The sun., 1900-08-03
TYRANNY IN NORTH CAROLINA


From the New York Tribune of yester
day.
Mr.. Bryan and his supporters are ter
ribly disturbed about the dangers which
threaten civil liberty. They warn the
American people that if this Govern
ment is permitted to exercise dominion
over any territory without admitting its
inhabitants Immediately to the full
privileges of American citizenship they
will be rising up monstrous militarism
and tyranny for their own oppression.
1t makes no difference that for hun
dred years this country has been ruling
people without treating them as citizens,
but as domestic dependents" 1t makes
no difference that Congress has for a
century been taxing even American peo-
pie from the States in the Territories
annexed and sitting up Il government
over them without asking the consent
of the governed. 1t makes no differ
ence that Louisiana and Florida were
both ruled ON annexation by civil Coy
ernurs invested by Act Of Congress with
the desp0tic powers of Spanish Cap
tains-Gencial. Bryanite arguments are
not expected to recognize historic facts
or pay any attention to constitutional
precedentS of Democratic creation.
Their purpose is To intlame passion and
trade on the fears Of ignorance.
When. however Mr.. Bryan uses alleg-
ed daspotic acts of Republicans in dis
tant possessions as an argument for in
trusting power to him, it is not unreal
sonablc to ask him what the Democratic
party is doing right here at home for
the mantainance of civil liberty and the
encouragement Of government by force.
The Democratic platform adopted ut
Kansas City SayS:-
I'VE declair again that all govern
ments instituted among men derive
their just powers from the consent of
the governed: that any government not
based upon the consent of the governed
is tyranny and that to impose upon
any people government of force is to
substitute the methods of imperialism
for those of a republic
Now. Imperialism is no better in one
of the original thirteen States than it
is in Manila. and the statesman cannot
he esteemed either for honesty Of pu-
pose or sincerity uf argument who walls
over liberty invaded i'll the Philippines
by our troops in putting down Il MUIR
derOuS and unprovOked attack upon
them. while he shuts his eyes to the in
vasion of liberty by his own supporters
i'll North Carolina who are not estah-
fishing order hy force, but disturbing
it by force and aholshin= free speech in
the effort To disfranchisc thousands of
existing American citizens. l. citizrn-
ship which is 50 necessary for every ig-
norant Porto Iican something to be
taken from the ignorant American with
Il black skin at the point Of the pistol
if he is not ready to vote it away OF his
Nh. Rt.N.ut1 sit IN.
and see il friend like Marion Butler do
prived of the right of public speaking by
''Red Shirts and then dare to dcnounce
the Republicans because they are not
ready in new possessions to incorporate
more strange and ignorant peoples into
our citizenship! The Democrats have
been saying for years that the gift 0i
the ballot to the negroes was Il mistake
of the Republicans. If it was Il mistake
and the Republicans. taught by expert
ence, refused to repeat it by calling il
Tagals and Porto Ricans, unframed il
citizenship. to help govern us. the Demo
Gratis ought to commend their discretion
Instead. true to their tradition of dema
g0gy. they demand American citizenship
as a constitutional right for the people il
distant possessions. while working Il!
violence and fraud to degrade and dis
bosom of the Republic.
There may he reasonable ground fo
restricting the ignorant vote in Nortl
Carolina. provided the races are treate,
alike. We cannot believe in the viey
that the clause of the proposed ConSti
tuition to he adopted on Thursday. leav
ing the ballot in spite of ignorance t.
voters or descendants of voters of 1861
is just or conforms to the spirit of til
Constitution. though some argue tina
the unlcttpred whites are better ftte
for citizenship than the mlettered neg
roes. Suppose. however. it is assume
that the Constitution is in the interest
of civilization. and that outsiders hav
no right to complain if North Carolin
wishes to abopt it. Is such tcrrGlizin
by "Red Shirts" rs is recounted in deS
patches from North Carolina in accor
with the Democratic platforms dc
nnnciation of imposing upon any pc,
pie government of force:
If amy government not based upo
the consent of the governed is tyral
n.y. then the new Democratic govern
ment in North Coroina now being for,
ed upon the people there 10y fraud an
arms and the suppression of free sppec
is tyranny of the worst sort. If NJ
Bryan were anything hut an adventure
aud demagogue he would rise up an
denounce this outrage with the indii
nation and earnestness of true b.
lever in human rights and human FREE
dom. All the more would he do it b.
cause it is his own party's violation I
its professed principles and AN indie
ment Of his own good faith. As il
he does not dare say Il word again
the negro baitcrs ard election thiev'
xx-I,. tttts. n Insi
tyranny for revenue only.
GOLD STANDARD NOT SAFEYE'
From the Gunton's Magazine for Au
uSt.