The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-10-12
BRYAN ON IMPERIALISM

BRYAN ON IMPERIALISM
Government is an evolution and It's
administration Is always susceptible
OF Improvement. The capacity for self
goN.snment IL developed by RESPONSE
bility. Az exercise strengthens the
muscles Of the athlete and a. educa-
ton improves the mental faculties OF
the student, even 10 participation In
government instructs the citizen In
the science Of government and psrfects
him in the art OF administering 1t.
We must not expect the Fili3inos to
establish and maintain % good . gov
ernment - ours. and It rs vaia for NJ
to expect that We would mainsain
there. at long range. % good . gov
efnmsnt - We have here. The gov
sEnment ID. as it were, a composite
photograph Of the people. q reflection
OF their average virtue and intelli-
gence. -.,.-
The fact that the. trusts support the
republican party ought to be sufficient
proof that they expect protection from
it. Tho republican party CANNOT DO
relied upon to extinsuish the trusts 90
long - 1t draws its campaign contribu-
lions from their overlooking vaults.
The whole difference between .
monarchy and = republic may be su.n-
med UP In one sentence. In . mon
archy the. king gives to the people
what he believes to be . good govern
ment; in . republic the people secure
for themselves what they believe to be
= good government.
The highest Obligation Of this nation
10 to bs true to itself. No obligation
to any particular nations. or to all the
nations combined, can require the
abandonment Of our theory OF govern
mont and the substitution Of doctrines
against which our whole national life
has been . protest.
In what respect does the position Of
the republican party differ from the
position taken BY the English govern
mont in l77st Did not the English
government promise a good govern
ment to the c~oionists! What king
promised a bad government to his
people? Did not the English govern
nent promise that the colonists should
have the largest measure Of self-gov-
srnment consistent with their welfare
And Hnglish dutiesf Did not the
Spanish government promise to give
to the Cubans the largest measure Of
sslf-sovsrnnent consistent with their
welfare and Spanish duties7 The
whole differences betweensa monarchy
and q republic may be summed up In
one sentence. In . monarchy the king
gives to the people what he balicvss
to be . good government: In . republic
the people tecure for themselves what
they believe to be a good government.
The F%flipinos do not need n en-
enlargement from Americans now liv-
Ing. Our whole history has been an
encouragement, not only to the Fill
pinos. but to all who are denied 1
voice In their own Ecvernment. II the
republicans are prepared to censure
Ill who have used language calculated
to make the Filipinos hate foreign
domination, let them condemn the
speech Of Patrick Henry. When he
uttered that passionate appeal. Give
me liberty Of give me death" he ex-
pressed q sentiment which still echoes
In tho hearts Of men.
Let them censure Jefferson; Of all
the statesmen Of history none have
used words 10 offensive to those who
would hold their fellows IN political
bondage. Let them censure Wash
ington, who declared that the colonists
must choose between liberty and siay-
cry. Or, If the statute Of Limitations
has u against the sins Of Henry and
Jefferson and Washington. let them
csnsure Lincoln, whose Gettysburg
speech will be quoted in defense Of
popular government when the present
advocates OF force and conquest are
forgotten
Standing upon the vantage ground
already gained the American people
can aspire to a grander destiny than
has opened before any other race.
Auglo-Sa1on civilization has taught
the individual to protect his v
rights, American c%ivirization viii teach
him to respect the rights Of others.
Anglo-saxon civilization has taught
tbs individual to take care Of himself,
American civilization, proclaiming the
equality Of all before the law, will
teach him that his own highest good
requires the observance OF the com
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