The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1900-01-27
Imperialism and Militarlam

We have had two questions forced into the
arena of politics since the war. They are new
ouestions-questions which the American peo-
pie have not had chance to conslder-and L
want to dwell on them for a little while to-
night The first is the size of our standing
army How many soldiers did we have In our
Regular Army in 1862 twenty-five thou
sand. Twenty-Five thousand soldiers were
enough for Republic of 10000, 600 of peo-
pie, and vet in December, 1898, the President
asked Congress to authorize the raising of a
standing army of 100, ,000-an army four times
as great. What does it mean? 1t means a
gigantic step toward millitarism in the United
States. Is it possible that the people can see
this step taken without alarm? ? Heretofore
we have depended upon the citizen soldier.
He has been our anchor. We have said we
would do what was right, and then, if we had
trouble, we could call upon our citizens to de-
fend the nation.
ssBut now we are to have hired soldiery
like the nations of Europe, an army four times
as great as the army we had when the Repub-
lican party came into power, and this, of
course, was to be made without consulting the
people, because, if you look at the platform
of the Republican party in 1896, you will find
that there was no plank in it asking for an
army of 100000, or for any increase in the
standing army. Why do we need large
army now2 Why? They say because of the
new policy upon which the nation has entered.
But have the people decided to enter upon a
new policy? There has been no vote by the
people since the Presidents policy has been
declared. This message asking for 100000
soldiers for the Regular Army was sent to
Congress month after the election at which
the present Congress was elected, and the
people have never decided upon that foreign
policy that is relied upon to justify an army
of lO0,0 900. But, my friends, if we have i'm
perialism we shall have militarism; if we have
a policy that reaches out by force and drags
under the flag unwilling subjects, it will be
necessary to have large army to keep those
peoples from making faces as they swallow
benevolent assimilation. (Applause.
"And, therefore, these questions can be
treated together If we don't have imperial
ism, they can't justify large army; if we do
have Imperialism, you will never see the day
when we have smaller army than we have
now. There are some who think that we
haven't any right to discuss the Philippine
question while the war lasts.
"Ah, my friends, it will be a sad day when
the people of this nation are not able to criti-
else their public servants. 1t will be sad
day when every act of every public servant
cannot be brought before the bar of public
opinion. Why, I read speech the other
day in which man said we must not criticise
the President here because the Filipinos
don't understand free speech, and when they
read anything said in this country against the
President they suppose that the President
must be in a majority or else he wouldn't per
nit that thing to be said. (Laughter.) Do
you see the philosophy oft? When this race
comes into contact with an inferior race that
does not understand free speech. then, instead
of lifting them up and making them to under
stand free speech, we are to be denied free
speech because they can't understand it.
(Applause