Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-09-25
KNOWN BY ITS FRUITS.

One of the ablest eXpositions of the
leading issue of the campaign that has
yet appeared is the paper on 'Imper-
ia!ism." by William Baird, in the Sep
TENDER number OF the Conservative
Review. new quarterly published at
Washington. ID. c. Referring to the
frequently repeated argument that the
American people will permit no change
in their form of government, the writer
says: THE ceremonials, the trappings,
the Daraphernalia of q free constitu-
tional system may remain, but it was
long ago discovered, as Burke tells us
in a passage weighty with thought,
that the forms of a free, and the ends
of an arbitrary government, were not
things altogether Incompatible"
The writer states so clearly fact
the Virginian- has pointed out be-
fore that we cannot forbear to quote
the PASSAGE:
THE genuine imperialistic spirit is
already discernible. especially in the
large cities; it's habits, manners and
sentiments are growing daily; the gulf
which separates the two extremes of
civilized society becomes constantly
wider and deeper; the spirit of mono
poly increases apace. while corporate
wealth and greed sigh not in vain for
new worlds to conquer. Imperialism,
1T must be remembered. is yet in it's
infancy; its steps are hesitating and
tentative; 1t does not dare call itself
by it's true name, but sneaks and
covers under harmless sounding
aliases. Nevertheless. 1t may be known
by it's fruits, immature as they are.
MT n Tory lf tiaaf Il
cutive, a disposition to identify the Adj
ADMINISTRATION with the country, and to
denounce opposition to its policy as
want of patriotism; profuseness of OK
Denditure, and Indifference to the
heavy burdens thus imposed upon the
people; a tendency to extend the benefit
of the divinity that doth hedge n
king to delinquent officials and TO
| cover with the mantle of the imperial
purple the shortcomings of courtierS; n
| peculiarly eXasperatinG censorship of
| the press which, not content with the
| supprcSsio zero goes on TO wholesale Sng-
gcSfio fGfSi, and not only withholdS. but
manufactures intelligence. Are there
not here indicio of the beginnings of
that system with which history has
made us only too familiar? II these
things are done i'll the green leaf, what
may we not expect in the dry?"
What. indeed? And yet will any OBJ
server declare that the writer has
either misread conditions or over
stated the case? In the mouths of the
imperialistic cabal is not every man a
traitor who presumes to oppose Mr.
McKinley's policy OF aggression? Do
we not hear adulation of him daily
that would have cloyed Augustus him
self? Is not the country still growing
under war taxes two years after the
war was ended. that the President may
| spend millions in playing an ambitious
| role in the far East? Are not Medley
and Rathbone still unwhipped of JUS
tice. though their guilt was made plain
months ago? Has there not been n
| persistent suppression of facts and a
deliberate justification OF dispatches by
the censor at Manila? We have the
evidence of every press correspondent
in the islands TO that effect. If these
things have come into being in the
short space of two years, is it safe to
| infer that the American people are toe
| democratic to fear fear Imperialism?