Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-08-08
BRYAN AND
STEVENSON.
Continued From First Page.

colonial policy, there never was any
difference as to,the great importance
of the question and there is no differ
ence now as to the course to be per-
sued. TIE title of Spain being ex-
tinguisned, we were at liberty tC
deal with FIlipinos according tc
American principles. The Bacon
resolution introduced month before
hostilities broke out at Manila, prom
Used independence to the FIlipinos
on the same terms that it was prom
ised to the Cubans. l supported this
resolution and believe that it's adop-
tion prior to the breaking out of hos
tilities would have prevented blood
shed. and that it's adoption at any
subsequent time would have ende d
hostiliIies. If the treaty had been
rejected, considerable time would
have necessarily elapsed before new
treaty could have been agreed upon
and ratified, and during that time the
question would have been agitating
the public mind"
Whole History Encourages Liberty.
Mr.. Bryan said that the republican
party was evading responsibility in
declaring that the opponents of i'm
perialism were giving encouragement
to the Filipinos. The Filipinos do not
need encouragement from Americans
now living. Our whole history has
been an encouragement, not only to
the Filipinos, but to all who are de-
MED a voice in their own government.
If the republicans are prepared to
censure all who have used language
calculated TO make Filipinos hate for
eign denomination. let them condemn
the speech of Patrick Henry. When
he uttered that passionate appeal,
Give me liberty or give me death, he
expressed a sentiment which still
echoes in the hearts of men. Let
them censure Jefferson; of all the
statesmen of history, none has used
words so effective to those who would
hold their fellows in political bondage.
Let them censure Washington, who
declared that the colonies must choose
between liberty and slavery. Or, if
the statute Of Elimination has run
against the sins of Henry. and Jeffer-
son and Washington. let them censure
Lincoln, whose Gettysburg speech
will be quoted in defense of popular
government when the present advo-
Gates of force and conquest are for
gotten.
Lincoln said that the safety of this
nation was not in it's fleets, it's armies
or it's forts, but in the spirit which
prizes liberty and the heritage of all
men, in all lands. everywhere; aud he
warned his countrymen that they
could not destroy this spirit without
Of
their own doors.
PsraIyzing Infiuence Already Felt.
Mr.. Bryan said that even now we
begin to see the paralyziDg in fiuence of
Imperialism. Heretofore this nation
has been prompt to express its sym
pathy with those fighting for civil
liberty, and while our sphere of activ
ity has been limited to the western
hemisphere, our sympathies have not
been bounded by the sea. We have
felt it due to ourselves and to the
world. as we'll as to those struggling
for the right to govern them selves, to
proclaim the interest which our peo-
pie have. from the date of their own
independence felt in every contest be-
tween human rights and arbitrary
power. Three-quarters of CEN
fury ago when our nation was
small the struggles of Greece aroused
our people. and Webster and Clay
gave eloquent expression to the uni
versal desire for Grecian independ-
ence. In 1896 all parties manifested a
lively interest in the success of the
Cubans, but now when a war is in
progress in South Africa which must
-, 81 20 81
archial idea or the triumph of a re-
public, the advocates of Imperialism
in this country dare not say word
in behalf of the Beers. Sympathy
for the Beers, Mr.. Bryan said. need
not arise from an unfriendliness to-
ward England, but from tho fact that
we believe in the principles OF self
government, and reject, as did our
forefathers, the claims of monarchy.
If this nation surrenders its belief in
the universal application of the prin-
ciples set forth in the declaration CT
independence. it will lose the prestige
and influence it has enjoyed among
the nations as an exponent of popular
government.
Expansion and Imperialism.
DI du nOuI lulO OcIdlA III COu-
trasting the difference between i'm
perialism and expansion. One is
the forcible annexation of territory to
be governed by arbitrary power; the
other the enlargement of the area of
the republic by incorporating land
which can be settled by American cit
liens, or the addition to our Popula-
tion of people who are willing to be-
come citizens and are capable of dis
charging their duties as such. The
democratic party does not oppose this
latter form of expansion. Mr.. Bryan
quoted Jefferson on the difference be-
tween imperialism and expansion. He
dwelt upon the difference between the
acquisition of territory, as was done
in the Louisiana purchase. aud the
selling of distant territory already
more densely populated than our own