The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1900-07-20
Imperialism-What Is II?
Special Correspondence.

SpeClal correspondence.
Washington, July l0-Imperialism
may serve as campaign scarecrow,
but before the harvest of votes is gar
nered next November, the people will
recognize that it is but a thing OF straw.
Imperialism pre.supposes an empire,
and the magnificent domain over which
our lovely banner flies is imperial in its
products and in its extent. Such a
wealth of hill, mountain, plain and
prairie, such an abundance of crystal
lakes and such net work of commerce
bearing rivers were never before be-
slowed upon any people. Every state
is an empire; every county is princi-
pality, for which, as true Americans,
we are proud, and for which, as Chris
tians, recognizing God as the God of
nations, we should be, deeply grateful.
This domain has been given to us by
a power that is higher than any party
or policy, though the republican party
was called into being in order to pro-
test and battle against the division of
this mighty empire, which democracy
declared, in the press, in its platforms
and on the bloody battlefields, should
be divided. To this extent the charge
of imperialism can with truth be made
against the republican party. Abraham
Lincoln was the embodiment of that
imperial idea and a martyr to the
cause of one flag one country, and one
imperial destiny.
Imperialism, if it means anything the
democracy would have the people be-
lieve, implies an emperor, dynasty, a
throne, a crown and scepter. This
feature of Imperialism, by no stretch of
partisan Misrepresentation, can ever be
charged against our honored President
and candidate for the presidency. He
was the choice of the speople; he was
honestly elected in a constitutional
manner and has been so loath to oppose
the will of the people, as expressed by
legislation enacted by congress, that in
the three years of his administration he
has vetoed but four bills. He will serve
his two terms as many other good presi-
dents, both democratic and republican,
have done, and will then give way to
his successor, chosen as he was chosen,
by the free votes of sovereign people.
The partisan accusation of imperial
ism, when translated into plain every
day English, in the light of the history
m ade during the brilliant administration
of President Mckinley, is simply this:
The republicans declare that It is their
policy not to blindly abandon the islands
transferred from Spanish to American
SO vereignty by the treaty of Paris. The
democracy, so far as it has policy,
would have the master nation builder
of the world abandon its plain duty, furl
our triumphant flag and hunt an easy
future rather than working flu
ture. Porto Rico, recognizing the
fact that she cannot stand alone, does
not wish to become an independent
power, and the only thing possible is for
the United States to continue its
sovereignty, which is republican, or to
invite Spain to re,enter the Western
Hemisphere and commence anew her
policy of misrule, of robbery and extor-
lion from which we have delivered
Cuba. To plant the customs of the
seventeenth century in the dawn of the
twentieth century is democratic. This
is the logical conclusion when the demo.
cratic cry of the democratic platform is
analysed.
The same is as true of the Philippines
Is of Porto Rico. Will the democrats
iare to fix date for the evacuation of
,ither' They are under the flag of the
republic, and there they will remain.
This means work and thought and
states manship for the people of the
United States, but it means blessing
md liberty, justice and opportunity for
he islands placed under our care by
Iolem mn treaty obligations that were APP
proved by the senate of the United
States, and urged by Mr.. Bryan.
Methods of administration and of
government are legitimate objects of
party differences. But annexation is a
act. II is for all purposes as much an
fact as is the abolition of
Ilavery, another republican measure for
which that party was hated and mis-
represented.
The people will learn that imperialism,
Is employed by the democrats, means
hat they would have the country shirk
Is duty, turn its back on destiny, count
Ill bloodshed as lost, furl the flag and
withdraw its protection from people
Who need it today more than ever be-
ore in. all their history.
The charge of imperialism, when
translated, means duty. And
he party Of Lincoln, of Grant, of Har-