Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-07-19
VOICES FROM THE PAST.
Prophetic Ttferance of Washington
and Concerning
Imperialism.

In his farewell address Washington
warned his people against the time
when aggregated wealth should be-
come arrogant and tyrannical- His
prophetic spirit foresaw the day Oh
Mckinleyism and trusts.
No less clearly did Lincoln foresee
and foretell the very times that have
come upon the country His words Of
warning we're:
Il see in the near future 4 crisis ap-
preaching that unneryes me and causes
me to trernble for the safety of my coun-
try AS a result of the war. corporations
have been enthroned, and an era OF cor
ruption in high places will follow. and
the money power Of the country viii en-
deavor 10 prolong its reign by working
upon the ~prejudices of the people until
all the wealth is aggregated in a few
hands and the republic destroyed I feel
at this moment more anxiety for the
safety Of my country than ever before,
even in the midst of war. God grant that
my suspicious may prove groundless-"
His fears were not groundIess- They
have been realized in more terrible
form than ever he imagined possible.
His anxiety for his country was we'll
founded. There remains but one step
in his prophecy unfulflled-the de-
struction Of the republic. All this is
not past believing. unless the people
shall rise in thcir might and overthrow
the tyrant wealth. before it has sub
Jected them 10 its power so completely
that there is no relief except through
the frightful method of war.
There was another great American
in his day, now scorned and scoffed
and held in ann~cmn4 rs q 4i44fp ATI7nr-
lean by the Hanna-NcKinley quality.
His name was Daniel Webster. He,
too, with prophetic spirit OWNED the
day of Mckinleyisn and warned the
people against IL. The seeds Of i'm
perialism had been sown in his cay.
Though he wrought nightly to e1-
terminate them. up to the last day
Of his lie he could not do 50:
Arbitrary Governments may have ter
ritories and distant possessions, because
arbitrary governments may rule by diff
ferent laws and different systems. We
can do no such things. They must be Of
US, part of US. or else tranger I think
/ see a course adopted which is likely to
turn the constitution of the land into a
defoTmed monster. into a curse. rather
than a blessing: in fancy, a frame OF an
unequal government. not founded on pop
ular representation. not founded on equal
ity, but on the grossest inequality: and !
think that this process will go on, or that
there Is danger hat it will go on, until
this union shall fall to pieces. Resist it
to-day and always. Whoever falters or
whoever flies. I continue to contest"
Either this must become an arbi-
trarE government or we must give uE
colonial possessions The genius of the
constitution and law of the United
States is opposed to different forms
Of government for different peoples OF
the nation. The constitution viii be-
come a deformed monster if il is made
TO mean one thing for part of our peo-
pie and another thing for others. And
once it becomes a deformed monster it
may turn and devour its creators.
Webster foresaw that Mckinlssism
would come. though he never ceased
resisting the tendency He foresaw. as
Lincoln did. the ultimate destruction
of the land of liberty. the land both
loved so well. unless there was a radi-
cal change in the tendencies of their
times. Both saw the dire fate in store
for our people. and both had sufficient
ground for predicting IL
Voices from the past warn the voters
of the United States to rouse them
selves before il Is too late The ae-
~cunuIated dangers foreseen by WASH
ington and Lincoln and Webster are
upon the people Of the United States
Helena Independent.