Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1900-10-11
MINISTER FOR BRYAN.
UNDERLYING PRINCIPLES OF OUR
GOVERNMENT AT STAKE.

| lIoN ~ VI E-t "a 80 -hAAA%'
Rev. Joseph BroWnEurner, pastor
Of the Dover Presbyterian Church,
Dover, Del. who has announced his
intention to forsake the Republican
party and support the Democratic
ticket, said in an Interview:
~ shall vote for Mr.. Bryan in
November, though 1 never before
voted Democratic ticket. While 1
am somewhat reluctant to talk ABOUT
my political relations, see no reason
why l should not candidly state some
Of the reasons for my personal con.
yictions and my change Of political
alignment ut this time.
Concerning the ordinary issues
upon which the American people
agree to differ, it is wise for clergy
to keep silent, especially in the
pulpit. Matters Of taxation, finance
!..sapd ordinary .adpipjstEstion should
SftH0 hoses hose sGHsiness it is
I g. understand them and discuss
them. But we are clear outside Of
ordinary lines in this campaign.
The issues now pending are vital, and
nu political contest since 1860 has
been 80 charged with veal or woe 10
the government under which we
live.
1.-The axe is laid at the root of the
tree under whose shadow we have
sat with delight. 1t is a time for
every man who loves free inStitu-
tons and true democratic principles
to speak and keep on speaking. No
more precious legacy ever came to
any people than that hequeathed by
our tureiathers to all succeeding gen.
eratinns ofAmericans. This genera
ton is in danger offbelittling that
legacy AMI Of casting it wholly
aside.
we have outgrown the principles
of our fathers we are told, land we
may safely discard them We can
not keep to the old lines and continue
to expand. We cannot keep inside
EAf international limitations and be II
|:Werld-poWer. Then we had better
uUt OC SOito PO"Si'
:" am 8 conStitutiOnallSt. Until
we change our Constitution in the
orderly way provided in the Consti'
tuition itself can see nothing but
overwhelming disaster in n refusal
or a neglect to abide by its guaran'
teesyand restrictions. We have gone
outside Of those restrictions and
Guarantees under the leadership Of
the present administration, and
what the end may be under such
leadership it is not difficult to fore
see.
Dangerous heresics, theoretical
and practical-thost have always
been among us. Professionalism in
politics, the lowering Of moral stand
ards in public life, the perversion OF
parties, the corruption Of the ballot,
bribery aud official venality-thrsc
We have grown familiar with. and
planacing they are indeed. But w'th
these we can cope. An aroused
manhOud, a returning political sanity
in the country could and would
sweep them away like the rhair on
the summer threshsng floor. Graver
far than these evils, moro protein
tuus than any or all Of them, Is the
fact that free America Is forgetting
it, mission, turning away from is
glorious prrrcdent3, losing sight OF
liz ancient lanlSmarka and giving |
the lie to all that our fathers believed
to he politically and clernally true.
We are learning To depend upon !
force rather than uu juatiCc; we arc
putting might before right. Rock, !
bottom prnciplc5-truth, Justice,
liberty and life are At stake III the
present contention, for these hay" oil
been assaulted.
- "Under the impulse Of new for
eign conceptions nj duty we have
transformed a righteous war for
liberation in the West into nj nnhOly
strife fur conquest in the East. y
war for humanity in one fair Island
of the sea has been changed to war
of inhumanIty in another. Soldiers
recruited to light for liberty in Cuba
are lighting against liberty in Luzon.
4 weak and practically helpless
people asked fromTus the right to
govern thenIselves-this and no more
and we have preferred to slaughter
their best and more Intelligent
classes 10y thousands rather than
grant their request.
They rallied in behalf Of princi-
plcs no other than those for which
the emhatllpd farmers Of New Eng
land died al Lexington and Bunker
Hill, and we pursue them with hre
and sword. They have bravely
dared to assert their inaIienable right
10 life, liberty and the pursuit Of
happiness, and Mr.. Mckinley pre-
SCENTS to them the alternatives OF
submission or annihilatiOn. We are
retaining under his fatuou7 policy,
or lack Of policy, territory to
which before God We have no shadow
Of right and Of which we promised
solemnIy not to retain.
We intruded upon that territory
even before the Paris treaty was
signed. The President refused to
give the people OF that territory
hearing in their own behalf, and
then made the plea that he had no
means Of knowing their desires. 1t
has been a shameful record FROM its
beginning. Our domineering, our
inidelity to tacit pledges, provoked
resentment, followed by resistance.
| Upon this resistance the admlnistra-
ton declared falsely that the people
were rebels-this in spite Of its as
surance that the United States had
no intention Of asserting permanent
sovereignty over them.
"Then 4 greater force was sent to
stamp out the so.called rebellion.
And now, having broken the arm OF
the existing govern meut and spread
bloodshed, confusion and anarchy
| tnr and wide. Mr.. McKinley declares