The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-08-30

vades every field Of industry and ex-
acts toll from every crop
II 100000 men are withdrawn from
the ranks of the producers and placed
as a burden upon the backs O; those
VINO remain, it must mean longer
hours, harder work and greater sac
rifice for those who toll, and the
FARMER, while he pays more than his
share of the expenses of the army.
mas no part in army contracts or in
developing companies, and his sons
are less likely to fill the life positions
in the army than the sons of those
who, by reason of wealth or politi-
cal prominence, exert influence at
Washington.
Soon after the Republican leaders
began to suggest the propriety of a
colonial policy, the papers published
an interview given out from San Fran
cisco by foreign consul residing at
Manila. He declared that the people
of the United States owed it to them
selves, to other nations, and to the
Philippine Islands permanently. At
the conclusion of the interview there
appeared the very significant state
ment that the gentleman was visiting
the United States for the purpose OF
organizing a company for the devel-
opment of the Philippine Islands. A
few days later on his way east he
gave out another interview in which
he explained that the company which
he intended to organize would estab-
lish banks at Manila, and at other
places throughout the islands, and
build electric light plants, water
plants, street car lines, railroads, fac
tories, etc. It seemed that the plan
OF his syndicate was to do all the
developing and leave the rest of the
American people nothing to do in the
matter except to furnish an army suf-
ficient to hold the Filipinos in sub
lection while they were being devel-
oped.
At the present rate we Will spend
annually upon the army approximate
ly half as much as we spend for edu-
cation in the United States, and this
immense sum is wrung from the tax
payers by systems of taxation which
overburden the poor man and under
tax the rich man.
In the presence of such an issue as
militarism it is impossible that any
Populist should hesitate as to his
duty.
But even the menace of militarism
is but part of the question of imper-
iallsm. The policy contemplated by
the Republican party nulifies every
principle set forth in the Declaration
If Tr1oran1aron e%r
popular government and robs the ma
ton of its moral prestige. Already
the more advanced supporters of the
colonial idea point to the economy of
system of government which en-
trusts all power to an executive and
does away with the necessity for legis-
lation. The Army and Navy Journal,
in Its issue of August 4, commends
the English system and declares chat
as result of this system fifth Of
the worlds area, containing fifth
of Its population. is ruled with an ad-
minfstrative economy which is an ad-
ministrative marvel, and adds:
Zone million two hundred thousand
dollars spent in London is the price
of administrative order over a colon
ial rule whose total budgets aggre-
gate s1,724,354,S96, or fifty per cent
more than our total Of federal, state
county and village expenditure for
every possible purpose, for which tax
es are levied. In contrast to the re-
suits of this system of executive adj
ministration, the fact is cited that the
American congress has spent an en-
tire winter wrestling with the tariff,
the taxation, the administration and
the personal rights of the two little
Islands. The English executive is an
Imperial Executive. The British
Parliament is an English Legislature.
To the same system we are coming
by the decree OF circumstances as in
evitable as that of fate. If this be
imperialism make the most of it. So
far as citizenship is concerned the,
the British empire is one, but beyond
the limits of the United Kingdom the
citizen lives under rule essentially
monarchial and not restricted by the
constitutional limitations of the par
liamentary system"
Thus does Imperialism bear It's sup
porters back toward the dark ages.
There is no middle ground between
the American policy and the Euro
pean policy. If this nation remains
true to Its principles, it's traditions
and its history, it cannot hold colo
MES. If it enters upon colonial ca
reer, it must repudiate the doctrine
that governments derive their just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned.
When such an issue is raised, there
can only be two parties-the party,
whatever its name may be, which be-
lleves in republic, and the party,
whatever its name, which believes in
an empire; and the influence of every
citizen is, consciously or unconscious
ly, Intentionally or unintentionally,
thrown upon the one side or the
other.
Where the divine right of kings is
recognized, the monarch can grant
different degrees of liberty to differ
ent subjects. The people of England
can be ruled in one way, the people
of Canada in another, the people of
Ireland in another, while the people
of India may be governed according
to still different FORMS But there can
be no such variety in a republic. The
doctrine of republic differs from the
doctrine of monarch as the day diff
fers from the night, and between the
two doctrines there is, and ever must
be, an irrepressible conflict.
Queen Victoria has recognized this
necessary antagOnism between the