The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-09

Commenting upon this phase of the
question Mr.. Bryan declares:
81 am not willing that this nation
shall cast aside the omnipotent weap-
on of truth to seize again the weapon
of physical warfare. | would not
exchange the glory of this republic
for the glory of all the empires that
have risen and fallen since time be-
gan"
But the Republicans reply that they
believe in trade expansion, and that
to stimulate the expansion of trade
new markets must be opened. y
This, Mr.. Bryan has aptly charac-
terized as the ''pocket-book argu-
ment," and in reply to it he uses
these words:
1.-THE Democratic party is in favor
of the expansion of trade. 1t would
extend our trade by every Legitimate
and peaceful means; but it is not will
ing to make merchandise of human
blood
Further discussing this phase of the
subject he declares that a harbor and
cealing station in the Philippines
would answer every trade and mill
tary necessity, and points out that 1T
is mot necessary to own people in
order to trade with them" or even
to have any political connection with
them. Trade cannot be permanent
ly profitable unless it is voluntary"
imperialism would be profitable
to the army contractors; it would be
profitable to the ship-owners, who
would carry live soldiers to the Phil
ippines and bring dead soldiers back;
it would be profitable to those who
would seize upon the franchises, and
it would be profitable to the officials
whose salaries would be fixed here
and paid over there; but to the farm
err, to the laboring man, and to the
vast majority of those engaged III
other occupations, it would bring eN-
penditure without return and risk
without reward.
And again, if we choose in Novem-
Der next to ratify the Philippine war
and commit ourselves to the pursuit
of territorial and commercial ambi-
tons in the Fast by armed force, no
man living is wise enough to say IN
what part of Asia, Africa or Europe
the rising generation of Americans
may not be summoned by the tens
of thousands to fight and die for the
flag which the fathers of the Republic
dedicated to peace and Friendship
with all nations, entangling alliances
with none" iWll the game be worth
the candle?
Already the war in the Philippines
has been going on for Is months,
and the best blood of the United
States has been drained into a re-
pulsive and apparently bottomless
swamp of guerrilla fighting that leads
to nothing, and in it we have spent
more money than the Democratic par
ty under Jefferson and Monroe needed
to triple the area of the Republic. If
to suppress 100000 unorganized
Tagals, inwhat we have never recog-
nized as a war, we are using $4,000
men. and after eighteen months of
fighting we do not seem much nearer
success than we were in the begin
ming, how great and how costly would
be the standing army we will be COM
PEELED to maintain when we have well
embarked upon the pathway of ''Des-
tiny and Duty marked out by Mr..
Mckinley?
On this point Mr.. Bryan says:
''If we have an imperial policy we
must have a large standing army as
its natural aud necessary complement.
The spirit which will justify the forci-
bic annexation of the Philippine Is
lands will Justify the seizure of other
islands and the domination of other
people, and with wars of conquest
we can expect certain, if not rapid
growth of our military establishment.
That large permanent increase
in our regular army is intended by
the Republican leaders is not a mere
matter of conjecture but a matter
of fact
He then shows how, starting in 1896
with an army of $4,000, Mr.. Mckinley
has increased it to 100000, and asks
if such an army is demanded when an
imperial policy is contemplated but
not openly avowed, what may be ex-
pected if the people encourage the
Republican party by endorsing its pol
icy at the polls?
Truly then, as Mr.. Stevenson re-
marks, the burden of taxation will
be so great that every laborer will
90 to the field with soldier upon
his back
This is what has already been ac-
complished by Imperialism, masque~
rading in the robes of expansion. II
we had given the Filipinos voice in
the management of their own coun-
try, as Mr.. Bryan suggests, there
would have been no war.
Up to the mistakes of this Admin
istration, it has been to our moral adj
vantage and for the happiness of our