Evening star., 1900-09-18
SENATOR DANIEL SPOKE
FEATURE OF HAMMER RAISING by
DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE.
imperialism His Theme, as 1t Was of
Others Who Addressed the
Gathering.

Suspended over the middle of Pennsyl-
vania avenue in front of the Metropolitan
Hotel swings a red, white and blue banner,
bearing excellent portraits of Bryan and
| Stevenson. The emblem was put in place
| last night by the old democratic central
| committee of the District of Columbia, and
a crowd of about 5000 people assembled to
| celebrate the occasion. The Metropolitan
| Hotel balcony served as the stage upon
which the exercises took place. They were
opened with brief presentation address
| by Chairman John A Clarke, and as the
banner was slid out upon it's supporting
wire the cheers of the crowd made it diff
| cult to distinguish the patriotic music
| Haley's Washington Band was playing.
The first speaker after Mr.. Clarke was a
| gentleman who was introduced Mr.. i>et-
| teller of Canton, Ohio, who took imperial
| ism for his theme, and he was followed by
| ex-Representative Charles H. Turner, Dan
| lei O'Driscoll, who created enthusiasm by
| declaring that he was going to vote the
democratic ticket for the first time in his
life; Charles Benedict and Charles Calvert,
| all Of whom were given enthusiastic recep-
| tions.
The South Washington Glee Club, sixty
strong, under William T. Whalen's leader
| ship, sang a campaign song, and then Sem
| ator Daniel Of Virginia was presented.
An Ovation to the Virginian.
| He was given a tremendous greeting, and
| throughout his remarks was compelled to
| stop time and again by the enthusiastic ap-
| plause.
| In the course Of his speech. he declared
| that the democratic party was not founded
| on any single ISSUE but was born out of the
| forces which created the republic and led by
| the statesmen who created the Declaration
| of Independence. The republican party, he
| said, grew out of a transient issue, and
1 %Lo% <lt1l
| the country to die also. AS it seemed
| little disposed to neglect that city, he
wished to pledge it the support of his hear
| ers and his own to help it along the road.
The Slavery Issue.
| Speaking of slavery and its condition for
| a long time deviding line between the
south and the north. he asserted that after
| the north had sold its slaves, 1t firmly op-
| posed the existence of any more slaves in
| the entire country.
| Continuing, Senator Daniel said, in part:
when did slavery come into existence
and through what agency? Through i'm
perialism. When We were little thin colo
| MES, the kings and queens and moneyed peo-
| pie of England held slavery to be a fine
| thing. They would undertake to capture
| and transport slaves to if would do
| the buying at high price We were then
without representation in the British parlia-
ment, and Virginia and her sister colonies
thus obtained, without their consent. a
problem which required deluge OF blood
and warfare to settle. In 1888 the last sigh
of that struggle vanished. North and south
held commissions i'll the United States army
for the first time since the war. AVe were
free-free as our fathers We're free; free as
we intend our children shall be free here
after. But just as this freedom came to us,
just as the final act of that great tragedy
had closed. the republican party involves US
in the whirling current of another great
question; 10,0O0,CO0 of creatures like our
selves are given us through Imperialism
Imperialism Defined.
What is imperialism? Any government
commencing with the governors and going
down to the governed. A democracy is a
government which commences with the peo-
pie and proceeds from them to the govern
ors. In this distinction lies the key to all
democratic opposition to the present re-
publican policieS-the republic finds the
source of all power in the people.
Where that principle is not recognized
you find institutions which not free.
This country must now determine whether
its hands are to create free institutions; it
must choose one of two alternatives. Does
it want 10,O0OG0O Filipinos. Malays. Mon
gols, or what not to have ten senator's and
fifty representatives in the United States
Congress, or does it want to create out of
them an empire whose subjects are denied
the principles of government on which this
country was found ed?
THE democratic party has always be
lieved in true expansion. The American
domain has grown through democratic in
| fiuence solely. But the flag that enfoded
Louisiana, Florida, Texas, California and
all the territory which came into the Union
with those tracts. carried the Constitution
with it. The country thus formed was
natural. healthful, logical growth, intrench-
ed between two great ocean fortifications.
Under the republicans what have we OBJ
tanned? Alaska and Hawaii. Then Porto
Rico-indefnitely.
Can any one tell where Porto Rico is
| today? 1t is hedged about with the Dingley
tariff because 1t is part of the United
States; it is fenced away from this country
with second special tariff because it is not
part of the United States. 1t is the most
betariffed island in the world. 1t is in the
Union for taxation. 1t is outside for taxa
ton We have appointed a commission to
go and see where Porto Rico is. OF that
commission William ]. Bryan is chairman.
Unless all signs fail he will cry Land no!
and set the seal of freedom on the island in
November. He is nearer the presidency to-
day than ever he has BEEN
When Senator Daniel closed he was COM
PEELED to acknowledge again and again the
salutations of the throng.