Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1900-08-24
DECLARE FOR BRYAN
Anti-Imperialists in Liberty Con-
gress Favor His Election.

rhe Policy OF Mckinley Administra-
ton Based Upon Imperialfstic
Princip1es-PhilIppin and
Chinese Troubles.
| At the first days sessions OF the Ma
tional Anti-Imperialist league, In
dianapolis, August IS, the name of
William j. Bryan was greeted with
the widest. enthusiasm and the adj
dresses of Temporary Chairman Ed
win Burritt Smith and Permanent
Chairman George S. Boutwell, were
interrupted by lengthy applause at
every mention of the democratic can
didate for the presidency. The minor
speeches, those of the delegates, all
favored Mr.. Bryan's election. Per-
manent Chairman Boutwell's speech
is here given in part:
This is historic occasion. If the
peril of this country is what we think 1t
is; if the question before you and be-
fore your countrymen is the question of
| the continuance of the republic. then no
graver question has ever been commit
ted to an assembly of men or to the
country. We are opposed to Imperialism.
We are in favor of republican form
of government. We respect the tea "a
ings Of our ancestry. thu glory of the
history they have left to us; and stand
| ing between the past and the future it Is
our duty to transmit to pOSterity the
principles of the fathers and the insti-
buttons that they founded. That is your
| mission to-day as the representatives of
IS states Of this union.
81 charge that the policy upon which
this administration has entered will
mean the abandonment of the principles
upon which our government was found
ed; that 1t will change the republic into
an empire. The first of the means be-
fore US for the preservation of the
Il oil low, fr 10 no
overthrow of the administration.
The President Responsible.
I'VE are told there is peace in the Phi
ippines, and our $4,000 soldiers there are
merely performing police duty. The
| president has said the Philippines are
ours and there will be abatement of
our rights and no scuttle policy. This
seems to indicate that we have entered
upon a colonial policy 1 always follow
the president by his doings, not by his
speeches. When the speeches of men and
the actions of men appear not to har-
| moniZe, I look to their actions for the
truth. therefore 1 have never looked to
| the words of President Mckinley as pre-
] senting substantial evidence of what he
would DO. am not able to explain
| the motive of Mr.. Mckinley in taking
this policy. believe he is the master
mind in his cabinet, and that nothing
has transpired except that which he
| ried it through thus far without inter-
ruption. He interpreted the protocol
| with Spain contrary to it's language,
| and framed the treaty of Paris accord
| ing to his own ideas; and he has since
interpreted his powers upon his own
theory to what he was authorized to
| do. He is the one person responsible
| for what has been done, and if we are
| opposed to what has been done, our
| chief duty is the overthrow of the adj
ministration of which he is the head.
The Chinese Trouble.
''The troubles in China have been ag-
| ted mi M
| bassadors of the various governments
have been put in peril by the policy of
the United States. Is 1T not true that
| in the last ten years there have been
statements again and again that it was
| the purpose of the various states of Eu-
rope to partition China? When en-
| tered the Philippines it was an addi-
I tional menace to the Chinese empire. and
it has led to the revolution in China and
put the missionaries and ambassadors
in peril of their lives. Instead of being
| a fortunate circumstance, the fact that
we were IN the Philippines the chief
occasion of that revolution in China. I
ask, is Gen. Chaffee or Gen. Grant to
be put under the lead of a prince of the
house of Germany, or on the other hand,
is the government of the United States
, to take upon itself the peril Of allow
| ing one of its officers to take command
, | of the troops of England and France
and Germany, and be responsible for
all the mistakes? If had treated
China in the month of June as we would
l nave treated Treat Britain 0nQer Slml-
lar circumstances, there would have
been no peril. If a rebellion should oc-
l cur in London and our minister there
l | should be in peril of his life, would we
. | send a force up the Thames to lombard
| London? No, We would appeal to the
different nations through diplomatic
: | channels before engaging in a military
| undertaking. Was it not a deciara tior
, | of war when we trained guns upon
the >citadels of the Chinese empire? Who
authorized it? Under the constitution
5 | congress alone can declare war. Can
the chief magistrate make war in the
| absence OF a congressional declaration
of war?
+, Leaves Republican Party.
, How is the overthrow of the admins
tration to be accomplished" concluded
! MI Boutwell,. In my youth had nc
DISCUSSES. I turned aside and left the
l | democratic party when 1t surrendered
to slavery. In my age l leave the re.
publican party, now that it has Surren-
dered itself to despotic and tyrannica
motives. Great applause). helped ere
ate the republican party. party at thai
l ! time of justice and principle and hon
| eSty. l now believe it is a party of in
| justice and despotism, and I will hell
to destroy it And how? There is but
} | one available means, and you know what
that is. I am for Bryan.
I'VE are to have platform containing
! plank against this administra ton, an6
| hope q recommendation to supper,
| Bryan. Next March I trust we viii
!, | policy which will bring the troops out
| of the Philippines, diminish the death
: | roll and the massacre of people in these
distant lands: and we shall then set VI
| three young republics which shall glory
, | in their origin through the policy Of
, ! the American people,; raised from con
ditfon of tyranny into an opportunity tt
!. govern themselves and to enjoy ths