The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-01-02

onire territory to be held and governed
permanently as colonies, and that all ac-
QUESTIONS of territory must be with the
view of ultimately admitting it to State
hood In a speech holding that this
principle had been firmly established,
Senator Vest said;
IL know not what may be done with
the glamor of foreign conquest or the
greed Of the commercial and money
making classes in this country. For
myself would rather quit public life
and would be willing to risk life itself,
rather than give my consent TO this
fantastic and wicked attempt to revolu-
tionize our government and substitute
the principles of our hereditary enemies
for the teachings Of Washington and
his associates"
When ten thousand evils assail us,
and scandals unnumbered come from
new possessions, and the liberties of the
people at home have been infringed by
our new policy Of imperialism, those
who now for the hope of gain join the
procession that is marching over the
dead body of the teachings of Washing
ton and Jefferson-then these words Of
the Missourian will be read and the peo-
pie will wish that such 4 patriot had
been in the White House instead of the
putty man who sees no glory under the
flag that does not give money and power
to the trusts and syndicates.
Senator Vest is an expansionist. He
represents a commonwealth that is part
of the Missouri purchase. With Jetfer-
son, he believes i'll such expansion as
is in keeping with the spirit of our
government, but he would BE willing
to risk life itself" rather than give has
consent to the Fantastic and wicked at
tempt to revolutionize our government
and substitute the principles OF our
hereditary enemies for the teachings or
Washington and his associates" If there
were more such men, the crime of the
criminal aggression" around Mania
would not stain our national honor.
OF late there have been those who
have committed the error of stating that
in the present discussion on imperialism,
falsely and by design called expansion,
the Democrats have abandoned their
traditional advocacy of expansion and
the Republicans have been the cham
pions of that policy. No one who is well
acquainted with the history of the DEM
ocratic party could make SO egregious
mistake. The Democrats today VINO
fight Imperialism are consistent with
their past. In opposing the acquisition
Of territory ito be held and governed
permanently as colonies" they are true
to the constitution of their country. The
acquisition Of Porto Rico, if it is pro-
posed at some time in the future to
make it d State, would be Democratic
and the acquisition of Cuba, if its peo~
pie desired under honorable circum
stances to come to us, with a view TO
Statehood, would be Democratic as was
the acquisition of California and Mis-
souri,. Between such legitimate and
proper expansion and the forcible taking
of the Philippine islands as a colony
there is a great gulf fixed. One is
growth that strengthens; the other is
Imperialism that blghts. Expansion
by the taking, in due course of time when
they desire to become a part of our
great Republic, of Canada and Mexico
would be along the line of American ex-
pansion; the taking of the Philippines
is nothing short of criminal agrees
sion" which is contrary to the genius
of our government.
Let men advocate such imperialism
if they think they see in it a chance 20
ape England and get rich by robb'ng
others. There is no other warrant for
it in law or in equity. But 1T them
not invoke the name Of the old time
Democracy to give character to their
dreams of conquest and to JUS
tify their destruction of free
government. The test of the ex-
pansion of the Republic is: Do we pro-
pose to make the nearby territory into
self-governing equal States? If We do
it is expansion and there is warrant for
it in the constitution: if it is our ,urp0se
to make them colonies, to lie governed
by us, it is imperialism and there is no
warrant in the constitution for it.
t., Il NJ