The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-07-20
The Imperialism Policy Embraces Four Dis
tinct Propositions.
That the Acquisition of fTetoy Is Right and Is Desreable-
That Doctrine That Derive Just Powers From
Consent of Governed Is Unsound

William Jennings Bryan writes Of
Jefferson and Imperialism" as follows:
The advocates of Imperialism have
sought to support their position by ap-
pealing to the authority of Jefferson.
OF all the statesmen who ever lived,
Jefferson was the one most hostile to
the doctrines embodied in the demand
for European colonial policy.
Imperialism, as it now presents itself,
embraces four distinct propositions:
First-That the acquisition of terri
tory is right.
Second-That the acquisition of re-
mote territory is desirable.
NOT SELF-GOVERNED."
Third-That the doctrine that gov
ernments derive their just powers from
the consent of the governed is unsound.
Fourth-That people can be wisely
governed by aliens.
To all of these propositions Jefferson
was emphatically opposed. In letter
to William Short, written in 1871, he
said:
IF there be one principle more deeply
written than any other in the mind of
every American it is that we should
not have to do with conquest"
AMERICA SHOULD AVOID CON-
QUEST"
Could he be more explicit? Here we
have a clear and strong denunciation
of the doctrine that territory should be
acquired by force. If it is said that
we have outgrown the ideas of the
fathers, it may be observed that the
doctrine laid down by jefferson was re-
iterated only few years ago by no less
a Republican than James G. Blaine.
All remember the enthusiasm with
which he entered into the work Of
bringing the republics of North and
South America into close and cordial
relations. Some, however, may have
forgotten the resolutions introduced by
him at the conference held in 1890 and
approved by the commissioners pres
ent. They are as follows:
"FIRST-That the principle of con-
quest shall not, during the continuance
of the treaty of arbitration, be recog-
nized as admissible under American
public law.
SECOND-That all cessions of terri
tory made during the continuance of
the treaty of arbitration shall be void
If made under threats of war or in the
presence of an armed force.
"THIRD-Any nation from which
such cessions shall be enacted may de-
mand that the validity of the cessions
so made shall be submitted to arbitra-
tion.
PRINCIPLE OF CONQUEST is
WRONG"
"FOURTH-Any renunciation of the
right to arbitration made under the
conditions named in the second section
shall be null and void"
If the principle Of conquest is right
why should it be denied a place in the
American public law? So objectiona-
BILE is the theory of acquisition of terri
tory by conquest that the nation when
suffers such injustice can, according to
the resolutions, recover by arbitration
the land ceded in the presence of an
armed force. So abhorrent is it that a
waiver Of arbitration made under such
circumstances Is null and void. While
the resolutions were only for the con-
sideration Of the American republics,
the principle therein stated cannot be
limited by latitude or longitude.
But this is time of great and rapid
changes, and some may even look upon
Blaine's official acts as ancient history.
If so, let it be remembered that Presi- |
dent Mckinley, only a year ago (De- |
cember g. 1890 in a message to con-
gress, discussing the Cuban situation,
said:
II speak not of forcible annexation, |
for that cannot be thought Of That, by |
our code of morality, would be criminal |
aggression"
And yet some are now thinking of |
that which was then mot to be thought
Of" Policy may change, but does a |.
"code of morality" change?
In his recent speech at Savannah,
Secretary Gage, in defending the new
policy Of the administration, suggested
that philanthropy and per cent" may
go hand in hand.
Surely, we know not what day may
bring forth If in so short time "crm-
inal aggression" can be transformed in
to philanthropy and 8 per cent"
What beauty, what riches, the isles
of the Pacific must possess If they can
tempt our nation to abandon not only
the traditions of a century, but our
standard of national morality! What
a vision of national greatness the Phil
ippines must arouse If the very sight of
them can lead our country to vie with
the monarchies of the old world in the
extension Of sovereignty by force!
Jefferson has been called an expan-
sionist, but our opponents will search in
vain for single instance where he ad-
vocated the acquisition of remote ter
ritory. On the contrary, he expressly
disclaimed any desire for land outside
Of the North American continent
That he looked forward to the annex
alton of Cuba is well known, but in a
letter to President Monroe, dated June
%, 1928, he suggested that we should be
In READINGS to receive Cuba when So
licited by herself"
To him Cuba was desirable only be-
cause Of the islands close proximity to
the United States. Thinking that some
one might use the annexation Of Cuba
as a precedent for indefinite expan-
sion, he said In letter to President
Madison, dated April 27, 1909:
mo LIMIT TO FUTURE AcQUIsI-
TIONS."