Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1900-08-30
WHICH? =.
Republic or fmpire-Militarism and
Its Attendant Dangers Steps
Taken.
A Washington Army and Navy Journa
Says Imperialism is as Inevitable
as Fate.
No Middle Ground Between the Amer.
iCan and European Policies Says
Bryan.

| In his speech Of acceptance at To
| peka of the nomination for president
by the Peoples party, William J
Bryan forcibly discusses the leading
issue before the people. He quoted {
late copy Of the Army and Navy
Journal published in Washington ir
the interests Of the army and navy
which predicted that in the y. S, the
people would soon be governed by ar
'eXecutive administration" like the
English system and the British parlia
ment. The journal above referred t(
claimed that it was cheaper to so rule
large number of people than the
present system of congressional acts
made for the people of the great re.
public by their representatives in the
house and senate, and adds:
"To the same (English) system we
are coming by the degree of circum.
stances as invitable as that of fate
If this be imperialism make the most
of it. So far as citizenship is concerned
the British empire is one, but beyond
the limits of the United Kingdom the
citizen lives under a rule essentially
monarchial and not restricted by the
constitutional limitations of this
parliamentary SYSTEM"
OF this policy Bryan says:
''Thus does Imperialism bear out
it's supporters back toward the dark
ages. There is no middle ground be.
tween the American policy and the
European policy. If this nation re-
mains true to it's principles, it's tradi-
tiOnS and it's history, it cannot hold
colonies. If it enters upon colonial
career, it must repudiate the doctrine
that governments derive their just
powers from the consent of the govern
ed.
When such an issue is raised, there
can be only two parties-the party
whatever it's name may be, which be-
lieveS in republic; and the party,
whatever it's name, which believes in
an empire: and the influence Of every
citizen is, consciously or unconsciOusly.
Intentionally or unntentionally.
thrown upon one side or the other.
But even the menace of militariSm
is but part Of the question of imper-
ialiSm. The policy contemplated by
the republican party nullities every
principle set forth in the Declaration
of independence, strikes blow at
popular government and rObS the ma
tiOn of its moral prestige. Already
the more advanced supporters of the
colonial idea point to the economy Of
a system of government which en-
trusts all power to an executive and
does away with the necessity for legls-
lation. The Army and Navy Journal,
in it's issue of Aug. 4, cOmmendS the
English system and declares that as a
result OF this system a fifth Of the
worlds area, containing fifth of its
population, is ruled with an admins
trative economy which is an admins
trative marvel.
Where the divine right of kings is
recognized, the monarch can grant
different degrees of liberty to differ
ent subjects. The people of England
can he ruled in one way, the people of
Canada in another, the people of Ire
land in another, while the people of
India may be governed according to
still different forms. But there can
be no variety in a republic. The
doctrine of a republic differs from the
doctrine OF monarchy as the day
differs from the night, and between
the two doctrines there is, and ever
must be. an irrepressible conflict.
Queen Victoria has recognized this
necessary antagoniSm between the
democratic and imperial form of gov
ernment. In proroguing parliament a
few days ago, she said:
''Believing that the continued pol
itical independence of the republics
would be a constant danger to the
peace of South Africa, l authorized
the annexation Of the Orange Free
State"
A republic is always menace to
a monarch, just as truth is always Il
menace to error. government
being the natural government. must
necessarily create dissatisfaction
among the subjects of those govern
ments which build upon some other
foundation than the consent of the
governed. What the Orange Free
State and Transvaal republics are to
South Africa. our republic is to the
world, and only our increasing strength
and the wide Atlantic have protected
us from the ineXtinguiShable hostility
which must ever exist between those
who support throne and those who
recognize the citizen as a sovereign.
Every step taken toward imperial
ism by this nation meets with prompt
and effective encouragement from Eu-
rope. Lincoln pointed to the interest
which European nations have in the
abandonment here Of the doctrine of
equal rights. He said:
"The principles of Jefferson are the
definitions and aXiOmS of free society.
And yet they are denied and evaded
with no small show of success. One
lie tLnua krlif