The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-09-06

principles and structure of govern
ment. Systems of taxation can bs
| changed with less difficulty thar
financial systems, and financial sys
TENS can be altered with less danger
and less disturbance to the country
than the vital doctrines upon which
free government rests.
In the early sixties, when VIZ
were engaged in contest which wa:
to determine whether we should have
one republic or two, questions O.
finance were lost sight of. Silver
was at premium over gold, and bott
gold and silver were at a premium
over greenbacks and bank notes, bu,
the people could not afford to divide
over the money question in the pres
ence of greater issue. And SO to-
day we are engaged in controversy
which will determine whether we are
to have a republic in which the gov.
ernment derives its just powers from
the consent of the governed. or ar
empire in which brute force is the
only recognized source of power.
III "uclc tuc DCOplt
rule every wrong can be righted and
every evil remedied, but when once
the doctrine of self-government is
impaired and might is substituted
for right there is no certainty tina,
any question will be settled correctly.
EFFECT OF A COLONIAL POLICY.
"A colonial policy would so occupy
the people with the consideration Of
the nations foreign policy that do
mestic questions would be neglected
Who will haul down the hag?' OF
Stand by the President would be
the prompt response to every criti.
cism of the administration and cor.
ruption and special privilege would
thrive under the cover of patriotism.
ut is not strange that the Popu-
lists should oppose militarism and
imperialism, for both are antagonistic
to the principles which Populists
apply to other questions. Looking
at questions from the standpoint OF
the producer of wealth rather than
from the standpoint of the specula-
tor, the Populist recognizes in mill
tarism constant and increasing
burden. The army worm which oc-
casionally destroys field of wheat is
not nearly so dangerous an enemy
to the farmer as a large standing
army, which invades every field OF
industry and exacts toll from every
crop.
eff 100000 men are withdrawn
from the ranks of the producers and
placed as burden on the backs OF
those who remain, it must mean
longer hours, harder work and great
er sacrifices for those who toll, and
the farmer, while he pays more than
his share of the expenses of the army,
has no part in army contracts or in
developing companies, and his sons
are less likely to fill the life positions
in the army than the sons of those
who, by reason of wealth or political
prominence, exert influence at Wash
ington.
WHO GETS THE BENEFIT?
"Soon after the Republican leaders
began to suggest the propriety of a
colonial policy the papers published
an interview given out from San
Francisco by foreign counsel resid-
ing at Manila. He declared that the
people of the United States owed il to
themselves, to other nations and to
the Filipinos to hold the Philippine
Islands permanently.
cat the conclusion of the inter
view there appeared the very sifinifi-
cant statement that the gentleman
was visiting the United States for the
purpose of organizing company for
the development of the Philippine
Islands. A few days later, on his
way East, he gave out another inter
view, in which he explained that the
company which he intended to or
ganize would establish banks at
Manila and at other places through
out the island and build electric light
plants, water plants, street car lines,
railroads, factories, etc. 1t seemed
that the plan Of his syndicate was to
do all the developing and leave the
rest of the American people nothing
to dc in the matter except to furnish
an army sufficient to hold the Filipi-
nos in subsection while they were be-
ing developed.
cat the present rate we will spend
annually upon the army approx
mately half as much as we spend fo1
education in the United States, and
this immense sum is wrung from the
taxpayers by systems of taxation
which overburden the poor man and
undertax the rich man. In the pres
ence of such an issue as militarism it
is impossible that any Populist should
hesitate as to his duty.
BLOW AT POPULAR GOVERNMENT.
..But even the menace of militar-
ism is but part of the question OF
Imperialism. The policy contem,
plated by the Republican party nulli,
ties every principle set forth in the
Declaration of independence, strikes
blow at popular government and
robs the nation of its moral prestige.
Already the more advanced support.
ers of the colonial idea point to the
economy of a system of government
which entrusts all power to an execu-
tive and does away with the neces'
sity for legislation"
The Negro Problem Solved.