Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-10-11

- - AAN6 "a
dangering the integrity of democratic in
situations.
Once a Fountain of Prosperity.
And, lastly, they contend that, since re-
tory of the world since the establishment
or this government to have been the foun-
kind has ever enjoyed, its preservation
cannot endanger prosperity, but must con-
tribute to its permanence and to its growth.
difficulty in disposing of it if it were not for
the bewildering and Intoxicating effects OF
certain expressions which we hnd the presi-
dent of the United States justifying his
actions by referring to the Louisiana pur-
chase; axnond-
ed their form of government over the west
ern territory he undertakes TO say tnat TINS
annexation of islands beyond the sea, Whlcn
are not TO be governed according 10 our con-
stitutional system. is also expansion, ana,
by that use of the word, seeks to justify
by a precedent of liberty an attempt at
suhjugation and conquest which is an out
rage.
this that expansion, if it means anything,
means growth. Now, growth may be bene-
hc1al or injurious, according to its direction.
An inch added to a mans stature makes
beauty. An inch added to the length or MS
nose would be a deformity We might De
direction, and we call in the surgeon to
prevent its growth in a vicious direction.
The expansion that the democratic par
ty has always supported is that. The ex-
pansion which the democratic party first
introduced lHtO Tie SNS VI lIIS NobIb
was the expansion of our constitutions
system into new territory. To that no
democrat is opposed to-day. If there We're
a proposal of that character before the
country it would be supported nowhere so
enthusiastically as in democratic gather
tngs.
Benefit to the Artisan.
The Englis crown would lose the OPP
portunity and the right it now enjoys TO
appoint a few aristocrats to ONCE In can
ada, but the English artisans and mechan-
les and merchants would gain a much
larger market for their wares and conse-
their prosperity, while on both sides of
this frontier the benefits of both parties
would be unreasonable and almost incon-
THAT is democratic expansion to which
the democratic party is tied and for which
with every pulsation of its heart.
But this Imperialism which we are dis
cussing is not expansion of our political
ton in distant lands by this government of
another government wholly distinct from
itand radically different from 1t, and, there
fore, irresponsibly hostile to 1t. You may
perceive this is expanding not the scope
of our constitutional system, not the au-
thority of our government, but it is ex-
panding the authority of our officeholders,
expanding. 1t SO FAR as TO make II moe
pendent of the constitution which creates
them.
imperialism Means Armies.
Such a system can only be enforced
against the resistance of the nations. 1t
means armies must be put in the field; tina
American lives must be sacrificed and the
lives of helpless people must be destroyed,
resentment will be undying. Resentment
will seek opportunities and expression in
the future. We, therefore, as w~rongdoers
will be haunted by the w~rongdoer's fear OF
r~etribution.
revenge even when none is planned, so the
alien foreign government which has robbed
the people of its birthright of liberty con-
stantiy fears resistance even when none is
planned and then must make preparation
all the time for contest and conflict in
zens. To think that such a system should
ever have been submitted to the American
people and attempted to be justified by the
purchase of Louisiana is, perhaps, the most
extraordinary Instance in our history.
"Youwin observe. my friends, that the re-
Course by JereTson's Example proceeds
upon the assumption that when he declared
in the Declaration of Independence that
the consent of the governed was the sole
foundation of authority he did not mean
what he said. That is to say. it argues that
this country, the most civilizing influence
in the history of mankind, was born with
a lie upon its lips.
Not the POLICY of jefferson.
1T is difficult TO discuss that patiently,
and yet, if this statement were true, if che
purchase of Louisiana by Jefferson were In
any way analogous to the enterprise in
which Mr.. Mckinley is now engaged and or
which he has launched this people, /
should hesitate to condemn it, because any
thing which formed a feature of a policy
of his government for 100 years. in view OF
the results which this government has
borne, could hardly be Considered preju-
but it is not true. No two transactions
could have been more dissimilar than the
expansion of Jefferson and the imperialism
of Mckinley. So much has been said on
the question that if you will allow me
will state this evening briefly as l can the
actual facts of that momentous transaction
so that hereafter every person in this hall
who shall hear the sacred name of Jeffer-
son to Justify the deal of Mckinley will
find the means of refuting the Islander and
of c~onfounding the person who discredits
the most illustrious name in American his
After an exhaustive review of territorial
boundary extensions and grant Mr. Cock
ran continued:
Takes Land for OficehoIders.
Mckinley is taking useless and remote
territory, which, if he succeeds in subduing,
will cause future contests without number
jefferson took territory to Incorporate ii
into union of states and extend over it the
beneticent influence of our constitution and
territory not to expand our constitutional
government over it, but to turn il over te
otticeholders to be exploited and plnndered
by syndicateS and faVorS.
'Tha such a scheme as Mr. Mckinley is
now offering to the American people would
be possible was foreseen at the time of the
Louisiana purchase. The men who opposed
gil gifte sdH With OF op6 nirt yision. lgTrbP e I Es w were eTe
actly what it was and warned the people
against it.
Mckinley Unable to Overthrow 1t.
II uGIlCCTdllC party DelGE6S mai JET
ferson voiced a great truth, a truth which
has borne glorious fruits this century for
civilization, which in operation has SO
changed the condition of society that when
we contrast manhood to-day with manhood
before the birth of this republic it seems
as il we were speaking of different races
and orders of beings and contemplating a
wholly different planet. which JEFF
ferson has founded on this soil cannot be
overthrown by Mckinley.
w e find whenever we discuss these mat
tiers with the imperialiSt that he will give
US any number of different reasons. They
are contradictory. They are unsound. But
that does not make any difference, provided
they make votes. He is engaged in an eff
fort to enlist the pirates and the mission
aries, and to each one he offers the argu-
ment which he thinks most effective. He
tells the pirate there is plumber. He tells
the Gospel. He tells the peaceful mer-
chant there is an opportunity to increase
his profits.
81 do not think tina you could ever Ind
that two reasons are given which can be
reconciled with each other, and whenever
you find that M one particular part of the
policy is distinctly infamous you will find
that the alternative that is offered is a little
more infamous still I have investigated
tiently as 1 could. 1 have ~endeavored to
wade through the vague and vapory utter
ances that they strewed around the path
'"They justify this policy, first, on the
ground that there is money in it, and trade
follows the flag: Next that there is no
money in it, but it is our duty as a benevo-
lent mission to send benevolent bullets to
these Filipinos and shoot them. Again we
as indemnity for our loss in the war with
Spain, and again that We must take them,
not for indemnity, but to improve the inhab-
itants by importing office-holders, and then
next that these office-holder must be bet
ter than our own.
"All the expansionists agree that We
must have an improved civil service before
we can go into the colony business with
hopes of success. Tina is to say, we are to