The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1900-07-19
MAD IMPERIALISM.

From Tho Philadelphia Times, Republican
The net of the president ordering the
army and navy to invade China, pre-
sents the very worst phase of imperial
ism. 1t is an absolute declaration OF
war by the executive without the au
thority or knowledge of congress, and
it is without excuse because it is not Q
necessity.
Had Italy attempted to send war YES
sells and troops to New Orleans because
a murderous organization in shat city
had butchered in cold blood number
of Italian citizens, it would not only
have been accepted as positive decla'
ration of war against this government
out it would have been condemned by
the great powers of Europe.
Had we sent an armed force into
Turkey where thousands Of Christians
were being butehered, including Amer
lean missionaries, it would have been
an open declaration of war, and itwould
have been held as without just provo
cation
This government owns no part OF
China and we do not want to seize any
of its territory. In this we are in diff
ferent attitude from the great powers
of Europe. All of them want to po-
sess a part of China, and each is strug-
Cling against the other to gain the
vantage ground in the coming partition
of the Celestial Empire.
Russia is the most aggressive because
her interests are most closely inter
woven with China; and England, France
and Germany are all jostling each 9th
er for the mastery in the contest foI
the commerce of the east They have
declared war against China because
China has given them a pretext, and
only pretext, and because they want
war to enable them to wrest from China
the territory they covet, with plausible
excuse.
The whole genius of our government
is at war with this spoliation of China,
and ordering our army and navy to in
wade Chinese territory presents the
most offensive phase of imperialism,
aud one that the country will not ap.
prove
The Philippine Islands are ours by
conquest, treaty and purchase. dthey
are most important to us. They give
us all the commercial advantages We
need in the east, for holding them as
we do, Independent of the great wealth
they must bring to our country, then
use in friendly relations with the Euro
pean powers must give us open door
to the commerce of China.
That is all we want-more, it is all
we are entitled to, and any attempt tC
go beyond it is simply Imperialism run
mad. If we join in the invasion ol
China, and the capture of the capital,
we must not only assent to the partition
Of China that the European powers de
mand, but the plea of indemnity foi
the past and security for the future,
which was made the excuse for the
spoliation of Mexico, would compel ui
to take our share in the partition O
China.
If we do not want a share in sucl
partition we should have no part in thu
war, and certainly no executive and NJ
party would today avow the purpose t.
gain territory from China by conquest
Let the president halt this perilou
scheme before it shall get beyond hi
control.
President Mckinley has no NOR,
right to declare war against any othe
nation than has the humblest citizel
of the republic, and yet he has as dis
tinctly declared war against China a
if he had by proclamation asserted tina
war existed between the two nations
The declaration Of war is entirely tn
prerogatiye of congress, and before tn
American flag should ever have bee
unfurled on Chinese soil in hostile atti
tude, congress should have been sum
moned and its mandate obeyed. If
declared war the president would b
justified in summoning the army an
navy to fight the revolutionists i
China; but congress has not been calle
and the president has assumed tn
most fearful responsibility that is with
in the range of executive authority.
We are today at war with China b
our own act and not by the act {
China, and that government has di'
,, tinctly disclaimed the purpose to pre-
I woke war and every wrong done
American property and citizenshi
would be atoned for as has been don
by all civilized nations when like di
turbances have occurred.
We can rule Porto Rico and the Phi
ippines without the stain of imperia
ism upon the great republic of tt
world. We can give them good go
Il