The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-10-13
EMPIRE AND MONEY.
Carl Schurz Talks of Relative I'M
portance of Issues.

went tonight TO It's doors to attend meeting
Of the New York Anti-Imperialist League.
Carl Schurz was received with tumult OF
cheers. Ernest II. Crosby introduced the first
| speaker of the evening, Anson Phelps Stokes.
| Mr. Stokes was followed by Mr.. Schurz, who
said in part:
81 have again and again challenged the i'm
perialisis to show me in the whole history OF
| the world single act Of perhdy committed
| by any republic more infamous than that com
mitted by Mr.. Mckinley's administration
| against our Filipino allies, and / have receiv-
| ed no answer but sickly sneer. Not one of
| the imperialists has been able TO point out in
the history of any republic since the world
stands single act surprising in teacherous
villainy this thing done in the name of the
great Republic sprung from the Declaration OF
Independence-the Republic of George Wash
inglon and Abraham Lincoln. Where is the
American having the honor of his country
truly at heart who will not hang his head in
shame and contrite humiliation at this deep
disgrace?
Imperialism has done something more
which is alarmingly characteristic of its
tendencies. In this Republic, which should
be governed byanintelligent and wellinform-
ed public opinion, it has introduced one ofthe
most insidious practices of despotic govern
ments-s censorship of news. That censor
ship has largely falsifed and still more largely
concealed from the knowledge of the people
the information to which the people are en-
titled as citizens called upon to act with inteli-
gent judgment upon their own affairs. The
practice of secrecy in the conduct of our
Government has gone so far that. for two
years, one of the most fatefu periods III our
history, our people have not been permitted
TO see, few items excepted, the most impor-
| tant diplomatic correspondence and the direc-
tions TO Government agents intrusted with
| most momentous business.
''We are now Witnessing the strange, the
unprecedented, spectacle of the President. as
a candidate for reelection, in his letter OF
acceptance, a partisan campaign paper, draw
ing upon hidden stores of official knowledge
and publishing detached pieces Of documents
| as they may be advantageous to his and his
party's interest He has no reason to com
plain of the widespread suspicion that, if all
those documents we're published entire, they
might bring unwelcome light-for his benevo-
lent assimilation order, that usurping declara.
ton of war against the Filipinos, the whole oil
which happens TO be known, appears in his
letter of acceptance in garbled condition,
misleading by om;tiing the most important
parts. Here we have, | repeat, an attempt al
secret government, one of the worst practices
of unadulterated despotsm. You deny the
influence of imperialism on the character o.
our Government? Here you have an instance
SIT is said that if we withdraw our forces
from the Philippines, the Filipinos would al
once drop into anarchy, loot their cities and
cut one another's throat. What evidence is
there TO support this slanderous assumption
None. They have carried on their wal
humanely, far more humanely than some
European troops have carried on their war in
China. They have, perhaps few cases ex
cepted, treated their prisoners kindly. They
have had opportunities for looting their cities
What did they do? The Spaniards surrend
cred to them Iloilo, the second city OF the
archipelago in commercial Importance. Gen
M. P. Miller, Of our army, was sent before
that city to take it. As he himself has pub
licly stated, he received letter from tn,
business people of Iloilo, principally foreign
ers, stating that good order was being main
tanned, life and property being protected, anC
requesting him not to attack al present. Bu
soon he did attack to restore order and t.
prevent anarchy; and it was our army tina
brought bloodshed and devastation into tina
community.
at sounds almost like CHASTITY Jest that w
should have killed &c, 900 of those people 70
the purpose of preventing them from KILN,
each other. No anarchy in the Philippine
would shed half as much blood as we hav
already she'd 1t may be true that the guerril
warfare has brought forth some cruel excesses
All guerrilla warfare does But who cause,
that irregular guerrilla warfare? We did b
breaking up their government and regula
army.
THE RIGHT KIND OF PRESTIGE.
"Then it is said that if we voluntarily Civ
up the subjugation of the Philippines we shal
lose our prestige in the world. All, yesl w
shall indeed lose our prestige with tn
land robbers; our prestige with the oppres
sors of weak peoples; our prestige with tn
swashbucklers who are constantly spoilin
for fight; our prestige with the seoffers q
Democratic institutions; our prestige with th
devotees of despotic rule Yes, with ther
our prestige will be irretrievably gone. W
shall even be in danger of being regarded tn
world over as an honest people; as just, ger
erous, noble and liberty loving people; as
people of such moral greatness that, in spit
of the intoxicating seduetiveness of victory,
may be counted on always to listen to its cor
science and to overcome all false pride j
repairing a wrong done and in vindicating il
high principles; people so truthful that il
word will always be believed; people so NJ
right that the powers of the world will feel il
stinctivey inclined to trust it as the safest gen
eral arbiter in the peaceful adjustment of thei
differences. Here are the two kinds of pres
tige, one of which we may lose, and the othe
OF which we may win. Americans, proud {
your country, which will be your choice?
STATUS OF THE MONEY QUESTION
'As to the money question, my conviction
have, of course, not changed in the leas
But while the money question was the para
mount issue four years ago we never admitte
that il must remain the paramount questio
always; or that, however important SCUM
money is TO the economic interests as well q
TO the character of the nation there may no
be other things of even more vital moment; G
that party representing sound money ma
do things ever so obnoxious to good morals o
good policy and still rightfully exact our sup
port under all circumstances.
sin my correspondence with Secretar
Gage / have shown, | think, that the danger
TO our present monetary system are by n
means as threatening now as jealous partisan
ship represents them, and that we may freel
act upon the question of imperialism withou
serious peril TO our standard of value.
candidly believe so But / frankly declar
that even if the dangers so luridly depicted b
the imperialists really existed my position il
the present crisis would be the same.
s.He would not have been counted goo
| hmeflcaH pdtTiOt "no1 at tue tiile vi tu
American Revolution, had abandoned tn
cause of liberty and independence on accoun
of the disastrous viciousness of the continenta
money, or who, during our Civil War, ha,
given up the cause of liberty and union be
cause its defense brought on the dangerou
issue of irredeemahe paper dollars, or othe
economic perils; or who, at either of thos
causes for the reason that the men in position
of leadership might hold obnoxious opinion
or be Inclined to do unwelcome things with re
gard to other matters. 1t is still remembers
+ in how little esteem John Adams held tn
members of the Continental Congress, bu
how firmly he nevertheless, as patriot, stoo
for the cause of his country.
There is but too much ground for belle,
ing that the party in power is largely cor
trolled by strong and grasping interests tryin
to exploit the Government for their prof
and inclined to make the American flag, in III
characteristic phrase of the famous Gee
Rhodes, A first-class commercial asset
Such interests have not yet thrown large finar
cial means into our dependencies for specr
lative venture But If our present rulers