The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1900-08-17
as did our forefathers, the claims Q

III this nation surrenders its belief |
in the universal application of the
principles set forth in the Declaration
of Independence it will lose the pres
tige and influence which it has enjoy
ed among nations as an exponent of
popular government.
Our opponents, conscious of the
weakness of their cause, seek to con-
fuse imperialism with expansion, and
have even dared TO claim j, fferson 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 &C.
casion he declared: If there he one
principle more deeply rooted than
any other in the mind of any Ameri-
can, it is that we should have nothing
to do with conquest And again he
said: Conquest is not in our princi-
piles; it is inconsistent with our Gov
ernment.'
1.-THE forcible annexation of terri
tory to be governed by arbitrary
power differs as much from the ac-
QUESTION of territory to be built up
into States as monarchy differs from
4 Democracy. The Democratic party
does not oppose expansion when ex-
pansion enlarges the area of the Re-
public and incorporates lands which
can be settled by American citizens or
adds to our population people who
are willing to become citizens and are
capable of discharging their duties as
sush. The acquisition.of the Louis
lana territory, Florida, Texas and
other tracts which have been secured
from time to time, enlarged the Re
public, and the Constitution followed
the flag into the new territory.
at is now proposed to seize upon
| distant territory already more densely
populated than our own country and
to force upon the people a government
| for which there is no warrant in our
Constitution or our laws. Even the
| argument that this earth belongs to
those who desire to cultivate it and
have the ply sical power to acquire il
cannot be invoked to justify the APP
| preparation of the Philippine Islands
| by the United States. If the islands
were uninhabited, American citizens
would not be willing to go there and
till the soil. The white race will not
live so near the equator. Other ma
tions have tried to colonies in the
same latitude, The Netherlands have
controlled Java for 300 years. and yet
today there are less than 60, 900 people
| of European birth scattered among
$4,000, 900 natives. After a century
and a half of English domination in
India less than one twentieth of pei
cent. of the people of India are OF
English birth, and it requires an army
of 10000 British soldiers to tnke care
of the tax collectors. Spain has IS.
serted 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 Philippines.
"a colonial policy means that We
shall send to the Philippines p few
| traders, n few taskmasters and fe "
ffieeholders and al army large enough
to support the authority of small
fraction of the people while they rule
the natives.
''If we have an imperial policy we
must have large standing army at
its natural and necessary complement
The spirit which will Justify the forci
BILE annexation of the Philippine Is
lands will Justify the seizure of Other
islands and the domination of other
people, and with wars of conquest we
can expect a certain, if not a rapid
growth of our military establishment
| That a large permanent increase in
our regular army is intended by the
Republican leaders is not mere mat.
ter of conjecture, but matter If f~ct.
| In his message of Dscembe ). 1898
| the President asked for authority ia
increase the standing army to 100 600
In 1896 the army contained about
%, 900 men. Within two years the
| President asked for four times that
many, and Republican House OF
Representatives complied with the re,
| quest after the Spanish treaty had
been signed and when no country was
/ ut war with the United States. II
such an army is demanded when All
| imperial policy is contemplated, but
not openly avowed, what may be ex,
pected if the people encourage the
Republican party by indorsing its pol,
| icy at the polls?
"A large standing army is not only p
pecuniary burden TO the people and,
if accompanied by compulsory service,
Il constant source Of irritation, but il
is ever a menace to IL republican form
| of government. The army is the per-
sonification of force, and miitarism
will inevitably change the ideals OF
the people and turn the thoughts of
our young men from the arts of peace
70 the science of war. The govern
| nent which relies for it's defense upon
its citizens is more likely to be Just
than one which has at call a large
body of professional soldiers. A small!
standing army and weil-equipped
and well-disciplined State militia are
sufficient in ordinary times, and in al
emergency the nation should in the
future, as in the past, place its depen-
tisnce upon the volunteers who come
from all occupations at their couutry'a
call and return to productive labor
when their services are no longer re-
quired linen who fight when the
country needs fighters and work when
the country needs workers.
Republicans ask "ShalI we haul
down the flag that floats over our dead
in the Philippines p The same cues
ton might have been asked when the
austrian nag hoabeu over CHapulLe-
pee and waved over the dead who fell
there; but the tourist who visits the
City of Mexico fluids there Il national
cemetery owned by the United States
aud cared for by an American ctizsu.
Our flag still floats over our dead, but
when the treaty with Mexico was Sign
ed American authority Withdrew to
the Rio Grande and l venture the
opinion that during the last fifty years