The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1900-07-13
THE IMpERIALIST SCARECROW

The Democrats say in their plat
form that they believe "our most
cherished institutions. are in great
PERIL" that "the very existence of
our constitutional republic is at
stake" and that "the decision now
to be rendered will determine
whether or not our children are to
enjoy the blessed privileges of free
government which have made the
United States great, prosperous
and honored." This is important
II true. " But it is not true. 1t is
no more true than was the some
what similar prediction in the
Democratic platform of 1868 of
what would happen if Grant were
elected. 1t is not essential to the
perpetuity of the republic that Mr..
Bryan should be chosen President.
1t will survive his defeat.
Nor is it true that the Republi-
cans who have nominated Presi-
dent Mckinley and who are going
to vote for him are conspirators,
working for the overthrow of free
institutions: They are not plot
ting to convert the republic into
an empire or to enact CONSUMPTION
laws under which they as we'll as
Democrats may be forced into the
military service. So grave a charge
against so large number of Amer
lean citizens ought to be supported
by little evidence.
According ITO the platform, the
''hrst act of the imperialistic pro-
gram" is to be found in the act
passed by the present Congress
temporarily to provide revenues
and civil government for Porto
and for other purposes" That
act, 1T is said, 'simposes upon the
people of Porto Rico a government
without their consent and taxation
without representation. If that
law is ''imperialistic," what shall
be said of the first law for the gov
eminent of Louisiana, enacted
under Jefferson's administration?
he consent of the Louisianans
was not asked for any more than
was the consent of New Mexicans
and Californians at a later dav.
When the Porto Rican legislature
IS organized the taxes paid by the
people will be levied by the repre-
sentatives of the people.
Further evidence of the msub-
version OF the ancient and fixed
principles OF free people" is found
IN the army appropriation bill en-
acted by the last Congress. 1t
empowered the president to raise
and put in service for two years
and a third twenty-seven regiments
OF volunteers to be recruited as he
might determine from the country
at large. The failure to ask for
~
National Guard regiments to 90 to
the Philippines to supplement the
regular army is put forward as evil
dence OF the devotion of the Re-
publican party to "militarism." In
realty the mode of raising troops
which has been adopted is neither
conference.-the nor Gun Repub-
llcan." 1t was resorted to. because
giving promise of the best results.
The platform says further that
"the Filipinos cannot be citizens
without endangering our civiliza-
ton; they cannot be subjects with
out importing our form of govern
ment." thus, however the Fill
plnos are taken, the republic is in
danger. It is admitted that the
republicans do not wish to make
citizens OF the Filipinos. The
democratic assumption is that the
republican party wishes to make
subjects of the Filipinos and thus
convert the republic into an en-
plre. That party has no such
wicked intentions. 1t has stated
its policy concerning the Filipinos.
1t is to give those islanders whose
citizenship would "endanger our
civilization" ''the largest measure
OF self-government consistent with
their welfare and our duties" and
"to confer the blessings of liberty
and civilization" upon them Thew