Willmar tribune., 1900-10-20
Jefferson VS.. Imperialism.

Inc aQVOcat6S OF imperialism nave
sought to support their position by
appealing to the authority of Jefferson.
OF all the statesmen who ever lived,
Jefferson was the one most hostile to
the doctrines embodied in the demand
for European colonial policy.
Imperialism, as it. now presents
itself, embraces four distinct propo-
sitiOns:
/. That the acquisition of territory
by conquest is right.
2. That the acquisition of remote
territory is desirable. =.
3. That the doctrine that govern
nents derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed is un-
sound.
4. That people can be wisely
governed by aliens.
TO all these propositions Jefferson
was emphatically opposed. In letter
to William Short, written in 1871,
he said:
eff there be one principle more deep
ly written than any other in the mind
of every American, it is that we should
have nothing to do with conquest.
Could he be more explicit? Here
we han a clear and strong denuncia-
tion of the doctrine that territory
should be acquired by force, If it is
said that we have outgrown the ideas
of the fathers, it may be observed that
the doctrine laid down by Jefferson
was reiterated only few years ago
by no less a Republican than James
G. Blaine. All remember the enthusi-
asm with which he entered into the
work Of bringing the Republics Of
North and South America into close
and cordial relations; some, however,
may have forgotten the resolutions in
troduced by him at the conference held
in 1890, and approved by the commits
sioners present. They are as follows:
''First. That the principle of con-
guest shall not, during the continuance
of the treaty of arbitration, be recog-
nized as admissible under American
public law.
"Second. That all cessions of terri
tory made during the continuance of
the treaty of arbitration shall be void
if mat e under threats of war in the
presence of an armed force.
''Third. Any nation from which
such cessions shall be exacted may de-
mand that the validity of the cessions
so made shall be submitted to arbi-
tration.
''Fourtf. Any remuneration of the
right to arbitration made under the
conditions named in the second section
shall be null and void.
If the principle of conquest is right,
why should it be denied place in
American public law? So objection
able is the theory OF acquisition of
territory by conquest that the nation
which suffers such injustice can, ac-
cording to the resolutions, recover by
arbitration the land ceded in the pre-
;sence of an armed force. So abhorrent
is it, tnat waiver of arbitration,
made under such circumstances, is null
and void. While the resolutions were.
only for the consideration of the Ameri-
can Republics, the principle therein
stated cannot he limited by latitude or
long ituGe. - '.-..~@<... - :.s.~
Eut this is time of great and rapid
changes and some may even look upon
Blaine's Off cial acts as ancient his
tory. If SO, let it be remembered that
President Mckinley only a year ago
December g., 1917, in a message to
Congress discussing the Cuban situa-
ton, said: &a. 2F. 1..' y %.tr-. ':'.' -
..lspeak not Of forcibIe annexation,
for that is not to be thought of. That,
by our code Of morality, would be
criminal aggres sion. - saas@' s,..'= \ +
And yet some are now thinking of
thatwhich was then '.not to be thought
Of, Policy may change, but does a
s'code of morality - change? In his
recent speech at Savannah, Secretary
Gage, in defending the new policy Of
the administration, suggested that
''philanthropy and FIVE per cent? may
go hand in hand. Surely we know
notWhat q day may bring forth, if in
so short a time criminal aggression
can be transformed into sphilanthropy
and five per cent. ''E3 4 hat beauty,
what riches, the isles Of the Pacific
must possess if they can tempt our
people to abandon not only the tradi-
stions OF a century, but our standard Of
I national NOR ality !! What visions Of
national reatness the philippines must
! Iarouse,if the very sight Of them can
lead our, ountryy to vi ie with the mon
Sarchies of the old world ia the extern
sion of oYereignty by force.
u Jeferson has been called an expan-
Ssionist, but our opp onents will search
ins nceE where he
advocated the acqu uistion OF remote
territO On the cOntr ary. Nj he. g!&e &ex