The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1900-10-05
YOUNG MEN IN THE BATTLE
FOR THE PEOPLE,.

If a majority of the voters declare at the
polls next month that imperialism is a
good thing for this country, that CONNER
cialism based upon wars Of conquest, ex-
pansion and colonial enterprise is here
after to be the policy of the American Re-
public, our young men must not forget
that it is they who will largely pay the
price of maintaining it. They will con-
stitute the bulk of our armies of occupa-
ton, our colonial garrisons. They will be
called upon to do the hard work, whose
reward is merely the soldiers pittance,
with the pension for disability resulting
from wounds or disease. And all their
labors and privations, they should remem-
Der, will not be SO much for 1.-The honor of
| the flag" and for the extension of Ameri-
can principles and institutions as for the
benefit of those who will share none of
the dar gers involved in imperialism, but
will greedily seize all the profits
The young man who is shouting for i'm
perialism now probably does not realize
what may Happen to him if Mckinley ex
pansion'' is permanently fastened upon
the American people. For who can say
that the war in the Philippines, expensive
as It has already proved in blood and treas
ure, will be the end of our troubles in our
| Asatic possessions: The time may also
come when war with European powers
| will result from our colonial enterprise in
| the East, when the resources of this i'm
perial republic will be taxed to their ut
| most, and our army and navy will be sup
piled with soldiers and sailors by conscrip
ton. Is there any young man anxious to
be drafted into our military or naval es-
Enlistment, carried thousands of miles
from home and compelled to fight the bat
| ties not of his country, but of certain in
terests which use the flag CONNER
cial asset? This is the fate which i'm
perialism may bring upon the youth of
America, and to the average young man it
should not be a pleasant one to contem-
plate. When the honor of the flag and the
true interests of the country are at stake,
cur young men will always be ready to
| volunteer and fight. Are they willing to
place themselves in a position in which
their services can be demanded whenever
our commercial imperialsts determine to
use force to promote trade expansion?
That may be the result of the triumph of
the imperial policy in the election next
month. The young man who votes then
may pass sentence upon himself if he
gives his support to Republican policies.
Military and political imperialism is not
the only danger, however, which menaces
the young men of this country. They have
also to take into consideration the star
| ting development of trusts, which may be
regarded as form Of industrial imperial
ism. The average young American has in
! telligence industry and enterprise, quail
ties which in the past usually assured sue
| cess. Since the trusts became the mighty
force which they now are, the young man
has unquestionably fewer opportunities,
not only as an employer Of trust, but
| also to engage in business for himself.
The trusts do not allow competition if they
can prevent it, but destroy the humble
|
more formidable competitor. In time the
great combinations of capital will be in
absolute control of the industries and re-
sources of this country. Does any young
man think this will be a good thing for
him? Does he think it will be to his ad-
vantage to have all competition destroyed,
with no opportunity for him to establish
a business of his own. If he is satisfied
to go through life with the trust yoke
about his neck, to be a dependent and sub.
ordinate all of his days, he should support
| Republican policies. If he seeks a fair
field and no favors he will not vote with
| the trust party. The syndicates which
| control the Government do not supply
campaign funds from pure and unseltish
motives. They are settling up now for
favors received in the past, and contract
ing for more fayors in the future They
want 'busin ess Administrations is,
an administration which will help along
their schemes at the expense of the gen
eral public Is there any young man who
has to make his own living who thinks a
government created by the syndicates and
operated for the benefit Of syndicates is a
good thing for him.
| The man who has sons must realize the
responsibility which rests upon him in this
crisis. 1t would be an unnatural father,
indeed, who would voluntarily bring upon
his children the evils inseparable from i'm
perialism, or condemn them to the servi-
tude of the trusts. An equal responsible
| ty rests upon Young men in this struggle
against trust domination and for the pres
ervation of our free institutions. The
young men of Frederick realize that the
contest this year is one in which their vel
fare is at stake If the Republican party
is given four years more of power, the
trusts will become so strongly intrenched
that it will require aim ost a revolution at
the polls to dislodge them. Four years
more of Republican rule viii make i'm.
perialism the established policy of this
country and may lead to disastrous wars
with European powers. Four years more
of Republican administration will make
the party of Mckinley and Hanna believe
that it has a divine right to rule, and that
the plain people of this country have nc
rights which the syrdicates need respect
Four more years of Mckinleyism will
make it difficult for any young man tC
earn a living except by the grace of the
trusts. 1t is high time, therefore, fol
young men to enlist with their fathers in
the fight against the forces which now
dominate this Government-against the
forces of plutocracy, corruption and i'm.
perialism. 1t is their fight and should be
fought to the finish Baltimore S9u