The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-05-19

II the Democratic party never does any
tributing a new word to our political NOM
enclature, viz, imperialism" No person
has yet defined the word and IL will be
difficult to do so. work published several
years ago entitled "A Dictionary of Ameri-
can Politics." contains many odd facts and
phrases in connection with politics. There
are definitions of such words as barn
burners" ''hunkers," 'wellborns," snuff
takers" and other terms which. after do
ing service in one or two campaigns, be-
acquired any permanent or Legitimate
meaning. are not found in any regular die
tionary. They belong to the class Of ephem-
eral political slang That is where I'm
perialism" will be found in the future. The
word, in its legitimate sense, is defined as
''the system of imperial government, the
principle or spirit of empire" That will
continue to be it's true definition, but some
future edition of "A Dictionary Of Ameri-
can Politics. will probably say: Imperial
party in the presidential campaign of 1900
TO stigmatize the policy of establishing the
authority of the United States in the new
American possessions of that period-used
derisively by party leaders for political eff
feet" Looking over the long list of politi-
cal phrases and nicknames of the past 1t is
easy to see that they all appealed to popu-
lar ignorance and prejudice of the times.
attempting to substitute slang for argu-
ment, or a senseless phrase, easily learned
and repeated. for reason. The same will be
found true of imperialism" which no
Democratic convention, candidate ora
tor dare attempt to define as a word of any
real significance, meaning or application in
the policy or affairs of republic.
Very different from this senseless phrase
is that of Expansion" This word repre-
sents a policy that every true American
should be proud to avow and support, and,
therefore, 1t will not be used by the Demo-
cratic party. AT first they used the words
as synonymous. but, finding they could not
scare or deceive anybody with expansion,
they fell back on imperialism as better
suited to their purposes. Imperialism is a
much better campaign phrase because,
while IL means nothing, it can be made, in
Democratic hands, to stand for almost
everything dangerous and bad. When po-
litical party wants a bugaboo the more
meaningless the phrase the better.
The Republican party should not hesi-
tate to declare itself strongly in favor Of
the expansion brought about by the war
with Spain. 1t is an expansion of national
possessions, of national prestige, of nation
al commerce. The acquisition of territory
is not great. but 1t is important involving
valuable coaling and naval stations in two
oceans and an open door to the commerce
of the Pacific. The Americanizing of these
new possessions will be an expansion of re-
publican government and of Anglo-Saxon
civilization. No political party dares oppose
this. and the Republican party should glad
ly embrace the opportunity to champion It.
Even the Democratic party. bourbon, re-
dictionary. anti-progressive as 1t is, dares
not place itself in opposition to the expan-
sion and extension of republican govern
ment. If 1t should come in power 1t would
not dare to relinquish a foot of the terri
tory over which the American flag now
floats, but for this year, at least, 1t will
try to scare the people with the bugaboo
of Imperialism. That. to borrow an obso-
lete political slang phrase. may prove for
them "a good-enough Morgan till after
election