The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-09
Da6l6@@ Hm Both News and GHr@u1aGH0ma

to express it's sympathy with those who
were fighting for civil liberty. While our
sphere of activity has been limited to
the Western Hemisphere, our sympathies
have rot been bounded by the seas. We
have felt it due to ourselves and to the
world, as we'll as to those who were
struggling for the right to govern them
selves, to proclaim the interest which
cur people have, from the date of their
own Independence, felt in every contest
between human rights and arbitrary
power. Three quarters of century ago,
when our nation was small the struggle
| of Greece aroused our people, and Web
| ster and Clay gave eloquent expression
N.''Ha. universal desire for Grecian inde-
~ In 1896, all parties manifest
- interest in the success of the
~ Adqr,1ut now when war is in prog
| ress 5outh Africa which must result
in the extension of the monarchial idea
or in the triumph OF Republic the ad-
vccates of Imperialism in this country
dare not say a word in behalf OF the
| 3ce-s.
Sympathy for the Beers does not arise
| from any unfriendliness toward England
| the American people are not unfriendy
tCWdIu tue peOple VI any udllOH his
| sympathy is due to the fact that, as
| stated in our platform, we believe in the
| principle Of self government and reject,
as did our forefathers, the claims of
| monarchy. If this nation surrenders it's
belief in the universal application of the
principles set forth in the Declaration
of independence, it will lose the prestige
| and influence which it has enjoyed among
the Nations q c nf nOnnl1F
government.
IMPERIALISM AND EXPANSION.
Our opponents, conscious of the weak
ness Of their cause seek to confuse i'm
perialsm with expansion, and have even
dared to claim jefferson as a supporter
CT their policy. jefferson spoke so freely
| and used language with such precision
that no one can be ignorant of his views.
On cne occasion he declared; IF there
be one principle more deeply rooted than
any other in the mind of every American,
it is that we should have nothing to do
with conquest" And again he said:
Conquest is not in our principles; it is
inconsistent with our Government"
The forcible annexation of territory,
| to be governed by arbitrary power, differs
| tory to be built up into States as a
monarchy differs from a democracy. The
| Democratic party does not oppose expan-
sion, when expansion enlarges the area
OF the republic and incorporates land,
which can be settled by American citi-
zcns, or adds to our population people
who are willing to become citizens and
are capable of discharging their duties
as such. The acquisition of the Louis
lana territory. Florida, Texas and other
| tracts which have been secured from
| time to time enlarged the republic, and
| the constitution followed the flag into
| the new territory. 1t is now proposed to
seize upon distant territory already more
| densely populated than our cwn country,
| and to force upon the people a govern
ment for which there is no warrant in
our constitution or in our laws. Even
the argument that this earth belongs to
| those who desire to cultivate it and
| have the physical power to acquire it
cannot be invoked to justify the appro-
priation of the Philippine Islands by the
United States If the islands were un-
| habited American citizens would not be
willing to go there and till the soil. The
| white race will not live so near the
| equator. Other nations have tried to
colonize in the same latitude. The Meth
erlands have controlled Java for 300
years, and yet today there are less than
| 60 900 people of European birth scattered
among 25,000 900 natives. After a CEN
| tury and a half of English domination
| in India less than one twentieth of one
| one per cent of the people of India are
of English birth and it requires an army
of 10000 British soldiers to take care
Of the tax collectors. Spain has as
serted title to the Philippine Islands for
three centuries, and yet, when our feet
entered Manila Bay, there we're less
than 10000 Sraniards residing in the
Philippines.
MEANING OF COLONIAL POLICY.
A colonial policy means that we shall
send to the Philippines a few traders.
"a few masters and a few office-holders,
and an army large enough to support the
authority Of small fraction of the peo-
pie while they rule the natives
If we have an imperial policy we must
have large standing army as it's natu-
| raj and necessary complement The
| spirit which will justify the forcible an
neXation CT the Philippine Islands will
| justify the seizure of other islands and
| the domination CT other people, and with
| wars CT conquest We can expect cer-
tain. if not rapid growth of our military
| establishment. That a large perma-
ncnt increase in cur regular army is in
tended by the Republican leaders is not
d mere matter of conjecture but mat
| ter of fact In his message of Decem-
Der 9Th, 1898, the President asked for
authority to increase the standing army
to 100, 900. In 1896 the army contained
| about $4,000 men. Within two years the
| President asked for four times that
many, and a Republican House of Rep
| resentatives complied with the request
after the Spanish treaty had been signed
and no country was at war with the
United Scates.
If such an army is demanded when an
imperial policy is contemplated, but not
openly avowed, what may be expected
if the people encourage the Republican
party by endorsing its policy at the
polfs? A large standing army is not
only heavy burden to the people
and, if accompanied by compulsory SER
yic nonc{auf cOi,roo - irrifa tiOn hut