Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-09-08

nation. 1t Is true that the convention o1u
not want to insert 1t, and that 1t was adopt
ed in the committee onareselutions after
a long and bitter fight by majority or
only one vote, and that one vote was the
vote of Hawaii, the annexation of which
the democratic party did all II could to pre-
vent But Mr.. Bryan's fnsistence won the
day and the resolution was adopted, and
although the whole republican party and
at least one-half of the democratic party,
making, it is safe to estimate, three-fourths
of the Whole of the American people, are
opposed to 1t, yet who can doubt that II
elected Mr.. Bryan would, In utter disregard
of the consent of the governed. try to
force his folly into the statute books. as
he forced IT into the democratic platform.
Bryan's Predictions All Wrong.
Mr. Bryan dealt with opinions then-facts
are dealing with him now. See with what
result. He told us that If we adopted the
gold standard, the hard times then pre-
vailing would continue and grow worse
We rejected his advice and unexampled
prosperity has blessed the land. He said
prices would fall still lower, but, instead.
they rapidly rose. He said our railroads
would all be bankrupt, but, instead. they
have more business than they can handle.
He said we would become hopeless debtor
nation. owing all the world. and compelled
to depend on the money markets of Europe
to float our securities, but, instead, We have
seen foreign nations including England her
self. selling their bonds in American mar
for them with American money worth 100
cents In gold all over the world. He said
our foreign commerce would langulsh, ana
the balance of trade would be against us,
but instead we have never traded so much
with other nations and the balances OF
trade in our favor were never SO large.
He drew direful pictures Of the scarcity OF
money and told how it would curtail and
handicap and embarrass business, but in
stead the volume is steadily increasing and
the amount per capita Is now the largest
hn,-n 1,e1 10 Had MI
tress because of the fate that would befall
the farmer If he could not be allowed to
pay off his mortgages with 5O-cent silver
dollars, and told with great emotion how
the farmers farm and his home would be
sold under the hammer, but, instead, the
farmer has shared in the unusual pros
perity, and with the good prices commanded
by his products, he has paid off more mort
cages than were ever before Cancelled in the
same length of time. The railroads cannot
get cars enough to handle the corn, the
wheat and other agricultural products that
are hunting markets in this and other lands.
Such Illustrations might be multiplied, but
these are sufficient to show what the coun-
try needed in 1896 was not free silver, on
top of free trade, as recommended by Mr..
Bryan, but protective tariff and gold
standard, as recommended by President
Mckinley, and promised by the republican
party. In the presence of these undisputed,
practical everyday facts the predictions and
the craftsmanship of Mr.. Bryan appear in
deed ridiculous. Notwithstanding. he now
asking to be placed at the head Of our gov
eminent
Imperialism the New ShibOleth.
He has new shibboleth-it is imperialism.
He affects to believe that President Nc
kinley is trying to subvert the government;
that he is destroying the republic and es-
tablishing empire. 1t is in this way he
refers to what we have done in Hawaii,
Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines. What
are the facts?
Was the acquisition of Hawaii an act of
imperialism? The people there had already
overthrow a monarchy and established
republic. modelled after cur own. They had
the same system of Jurisprudence, the same
codes of procedure in their courts, the same
system of schools. For years they had
been celebrating the Fourth of July and
Washington's birthday. They have a post
of the Grand Army of the Republic and
they have observed Memorial day as
sacredly We do in the states For more
than fifty years such statesmen Web
ster, and Clay, and Blaine, and Harrison
have favored the annexation of these is
lands, because. by reason of what l have
referred to, they would easily assimilate,
and because, commercially and strategical-
~, they are of manifest Importance to the
United States. They applied for annexation
under the Harrison administration and
treaty was negotiated and sent to the Sen
ate: but the first thing Mr.. Cleveland did
was to recall the treaty and haul down our
flag, which was already flying. When Pres
ident Mckinley came into office the replb-
lie of Hawaii renewed its request to be i
nexed to the United States. and, responding
to the overwhelming sentiment of the coun-
try, annexation was contaminated 1t CANE
about as naturally as the acquisition az
Louisiana. or Florida or California, and he
longs with us quite as properly.
What are the facts as to Cuba. Most
luctantly the President consented to go -
war with Spain to secure the Independence
af 10 of {Cla
brilliantly successful and Spain was eject
ed. We were in a position to do
liked; we had possession with an army AMI
navy flushed with victory and irresistible
but they were there only to protect and
help the weak-not for empire.
When We entered upon the Intervention
we gave pledge to the Cubans and he
whole world that as soon as the islands
could be pacified we would withdraw and
leave the Cubans to a government of their
own selection Already under our guda ace.
and with our help municipal governments
of their own choice have been established
and are in operation throughout all that
country and election has been ordered
to choose delegates to frame constitu-
ton and establish an Independent cepubli-
government. which this country will
not only recognize but in every way
strengthen and support In both spirit ard
letter our promise will be kept. AMI that
people will soon realize and enjoy he IN
dependence for which they have struggled
SO long and so bravely. Surely this does
not look like land grabbing a greedy
grasping for power; but rather that the
President is. in a safe. steadfast way. try
ing to carry out the wish of the American
people and promote the highest good Of the
Cubans.
The Case Of Porto Rico
Porto Rico was acquired In response to
the univ rsal sentiment of the whole Amer
lean people. and of that people as WELL
The time had come for Spain to quit the
western hemisphere, and Porto Rico natu-
rally fell to us provision of the treaty
of peace. The people OF that island are
however. of the Latin race They have
different system of Jurisprudence: they are
acquainted only with the civil law: their
codes of procedure are unlike ours. They
do not know what free. popular government
is. They are total strangers 10 trial by
jury, and the writ of habeas corpus and
never heard of the bill of rights.
Not more than 10 to II per cent of the
population either read or write AL
though their island is fertile. we found
them in utter poverty and despair Not
hundreds thousands. but tens. of thou
sands of men, women and children were
without work and without food. and starry
ing. They had no system of education and
TO system of property taxation to support
the government. When We acquired Loui-
siana and Florida, and other territory in
.llr1in