The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1900-08-24
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~ ABSOEUrEEY PURE
Makes the food more delicious and wholesome
Imperialism AT Home.

Ahu Pei Ia itc4 Opcil anu uuulSSufsSu,
hateful as it always is IN itself and
subversiye Of the constitution and the
wishes of our people, existstoday with
in the boundaries Of the United States.
For Imperialism does not necessarily
imply either rule by force oil soldiery
or the existence of person sitting
upon throne and calling himself
emperor. Imperialism takes he place
of democracy when equal political
rights no longer exist; when a portion
of our citizens, without forfeiture
through any act or defect Of their own
are excluded under the forms of law
from participation IN political activity
and from all in the conduct Of goyen-
meut. The revolution is as real as II
it were accomplished by bayonets un-
der tie shadow Of the purple
This form of imperialism has been
established in several of the Southern
states and will presently prevail in all
of them. The Democrats OF Alabama
have just carried the state by major
lty supposed to be $4,000 through the
exclusion of the negro vote. They an
nounce their intention OF following the
example set by Mississippi, Louisiana
and South Carolina is about to do.
Georgia, which once resisted and re-
fused to yield TO the iniquity is chang
ing sentiment and swinging into line.
Before many years, unless prevented
by decision of the supreme court
and the enforcement Of the constltu-
tion, free government will cease to ex-
ist throughout the former slave states.
The form of this change we have al
ready explained. The states III ques-
tion have amended or are about to
amend their constitutions so as to ban
ish the negro from the polls. There is
no pretence of any present necessity.
The negro is not disturbing political
factor except to those who can never
be happy unless be is reduced to servi-
tude. He has been defrauded of his
vote for more than twenty years,
either by force or ballot-box stufing
in all of the states in question. 1t is
not pretended by anyone that there is
danger of negro rule under old condi-
tions in any state of the South. The
white Democrats have merely deter
mined, as q matter of prejudice and
race hatred, that the negro shall not
vote.
Free government does not exist
throughout the Southern states of the
Union. Those states are preparing to
do formally and through their consti-
tutions what they have done ever since
the war by the shotgun and the tissue
ballot. tits the few strong over the
many weak. It is the contemptuous
rejection OF the idea that the consent
OF the governed is necessary. 1t is
open and boasted nullifcation of the
of the constitution. 1t is q rejection
of popular government that does not
stop with the negro vote. Years of
custom is suppressing free public opin-
ion have SO hardened these people that
it no longer appears to them a crime.
Effective with opposition to the DOM
inant party in those states would today
be as impossible as resistance is to the
negro. 1t would be met by the same
methods Of the ruling oligarchy; the
bullet, the torch, the bloodhound, the
illegal ballot and the fraudulent count.
If we want to watch the, inroads of
imperialism upon the political system
we need not go abroad or scan the
horizon Of our new possessions. The
Southern states under Democratic
rule, the states that will furnish to
Mr.. Bryan the solid nucleus OF his vote,
are commonwealths part OF which have
already passed and the others are pas
sing from the rule of free institutions
to system decisively and defantly
s.~r 1.of;o p