The evening times., 1900-09-22
4 DANGEROUS DOCTRINE
Republican Policy Against the
Principles of the Constitution.
Major Holmes Conrad Argues Against
the Violation of American Pre-
cepts NNashsngton's Warning
Against Foreign AfIinnces-The
Menace of Imperialism and Trusts.

WINCHESTER, Va, Sept. 22.-Major
Holmes Conrad. who was Solicitor Cen
eral under CleYelands Administration,
delivered a powerful campaign speech
yesterday.
Major Conrad said in part: mo time
in the history of our Government has
been so appropriate as the present fer
recurrence to those fundamental princi-
pies cpon which our Constitution was
founded.
The statesmen who contrived that
Constitution had clearly and fully in
their view the experiences of Europe
for a hundred years before-a hundred
years of unbroken war between the great
powers of Europe in their efforts to
maintain the BALANCE of power by which
it had been long understood that no one
nation should obtain any real or appar-
ent advantage over the others; the par
tition of Poland; the Spanish success
sion; the war between Turkey and Rus
sia; the Austrian succession, the last
scenes Of which were enacted upon this
eontinent-afforded the occasion for he
early appearance Of George Washington
as a soldier.
1T was this drear retrospect taat in
spired the warning given by Washington
in his Farewell Address to the people
of the United States, that the great
rule of conduct for us n regard % for
eign nations is in extending our COM
mercial relations, TO have with them as
little political connection as possible
And further, to avoid the necessity of
those overgrown military establish
ments, which under any form of govern
ment are inauspicious TO liberty and
which are to be regarded as particularly
hostile to republican liberty.
'"Tuday the armies of the limited States
are in Cuba. Porto Rico. the Philippines,
and China, and we are told that where
the flag of our Union has once been raised
there it must ever remain the symbol of
national dominion and power.
Spain had suffered Cuba TO become an
intoIerable nuisance. politically and phys
icaliy. TO our Government and people, and
though often warned and urged to correct
the evil she was unable or unwilling TO
do so.
We sent one feet to Cuba to remove
the offence and another to the Eastern
Pacific tC prevent Interference with our
military movements, We abated the nui-
sance that had offended US, and in doing
so we incidentally destroyed two Span
ish fleets that formally opposed US The
offence being removed and The cause of
the offence eradicated we looked for our
Army and Navy to return to our shores.
But wher 'he smoke of battle had passed
we ISdEIeN- tASi II GDdIlhS one uuISdlCe
we had taken upon ourselves another in
f1nitely more intolerable.
The Philippine Islands, with their TO-,
0o0, 600 savage population, had become by
benevolent assimilation a part OF the
United Ste es. Porto Rico had been an
neXed to Us. We are Government Of law
under a Constitution, and we had thought
that the United States and all that they
stood for were under she aegis of that
Constitution. But we have since learned
to our infinite amazement and perpIexity,
that these two new acquisitions lie out
side the Constitution and are not TO be
governed by the laws OF the United States.
Satrapies. provinces. colonies-wiateyer
they ps. they are anomalies in the history
of our Government and people
New cries are heard in the land-doc
trines strange to US and radically at war
with the fundamental principles of our
Constitution are urged upon ug. We are
told that we have recently become a na-
tioa and that new duties AMI respOnsibili-
ties have deyolyed upon us. hat we are
vorId-power and must extend our ter
ritorics and take on form ana 69gaity
commensurate with this new and more i'm
posing character.
Two lines of argument aIe urged in
SUPPORT OF this contention: % That it
viii pay US; that there is money il ii for
US; that these new lands which we have
acquired are rich beyond the dreams of
ayarce and that this is no time for aca-
demic questions of right and wrong, but
our paramount duty is to make ourselves
rich at the expense of those who are I'M
able TO protect the wealth which we covet
% That great moral duty has been laid
upon US TO Christianize and ciyiIiZe the
rest Of the world and that We must place
our Government on footing with the 9TH
er great world-powers; we must fulfill our
manifest destiny; that it is our heaven
sent mission as a GoYeFnment-not as in
dividuals, but as a Governmert-to go
throughout the world correcting abuses
and reforming the manners and morals of
mankind.
'-Of the two great political parties in
this country the Republican party is the
open and strenuous advocate of this new
and strange doctrine It is the Democratic
party that stands in stalwart antagonism
to it. On this paramount issue the battle
is Joined Those who are not on the one
side are of necessity on the other.
There is no middle ground. No issue of
deeper and more lasting import has ever
confronted the American people. One po-
tent difference distinguishes our Govern
ment from all others in the world: They
may undertake all such enterprises as their
selfish interests their lust Of power and
dominion, their resentment or hate may
StiSt ,tSt. Willie IOT US ali lQS rights, pow
ers, duties, and obligations that exist for
US are such only as find their warrant and
authority in the terms of our written Con-
stitUtion, You will search in vain among
it's provisions for any power to acquire
the territory of other nations by forcibIe
annexation and for any duty laid upon US
to embark in quixotic endeayor to i'm
prove the condition or enlarge the welfare
of the world
we hear much nowadays of trusts
These are close corporations that, having
acquired exclusive control over the sub
iects rTh.ch are necessary for the general
comfort o. all. use their advantage to ex-
tort Unjust gain from the necessities of
the reople. The great creator and sus-
taiiier OF these cruel monopoIies mas been
and Is the Republican party. It is, indeed,
the very Colossus of all trusts It has ac-
quirrd exclusive control of all the powers
and F4surces of Government. and it en-
ploys them-not for the good of all the
people but to perpetuate itself in power
by its policy of a protective tariff OF un-
limited pensions, and of offices infinite in
number created without warrant OF law
under the existing revolutionary condi-
tons
Prosperity. We are told. is abroad in
the land. But is it here among the agri-
culturists and mechanics the merchant or
any class of society? Can it be found save
as it is DISCLOSE in the increased wealth
of Government 9ntTactoTs, made possible
only by the new conditions which have de-
manded increased armies and navies and
have vastly multiplied the pay roll of the
civil establish Hent? Where else in the