La Junta tribune., 1900-09-22
GOOD SENSE FROM
TEDDY ROOSEVELT
THE ANCIENT AND SENSELESS FRAUD OF
IMPERIALISM EXPOSED.
Testimony From Men the Spo-What Has Really Been
Done in the Philippines and How Was Done-Efect Of
the 4Fre From the Rear"-The Guerrllas Will Give up
When Mckinley Il Reelected


similarity between this campaign OF
1900 and the compaign OF 1854, when
President Lincoln was reelected. Not
since the close of the Civil war have
we ever had an administration which
did SO much TO uphold tine honor and
interest OF America as President Nc
kinley's, and not since the close OF the
Civil war, not even In 1865 or 1886, has
IL Eeen Of such vital consequence to
oyerwhelm n political party as II now
Is, for the success of our opponents
would mean TO the country disaster
fraught with the gravest consequences.
There is a close similarity between the
arguments used by the Popullstic De-
mocracy at the moment and by their
analogues, the copperheads OF 1864;
and exactly as in 1864 SO now we ap-
peal for the support of all good citi-
gems. We have right to ask that the
old-line Democrats will stand with us,
for the old-line Democracy always
championcd hard money and expan-
sion.
Moreover, more fortunate than in
1864, we can now appeal to all good
men North and South. East and West,
to the sons of the men who Wore the
blue and the sons of the men who
wore the gray alike. Not only was the
Spanish war the most righteous for
eign war undertaken by any nation
during the lifetime of the present gen.
Grafton, but ii welded this country once
and for all into an undivided nation.
Our generals included not only men
who fought on the Union side In the
Civil war. but men who had with equal
gallantry and equal devotion to what
they deemed their duty. borne arms for
the South--men like Joe Wheeler. Fitz-
hugh Lee and many another whom 1
could mention. All alike were Ameri-
cans and the country cared nothing
about where they came from, because
1t took equal pride In them all. That
Dewey was born In Vermont con-
cerned them no more than that Hob
son was born in Alabama, or that Fun
ston came from Kansas and Hale from
Colorado. As we In the time OF the
war appealed to all men who were good
Americans, SO now In preserving the
results OF the war, In 5ustifylng what
we did two years ago. We appeal again
to all good men, whatever their p0lit-
ical affiliations have been In the past,
whether they come from the North or
the South, the Atlantic or Pacific coast,
to stand with rs because We stand for
the honor and interest OF our common
country
Ympeslalisaa N Old Cry.
In 1864 the Democratic platform de-
nounced the further prosecution Of the
Civil war, Just as the Knnsas City plat
form denounces the further prosecution
of the war in the Philippines to-day.
Moreover. in 1864. the platform con-
tained precisely the same frantic asser-
ton that civil liberty and private rights
had been trampled on, and that justice
and liberty demanded an immediate
effort for the cessation OF hOstilities.
Much Of what is put In the two plat
forms could he interchanged ON this
point, and In 1864 there was the same
hypercrItical sympathy expressed for
the soldiers and sailors that IL ex-
pressed again In 1900; in each case the
expression OF sympathy for the soldier
coming in as n tag to declaration of
hostility to the cause for which the SOL
dier was fighting. declaration which
was certainly infinitely to increase the
work and danger Of the soldier.
The chairman Of the convention in
1854 made speech in which he de-
clared that every lover Of civil liberty
throughout the world was interested In
the success OF the Copperhead party.
This Is just the same type of appeal
that is being made now. and 1t 10 just
as baseless In one case as 1t was In the
other In 1864 the name Of liberty was
invoked to secure the continuance OF
slavery. In 1900 1t is invoked to secure
the abandonment Of American honor
and to throw the Philippines under the
rule Of corrupt and tyrannous oiigar-
chy. In 1884 the cry OF imperialism
was raised exactly as 1t is now raised,
In IN of0 N,
oils Sentinel, for instance, declared that
II Mr.. Lincoln was reelected there
would be mo longer q republic In the
United States, but q consolidated en-
pire." On every hand Lincoln was de-
nOunced n tyrant, q 'shedder OF
blood. q foe OF liberty, would-be die
tatof, founder Of an empire-one ora
tor eayfng: I'VE also have our emperor,
Lincoln, who can tell stale jokes while
the land II running red with the blood
OF brothe1u."
Even after LIncoln's death the az
sault was kept mp, and in 1858 the
same party declared that II Grant was
inAugurated ~ president the American
people would "meet ~ subjugated
and conquered people amid the ruin Of
liberty and the shattered ccnstitution."
OF course, In 1884 milftarism ~ Z
apparent Justification than It can now
Be worked. We did have big armies
In the field then, whereas now our
army, including not merely the regu-
lsxu, but volunteers, 70 not half -
Iarx0 relatively to the population Of
The country AZ ID the New York city
Police force relatively to the popula-
don OF that city. To appeal now to the
averaSe man to beware lest be groan
ulder the burden of the soldier b 9
eood deal less rational than 20 appeal
g hin IN New York or Chicago 70 be-
ware loot be groan under the weight
ek H numbsfs Of the unif0fnsed mem-
bwn of stha nre department We have
= raEnlar army practically NO larger
~ h ,,ssss1urv ~. va use It fuSt q