Beers in their struggle for national
Independence against a rui,ber mon
arcby but he finds an imperinliSt adj.
ministratlon turning q cold shoulder 20
the South African republics and cod.
ding Great Britain. The anti-imperinl-
ist does not believe that the way 20
make the United States respected and
popular in the east is 10 shoot down re-.
morselessly men who are struggling
for the liberties which they were led 10
believe We hAdcome tbithert 10 help them
secure. lie thinks there is better fu-
ture for the flower Of our young man.
hood than TO he used as food for pow.
NAI VI NhAliHitl 10 lHf tihhAN EAi'
mate Of distant tropical archipela.
go. lie holds that imperialism aud
militarism 60 hand IN hand. and he.
iieyes with the fathers of the republic
that a great standing army is men.
ace 20 the people He knows that a
policy Of despotism pursued toward
foreign peoples will In due time b"
employed by our governing classes
for the subjuRation Of our own peo.
pie. and he points 10 the year of mill
tary despotism and martial lnw In the
Coeur d'Alene az an early proof Of this
fact.
For these reasons anii-imperialism
will be an issue In the coming campaign
that will not down. Among all II will
doubtless leAd.--WillIs J. Abbott. In
Chicago Times.Herald.
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