Hutchinson gazette., 1900-04-19
IMPERIALISM AND PoRTo RICO
issues Hnsed Upon Constitutional and
HumRn Grounds That VIII
Help Democrats.

A few weeks ago II would have re-
quired the gift OF second sight to dis
,over that out OF the seemingly simple
matter Of the fiscal government of Por-
to Rico would spring an issue that
would, for time az any rate, split the
republican parry in twain and cause
more discussion, more dissension with
in the party ranks than has been witt
messed since the days when the presi-
dent strove to prevent war with Spain
for the liberation Of Cuba, In sense the
Porto Rico tariff will be leading issue
Of the campaign. Its Importance pro-
ceeds, however, not wholly from the
immediate issue involved In congress-
that of raising revenue from and for
the Porto Ricans--but rather from the
fact that II Is one incident, and glar-
Ing one, In what the democrats believe
to be the steady progress Of this admin
Istration away from republican princi-
pies toward the establishment Of em-
pire. 1t is one chapter in the fast grow
ing history Of Imperialism in America,
and that issue-the issue Of imperial
ism-will beyond doubt be one OF the
most vital issues OF the campaign. It's
peculiarly fitting that democratic
convention, held on the anniversary Of
the adoption of the Declaration Of In
dependence should stand as the oppon-
ent OF plan to tax dependency with
out granting II representation In the
taxing gbody-and thatis the plan which
the republican house Of representa-
tiyes now proposes and which the pres
ident, after some yacillatlon, has eX-
pressed his willingness to accept.
But the whole programme Of imperi-
allsm Is nn antagonism to those ideas
which were enuncated in the immor-
tai declaration, and which nre the
foundation OF our national existence,
So obvious Is this that the more logical,
though less polite, defenders Of impe-
rialsm have been compelled to throw
overheard both the Declaration Of In
dependence and the constitution, de-
claring the one a mere collection Of fine
sounding but impractical phrases and
the other TO have been outgrown. The
democratic party viii stand as the de-
fender Of the constitution, the unfalter-
ing champion Of every word and phrase
in Thomas Jcf'crson's declaration of
defiance to that British power under
whose wing to-day it seems the United
States is expected TO nestle for protec-
ton.
Nor is this issue Of anti-imperiallsm
n constitutional one alone. IL Is broad
ly human, eminently moral issue.
The anti-imperinlist sympathizes with
the Beers in their struggle for national
independence against Il robber mon
archy, but he finds an imberialist ad-
minlstration turning cold shoulder to
the South African republics and cod
ding Great Britain. The anti-imperial-
lst does not believe that the way to
make the United States respected and
DOpulul III llt tdht 10 w HllObN btNh iN7
morselessly men who are struggling
for the liberties which they were led to
believe we had come thither tohelp them
secure. lie thinks there is u better fu-
ture for the flower OF our young man
hood than TO be used MS food for pow
der or sacrificed to the deadly eli
mate of distant tropical archipela-
go. He holds that imperialism and
militarism go hand in hand, and be-
lieves with the fathers at the republic
that a. great standing army is men,
ace to the people He knows that a
policy of despotism pursued toward
foreign peoples will in due time be
employed by our governing classes
for the subjugatlon Of our own peo-
pie, and he points to the year Of mill
tary despotism and martial law in the
Coeur d'Alene as an early proof Of this
fact.
For these reasons anti-imperialisn
win be an issue in the coming campaign
that will not down. Among all 1t will
doubtless lead.--Willis j, Abbott, in
Chicago Times-Hernld.