Willmar tribune., 1900-09-19
EXPANSION OR IMPERIALISM.

From speech of Hon. James R. Williams of
Illinois:
But in answer to all these allega-
tions we are met with the very eloquent
but empty phrase, "Who will pull
down the tlag"' I answer, the Ameri-
can government, whenever it's honor
and glory require it, but no other
power on earth shall ever haul it down.
Our government has always pulled it
down from places where it did not be-
long. 1t pulled it down in Mexico, iu
Canada, and, if we observe our sacred
pledge, we will haul it down in Cuba
whenever it's people desire It.
We had better haul it down in Cuba
nov than have it wave over that fair
island as the banner of larceny and
corruption. I would rather see it go
down in honor than up in dishonor:
down as the emblem of liberty than up
as the emblem of despotism. Our flag
should never rem ain in any land where
the constitution can meyer go and
American liberty can never dwell. I
would rather have it snatched from it's
mast thousand times than see its
sacred folds unfurled to the breeze as
the new banner of American imperial
ism, the funeral signal of the public.
Who will pull down the flag? I ask:
Who will pull down the Declaration
of Independence? Who will pull down
the constitution? The sad echo comes
from the White House, William, the
conqueror, he will pull them down.
He has already torn from their sacred
pages the sublime sentiments of
liberty and freedom and written in
their stead, in letters of blood, the
bitter words of tyranny and oppres-
sion.
Would to God the republican party
Of today contained within it's rank an
other Lincoln, to check it in it's down
ward course of criminal aggression
and restore it to the sacred precincts
of human liberty it once enjoyed.
But the question is frequently asked
by gentlemen on the other side. How
can the democrats oppose the annexa-
tion Of those islands when Jefferson,
their great founder, was such an ex-
pansionist? Jefferson was an expan-
sionist, but not imperialist. Jeffer-
sons expansion consisted in acquiring
territory here on this hemisphere, then
in the possession of a foreign power,
thereby removing from our very doors
a European colony whose presence
here made war more threatening and
defense more difficult.
McKinley's expansion gives US ter
ritory 10000 miles from this capital
and carries US right into the broils
and entanglements of all the warning
powers of Europe. Jefferson's ex-
pansion removed the foreign flag from
our shores, while McKinley's expan-
sion carries our flag into foreign
land. Jefferson's expansion strength
ened our Notifications and made it
easier to defend our territory than
before. while McKinley's expansion
weakens our Notifications and makes
our national defense more difficult and
expensive. Jefferson acquired terri
tory with population of one to every
rs square miles, with a climate adapted
to our people and suitable for Ameri-
can homes, while Mckinley is trying
to acquire territory with a population
of oyer 10 to the square mile, with a
climate entirely unfit for our people
and never intended for American
homes. Jefferson acquired territory
to become future states Of the repub-
lie, inhabited by American citizens,
while Mckinley is acquiring territory
to become colonies of the United
States, inhabited by subjects and not
citizens. Jefferson expanded the re-
public with our territory, while Nc
Kinley is expanding our territory
without the republic.
Jefferson's expansion carried to the
inhabitants of the new territory the
glad message of peace and constitu-
tional liberty, while McKinley's Car.
ries to the inhabitants of the new ter
ritory the sad message of death and
despotism. No liberty, no freedom,
no happiness! Jefferson's annexation
gave the inhabitants of the ceded ter
ritory representation with taxati on
and a government with the consent
of the governed: McKinley's annexa-
tion gives to the inhabitants of the new
territory taxation without representa-
tion and government without the con-
sent of the governed.
Jefferson's expansion was republic
anism; McKinley's expansion is i'm.
perialism. How absurd to compare
the peaceable annexation of territory
here on our own hemisphere, right at
our own door, thinly settled, good
climate and suitable for homes for our
own people and for future states OF
the republic, with the forcible annex.
alton of several hundred small islands
1900 miles from our nearest shores,
with climate unfit for Americans,
with a dense population of people
alien to our government, our institu.
tions and our civilization. Who will
be so blind as not to see the distinc.