The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1900-07-12

more than any possible profit that
could accrue from the entire Philip
pine trade for years to come. Furth-
ermore, when trade is extended at
the expense of liberty the price is
always too high.
We are not opposed to territorial
expansion when it takes in desir-
able territory which can be erected
into States into the Union and
whose people are willing and fit to
become American citizens.
We favor expansion by every
peaceful and legitimate means, but
we are unalterably opposed to seiz.
ing or purchasing of distant islands
to be governed outside the Consti-
tuition and whose people can never
become citizens.
We are in favor of extending the
| Republic influence among the ma
tions, but believe that influence
should be extended, not by force
and violence, but through the per-
suasive power Of high and honor
able example.
THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
The Importance of other questions
now pending before the American
people is in nowise diminished and
the Democratic party takes no back
ward step from its position on them
but the burning issue of imperial
ism growing out of the Spanish war
involves the very existence of the
Republic and the destruction of our
free institutions. We regard it as
the paramount issue Of the CAM
paign.
The declaration in the Republi-
can platform adopted at the Phila-
delphia convention, held in June,
1900, that the Republican party
steadfastly adheres to the policy an
nounced i'll the Monroe doctrine.
is manifestly insincere and decept-
i've. This profusion is contradicted
by the avowed policy Of that party
in opposition to the spirit Of the
Monroe doctrine to acquire and hold
sovereignty over large areas of terri
tory and large numbers of people in
the Eastern Hemisphere. We in
sist on the strict maintenance of the
Monroe doctrine and in all its in
tegrity, both in letter and in spirit,
as necessary to prevent the extern
sion of European authority on this
continent and as essential to our
supremacy in American affairs. At
the same time we declare that no
American people shall ever be held
by force in unwilling subjection to
European authority.
We oppose militarism. 1t means
conquest abroad and intimidation
and oppression at home. 1t means
the strong arm which has ever been
| fatal to free institutions 1t is what
millions Of our citizens have fled
from in Europe. 1t will impose up
on our peace loving people large
standing army and unnecessary
burden of taxation and a constant
menace to their liberties. A small
standing army and a we'll disciplin-
ed State militia are amply sufficient
in time of peace. This Republic
has 70 place for a vast military SER
vice and conscription.
When the nation is in danger the
volunteer soldier is his country S
best defender. The National Guard
of the United States should ever be
cherished in the patriotic hearts of
a free people. Such organizations
are ever an element of strength and
safety. For the first time in Our
history and Co.eval with the Philip
pine conquest has there been a
wholesale departure from our time
honored and approved system of
volunteer organization. We de-
nounce it as un- American, undemo-
cratic and unrepublican, and as a
subversion of the ancient and fixed
principles of a free people.
THE TRUST PROBLEM.
Private monopolies are indefens-
ible and intolerable. They destroy
competition, control the price of all
material and of the finished product,
thus robbing both producer and con-
sumer. They lessen the employ
ment of labor and arbitrarily fix the
terms and conditions thereof and
deprive individual energy and small
capital of their opportunity for bet
terment.
They are the most efficient means
yet devised for appropriating the
fruits of industry to the benefit oi
the few at the expense of the many
and unless their insatiate greed is
checked all wealth will be aggre,
gated in a lew hands and the Re,
public destroyed. The dishonest
paltering with the trust evil by the