Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1900-07-03
THE REPUBLICAN, COLONIAL
SYSTEM.


adopted at Philadelphia. made but this
declaration of purpose as to the terri
tory acquired as result OF the war
with Spain:
THE largest measure OF self-govern-
ment consistent with their welfare and
our duties shall be secured to them by
law"
That is all. The Democrats charge
that the colonial system as established
in Porto Rico. and as proposed to be
established in the Philippines, is I'M
American. Is there anything in this
platform declaration that shows the
contrary?I We make the assertion de-
liberately that there is nothing in this
declaration of Republican purposes to-
ward the new territories that Russia
might not perfectly we'll and consist
emily adopt as an expression of its at
titude toward Finland: England can
safely say the same thing with regard
to the burghers of the Transvaal and
the Orange Free State; Germany
would find in it nothing to hamper its
policy in it's newly allotted share of the
Samoan islands. This plank, for all
that appears on the face of it, might
be an extract from one of the notes of
the Spanish Premier at the time that
Weyler was harrying Cubans with
fire and sword: the Sultan of Turkey
could promulgate it tomorrow and so
on governing his subjects for the re-
mainder OF his life as he governs them
at present without laying himself open
to a charge OF violating his word
AS a binding pledge this declaration
means nothing at all. In it's place
might have been written: Congress
and the President shall govern as they
please" 1t would have meant the
same thing. If Republican Congress
and President shall deem It necessary
to the welfare" ot these people that
they be governed by military tyrant.
the tyrant can be installed and no man
can charge that the platform pledge
has been violated.
So much for what the Republican
party proposes to do. What has 1t
done already? Nothing that England
might not have done without changing
its colonial policy: less than Spain did
for the very people now being govern
cd under colonial system devised by
Il Republican Congress- And this is
progress; this-the infinitely fine
thing that the American nation is to
stand for among men!
The United States has hitherto been
what 1t has claimed to bc-a nation of
freemen. Its government has been
something apart and distinct from that
of any other nation in the world.
1t must follow that II 1t pro-
poses to govern newly acquired terri
tory as England or Spain or Germany
would govern it, then is such government
ma mcrican. If the American idea in
government was step forward. then
must this now colonial idea-the same
as that of monarchies-be a step back
ward. Colonialism is not progress but
reaction; and the Republican party
has committed itself to coionialism.
The Republican party virtually de-
clares that the American idea-that
men liave an inalienable right to gov
ern themselves-is wrong; for 1t is de-
nying. and proposes deliberately to
deny them. that right. Though more
than n century and n quarter of spIen-
did achievement bear testimony to the
righteousness OF that idea: though the
unparalleled growt1 and the cvcr-fr--
creasing visor Of the American nation
demonstrate its practicability as
working basis of government: the Re
publican party has the effrontery to
ask the American people TO surrender
this idea and 10 substitute for it the
dictum that the President and Con-
grcsS can give men as much liberty as
is consistent With their welfare;
that creatures OF the Constitution are
greater than the Constitution, and
may so beyond tho pale of its author
ity 10 govern and Cypress an alien peo-
pie. a sensible and n practical people
are asked to surrender principles that
stand indicated in substantial results,
10 follow the millenial maunderings of
a school girls essay; they are asked to
forswear allegiance to the ideas OF JEFF
ferson and Washington, Calhoun and
Clay. Webster and Lincoln. that they
may sit at the feet of Mckinley and
Lodge. Roosevelt and Hanna, Wolcott
and Iemucl Eli Quigg,
1t would seem that the value of
China's trade is a good deal over