The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1900-06-21

I
that were accepted ae matters of
course only four years ago, In order
to prove our title TO the name OF
freemen. We believe in the con-
stitution of the United States. We
believe in the Declaration Of Inde-
pendence. We believe In the Mon
roe doctrine. We believe that the
love of liberty is Unborn in the hu-
man breast and that possessing its
fruits ourselves through more than
a century of trial and temptation,
we cannot deny them to others.
We believe that the love Of liberty
Is the same in California as In
Massachusetts,; the same in Cuba
as in California; the same in Porto
Rico as in Cuba; the same in the
Philippines as in Porto Rico and
the same in South Africa as In the
Philippines. We make no distinct
ion as to where liberty should be
enjoyed when men desire 1t. In
telligent sacrifices for liberty prove
the fitness of their victims to pos
sess It.; and there is no line drawn
between such sacrifices, whether
they are offered on the altar of
American tyranny in Luzon or on
the altar Of British greed In the
Transvaal. General Sherman said
that "war is hell" but there is no
word this side of hell that can de.
scribe the horror of a war of con-
quest.
We charge that William McKin.
ley, of his own volition, began such
war ON the 21st of December,
1898, by issuing to the Filipinos a
proclamation claiming absolute
sovereignty over the entire Philip
pine archipelago and over the prop
erty and persons of its inhabitants.
We charge that this declaration OF
war was issued against people
with whom we were then and al.
ways had been at peace-nay, more
that they were allies against a
common enemy at the moment
Mr.. Mckinley proclaimed the con.
quest. We charge that this declar.
alton was issued without the con.
sent or even the knowledge of con.
gress, which, under the constitution
is the sole power to make war.
Before the treaty of peace with
Spain was ratified, before we could
have substantiated the slightest
claim, of purchase or conquest over
the Philippines, the present admin
istration deliberately proclaimed
the Filipino patriots, rebels and
put the stamp of treason upon theil
honest virtue. At that moment
imperialism was born in this coun'
try. At that moment the clouds
began to obscure the republic and
a blOod.red sun foretold the en-
pire. That sun rose in significant
hue, for it showed the crimson tide
that has since flowed from the
death. wounds of two Thousand
American soldiers. Where its ray.
pierced the gloom they were bolts
of fire in as many desolated homes
ana where they shone not was the
blackness of despair-the despaii
of the hero who was denied the
privilege of surrendering up hi'
soul, but from whom this war o
conquest took away his mind.
What has followed in the Philip
pines and wherever we have
thrown down our imperial gaunt
let, has followed naturally and logi
cally. "Ye shall know a tree by
its FRUITS" and by the fruits of i'm
perialism we know the empire
Its heralds carry one of TIVE
weapons-the sword or the carpet
bag. Sometimes they carry both
but they can't accomplish mor'
havoc with one than with the other
The sword was never unsheathet
in war of conquest, and a nation
al theft was never accomplished b!
diplomacy, without being followed
by the carpetbag. Ifa nation wer,
to choose how 1t should perish-by
the sword or by the carpetbag-i
could not do better than toss up
penny and let "heads or tails" de
cidt, in any event, for the thievini
nation it would be "heads 1 vii
and tails you loose" The Ameri
can carpetbag in Cuba and Port,
Rico is doing as much to destro,
the Cubans and Porto Ricans a
the American sword ever did {,
destroy the Spaniards. We ar
protesting to teach our wards tn
lessons of self-government, but ar
in fact impressing them with tn,
belief that the efficacy of self-gov
ernment is indicated by the amour
of money the governors can stea