Washington sentinel., 1900-08-25
1mOeriaIism The Wash
ington Posi-
4HOdkSs uS COoI recentlYmade
of U=uoJorN the following
statement:

statement:
The issue Of imperialism cannot be
so exaggerated as to alarm the Ameri
can people about the stability of oui
republican institutions II affects only
the relations Of the United States to our
newly acquired islands.
When the Hon. VIM. Mckinley,
Member OF Parliament for the
pocket borough of the United
States, joined the Hon. Joseph
Chamberlain in his pious crusade
against republics. was it thus that
the Hon. Joseph un derstood the
situation7 Apparently not, judg-
ing by his own words.
A short time ago Mr.. Chamber
lain, after having set forth the i'm
portance OF destroying republics
because they were a menace to
British institutions, proceeded to
congratulate his audience and
himself upon the very encourag.
ing fact that, for the first time in
history, the Government at Wash
ington was at one with them. He
held that, having at last secured
in the United States an Admins
tration which had developed so
great degree Of political intellect
and virtue, its retention in power
was Of the utmost importance.
He stated that there would be soon
another election in the United
States, "and we must keep a strong
hand on the situation"
Would the "strong hand" Of the
British destroyer Of republics have
been philanthropically stretched
across the sea merely to aid in the
distribution of Christianity and
bullets and plain machinery
at decorated prices in South Pacific
islands, Presumably not. His
altruistic soul may have bsen gen.
erouslY grati6ed when an island
which had eagerly sought the pro-
lection Of the Star Spangled Ban
ner had, after a period Of su7oca
ton in its folds, found itself IN a
mind to seek the shelter Of differ
ent flag, but he would not have
INDUCED in such strenuous exer
cises Of elasticity even to assist in
accomplishing that bene6cent tri-
umpn OF imperialism.
When the London press exhorts
its readers to do all in their power |
to maintain the present political
situation in the United States, it is
not laboring under the impression
that the issue OF imperialism
''affects only the relations of the
United States to newly acquired |
islands" 1t is perfectly aware that
said issue vitality affects not only
the pocket borough OF the United |
States, recently acquired by the
British Parliament, but also the
entire globe.
When territory which we bought
from its legal owner and have held
in unquestioned possession for
more than quarter Of a century
was passed over to foreign coun-
try as token Of participation in
the warfare against the principles
for which we have stood ever since
we had a national existence, we
were convinced that the issue of
imperialism affected something
more than "the relations OF the
United States to our newly ac-
quired islands," We did not need
the comforting assurance OF the
able ami patriotic diplomat who
assisted at the fraternal function,
that our citizens could live under
a foreign government just as we'll
as our own, to make us acquain ed
with the fact that the issue so cav
alierly disposed of is connected
with mainland acquired not at all
recently,
The peterborough may not
cease to be peterborough. 1t
may regard the position as one oi
such dignity and importance that
London advice as to its mainte-
nance should be striccly followed.
1t may hold that a republic is a
mere plebeian concern that any set
OF undeveloped politicians IAN con-
struct, while a pocket borough is
a supreme political distinction to
be achieved by the grace OF the
Hon. Joseph Chamberlain and pre-
served at all cost of territorial
and honor.
Whatever views the pocket
borough may take as regards the
desirability OF perpetuating itself,
1t at least will not close its eyes to
the fact that the issue OF imperial
ism reaches farther than newly
islands," It is the field
on which the Republic must