The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-09
MR.. STEVENSON'S REPLY.
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/ Its PRONUNCIATION defeated the purpose Of
/ the holy alliance and destroyed forever
/ the power OF Spain uacn this continent.
Under it Louis Napoleon, a third OF
I century ago, was compelled to withdraw
/ the French army from Mexico. and leave
! the ill-starred Macmillan to his fate. I'm
/ der it the empire established by foreign
bayonets disappeared and the republic was
restored. Are we now to say We still re-
cognize the binding force of this doctrine
! upon other nations. but not upon our own?
Government by Force a DespOtism.
IF ultimate statehood for these remote
isIands-and others yet to be conquered
be diselaimed. how. then, are they to be
held and governed? The only alternative
is by force-by the power Of army and
navy. and this not for day or for year,
! but for all time. What, then, becomes of
the bedrock principle that governments de-
rive their just powers from the consent 81
the governed? II they are to be held per-
manently as conquered provinces 1t will be
not only outside OF the Constitution, but in
direct antagonism to the letter and spirit
OF the Declaration of Independence. 1t is
no less true now than in the days of our
Revolution that government by arbitrary
power is still despotism. The attempt,
then, either to give these people American
citizenship or to hold them as subjects is
to US alike fraught with peril. Should there
not be an immediate declaration by our
Government of its purpose toward them?
They should be given unmistakable assur
ance of independence. Protection by our
Government should not be withheld against
outside interference. The same protection
should be theirs heretofore extended to the
little States of Central and South America
Under existing conditions there should be
no hesitation upon our part in giving them
protection against the cupidity or agrees
Eive spirit of other nations. All this, not
to the end of subiugation or Of con-
quest upon Ctr part, but to that Of the full
enjoyment by them of liberty and of the
ultimate establishment of stable govern
ment furnished by their own hands.
Against this policy stands Imperialism. In
American politics the word is new-fortu-
nately the policy is new. We are daily be-
coming familiar with its meaning, with its
forebodings--and the end is not yet. 1t
means permanent departure from all the
traditions of the past: from the high ideals
of the founders Of the Republic. It abro-
gates the holding Of our great court that
the Declaration OF Independence Is the spir-
it OF the Government-the Constitution but
its form and letter. Imperialism knows
nothing of limitations of power. Its rule
is outside the Constitution. II means the
adoption by the American Republic of the
colonial methods of European monarehies.
It means the right to hold alien peoples as
subjects. 1t enthrones force as the con-
trolling agency in government. 1t means
the empire
MiIitarism COroiIary to Imperial
Ism.
"As a necessary coroilary to imperialism
will come the immense standing army. The
dread hand Of militarism will be felt in the
New World as it is in the old The strong
arm of power will be substituted Tor the
peaceable agencies which for more than a
and happy. 1t was jefferson who said "A !
well-disciplined militia-our best reliance I
in peace, and for the first moments of |
war; True at the beginning Of the CEN
fury, with a few millions OF population; 10 |
less true at the close, as we stand in The |
forefront of the nations with a population |
OF eighty millions. The result of our re- |
cent conflict with Spain gives emphasis to
the prophetic words OF Jefferson Existing /
conditions In Continental Europe-entaiI- |
ing taxation and misery to the verge OF |
lesson the inevitable result of large stand
ing armies in time Of peace.
Shall We still give heed to the warning |
of the great sage Of the Revolution. or en- |
ter upon a new century with European |
monarchies as our model? Without large |
standing army, but relying upon the pat |
rotism and courage OF American manhood, |
we were victorious in the second war with |
Great Britain, with Mexico in the great |
civil strife, and with Spain. In the light of |
history can 1t be possible that the Ameri- |
can people Will consent to the permanent |
establishment OF a large standing army, /
and its consequent continuing and ever
increasing burdens Of taxation?
Republic Always n World Power.
I'VE are told that our Republic is now to
become "a world power In the highest
sense-with the Declaration of Independ-
ence as its cornerstone-it has bsen in all
its past world power. It has been the
lofty Ideal to all liberty-loving people-the
model of all builders of republics for more
than a century. In the sense used by the
imperialists the expression Is one Of terri
bic significance. Ii necessitates the meth
DDS and equipments of monarchies. 1t
means the creation of and maintenance by
our Republic of standing armies equal TO
those of the world powers of Europe. At
power. Study existing conditions in Eu-
ropean nations. and know what this all
means to US. 1t means taxation to the
verge of despair. II means, as has been
truly said that every laborer must carry
an armed soldier upon his back as he goes
to his daily toll. All history teaches that
the cornerstone of Imperialism is the force
of the standing army.
1--WE stand 100 years from the hour when
the political forces were gathering which !
were to result in the election of the first
President. The anniversary of
he masterful day in our history was wisely
chosen for the assembling in convention OF
the representatives of the historic party
whose founder was Jefferson-and whose
platform is the Declaration OF Independ-
ence. In the great struggle now upon US
we invoke the cooperation OF all who re-
we're the memory of our fathers and to |
whom this Declaration is not unmeaning
the enduring chart OF our
liberties. Upon the supreme issue now IN
he forefront-and TO the end that repub-
lean government bel perpetuated-we up-
peal to the sober judgment and patriotism =
If the American people"
The President n Slave to Catarrh.
n r Sauple President OF Samples InstaIImept