Daily inter mountain. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1881-1901, 1900-06-02

AND MANSLAb0R

Imperialism has become to be a word
of great significance, n I am asked to
state concisely and exactly what 1t
means for American labor. l annot do
better than refer to a speech which de-
livered to the students Of the University
OF Michigan in February, 1899, before
imperialism had become, as it Is today.
the dominant issue Of Jul politics. and
the gravest danger, in my judgment,
that has ever threatened our republican
form of government.
AS Z said then, it is necessary to dis
tinguish between Expansion" and i'm
perialism." Expansion has always sig
niieds the extension Of our institutions
through the enlargement of our front
iers. imperialism is not the diffusion OF
American constitutionalism over new
lands.g but he establishment in con-
uered territory by this government OF
another government. radically irrecon-
cilable to the spirit Of our own constitu-
ton and essentially hostile to it. Elk
pansion, then, may be defined as the
peaceful development of our political
system through an increase in the area
of the United States, and imperialism as
the forcible exercise by u government
in other countries of peers denied to it at
home.
The marvellous growth of commerce
between the states Of the Union is due
to its absolute freedom from artificial
restrictions. The inclusion of Canada In
this free trade area would stimulate pro-
duction beyond our powers to conceive.
Exactly opposite results would be pro
duced by imperialistic conuest. The
forcible annexation Of Canada would be
an act of Imperialism, as Improbable as
it would be unjustifiable, and as calam-
i lions as it would be criminal.
A conquered country is alays discon-
| tented and, therefore, disloyal. 1t would
be impossible to intrust the rights OF
statehood to a disaffected people. Ou1
authority over them conld be maintained
only by force, that is to say by a stand
ing army and military rule.
Aside from it's inherent hostility to free
institutions, a standing army is a crush.
ing burden on the neck of the laborer.
The first essential of high wages II
abundance of commodities, and a stand
ing army is an insuperable obstacle tt
extensive production Every dollar o.
surplus product or capital invested II
implements, in machinery, in buildings
is a fruitful dollar. Commodities uset
in production multiply themselves ever
while they perish. Every dollar expend
ed for munitions of war is a sterile dol
lar. 1t is not used for the purpose o
production, but for the purpose of de
strqction. 1t is wasted as completely q
if it were thrown into the sea.
4 / oppose his novel, un-American pol
ICY of Imperialism because the ground
on which it's advocates support 1t ar
peuriM, inconsistent and dishonest; be
, cause it involves the existence of
standing army to menace liberty and t
Cypress labor by diminishing wages; be
: cause it is cowardly to invade the right
of the weak while respecting those OF tn
; strong; because it would divorce tn
American flag and the American consti
! tutioH, by sending the one where the 9th
) err cannot go; because it is a policy or IN
: conceivable folly from a material poir
e of view.
I favor the traditional American pc
icy of expansion because l want this re
|. public to continue in the path, Whic
!, leads to higher achievements of peat
: and progress; because I want this cour
try to remain the land where the pair
otto workingman who produces is MOI
honored than the paid fighting man WI
desaroys, where the laborer's overall
enjoy equal dignity with the soldier
uniform, where a dinner pail is mo-
/" highly esteemed han a knapsack, h
a spade is deemed more valuable than
musket, a hospital Ian a battery,
school than a fortress: where the endu
l. ing glory of justice is pursued and II
d valaglory of conquest despised; h
O.. the flag which typifies liberty and Il
lr constitution which secures 1T, enshrlnt
d in the hearts, sustained by the arms, 81
rifed by the memories of a free peopl
inseparable, forever and forever.