Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1900-08-15
peplores Spirit of Umpire.


The Democratic platform condemns the
policy pursued by the present admiListrn-
tion toward The Philippine Islands. This
pollcy--insp.red by the greedy spirit of COM
An unnecessary war, sacrificed valuable
lives, and placed the American republic in
deadly nntasonism to Our former allies in
| their efforts to secure their liberties For
the first time in our history we are boldly
confronted with tho question of Imperial
ism-the spirit OF expire" This is, indeed,
the supreme question to which all Others are
of secondary Importance.
The Democratic party has ever been the
advocate of wise territorial expansion. 1t
was In control of the government during
century: During that period new States
We're admitted into the Federal Un!on and
our Western border extended beyond the
Mississippi. Ont of the Louisiana country
acquired under the first Democratic admin
istratl0n-have been carved fourteen mag
niticent States. Under later Democratic
administratlon-and as the result of the
treaty which terminated our war with Mex
ico-we acquired California and neghborng
States and Territories, thus bringing under
our flag to remain forever, the vast expanse
stretching to the Pacific.
The policy of aggressive eXpansioa-of sub
jugation of distant islands-pursueu by the
present administration. finds no precedent
In the peace;:ble cession of the Louisiana
Spain. nor that yet later, of the vast West
ern area by Mexico. The territory acquired
under Democratic administrations was, with
favorable climatic conditions, the lit abode
for men OF our own race. AT the time of
annexation It passed under the rule of the
Anglo Saxon, who carried with him our lam
guage and our laws. Ii was territory contig
uous to our own, and acquired with the de-
clared lntentlon-when conditions and popu-
Iation would justify-cf carving it into
States. The result: Millions of American
hOme1, our national wealth Increased be-
You'd the dream of avarice, and the United
States chief among the nations of the earth
Can 1t be that the new policy of forcible
annexation of distant Islands finds precedent
In the historic events | have mentioned?
The answer is found In the bare statement
Of facts. The territory acquired under Dem
Ocratic administrations is cont.guous-the
Philippine Islands 5000 miles distant. The
acquisition Of territory upon our own con-
| tinent added little to the national expense
to maintain permanent sovereignty over the
distant Islands necessitates immense ex-
: pendltures upon our army and navy. More
than that, 1t contemplates methods of adj
ministration that pertain, not to the repub-
| lie, hut to the empire Can it be doubted
| that the attempt to stife the spirit of liberty
abroad will imperil popular government ut
home?
We stand 100 years from the hour when
the political forces We're gathering which
were to result In the election of the first
the masterful day in our history was wisely
chosen for the assembling in convention Of
the representatives of the historic party
whose founder was Jefferson--nnd whose
platform is the Declaration of Independence.
In the great struggle now upon us we invoke
| the cooperation Of all who revere the mem.
| Dry of our fathers, and to whom this declar-
alton is not unmcanng parchment-but the
enduring chart of our liberties. Upon the
| supreme Issue now III the forefront-and to
| the end that republican government be per-
petunttN-we appeal to the sober Judgment
| and patriotism of the American peop,e.