Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1901-02-14

lsphere and denied to ourselves the use
Of it anywhere.
"A world power seems to be a power
having the purpose to take over SO
much of the world as it can by any
means possess and having with this
appetite for dominion military strength
enough to compel other nations having
the same appetite to allow or divide
the spoils.
''There has been an attempt to asso-
ciate the United States with this pro-
gramme of civilization upon the theory
that the 'Anglo-Saxon' has divine
concession that covers the earth. This
appeal to a divine decree is itself
concession to the Anglo-SaXon common
law rule that the plaintiff in ejectment
must show title.
"The argument runs thus: The earth
is the Lords and the fulIness there
Of So much is of record The next
step is more difficult, for there is no
prophet, no sealed transfer, no men
tion by name of the Anglo-Saxon.
The meek shall inherit the EARTH but
the boldest advocate of expansion dare
not suggest as the minor premise,
that John Bull and Uncle Sam are of
that class.
"We must get away from all texts, l
fear. Perhaps this is the best that can
be done; certainly it is the best that
has been done-Major premise: Gods
purpose is that men shall make full
and the best use of all his gift. Mi
nor premise: Dominion is one Of his
gifts, and the Anglo-Saxon makes a
better use of dominion than the Latin
or the Beers or the Chinese. Conclu-
sion: The Anglo-Saxon, therefore, exc
cutes a divine purpose when he sub
dues these peoples and takes over their
lands.
t'If to be world power is to do as
the world powers do, then we must dis
claim this new degree which the Euro
pean college Of applied force has con-
ferred upon us. The taking over of the
Philippines has been declared by those
who should know to have been casual
--of necessity-the acceptance of
divinely imposed duty. The question
Of the disposition of them, when their
people shall have submitted to legal
authority, is said to be still open. All
Of these distant islands does not COM
NIT the nation to a scheme of COLOMBIA
ton.
"Let us not be world power In any
save the good old sense-that of ma
ton capable Of protecting in all seas
the just rights of it's citizens and in
capable everywhere of wanton in
fringement of the autonomy of other
nations"
/ am fully aware that that is a long
quotation to put into one of these let
ters, but I am persuaded that since
the days of Voltaire no such elegant
and withering irony as that has been
printed in any language or in any
country. 1t is worthy Of place in
every scrapbook in America and In
the memory Of every lover of human
liberty and of every believer in the
principles of common honesty enunciat-
ed In the Decalogue, but the Illus
trious sage of Indianapolis is laying
himself liable to prosecution for leze
majesty. 1t is whispered about that he
| is already persona non grata to the
powers that be.
Mr.. Justice John M. Harlan.
Truth to tell, the powers that be, or,
to speak more exactly, the incense
swingers and burners of the powers
that be, are becoming unduly sensitive.
Unless an eminent parsonage in speak
| Ing is exceedingly careful he is taken
and accepted by these superserviceable
| enthusiasts as making a thrust at 'sour
great and glorious policy in the
orient" If Mr.. Justice John Marshall
| Harlan of the supreme court were
sworn, he could testify to that fact. He
has never until now been suspected of
delivering judicial opinions i'll after
| dinner speeches, but recently at a
remarks which until the last two years
1 would have been taken as matter of
| course, but which raised goose flesh on
/ all the administration hereabouts.
| More timid souls than the great Ken
| tuckian will no doubt be deferred by
what has befallen him from making
1 any remarks which even squint--if re-
| marks may be said to squint-toward
the theory that we are not lot of free
hooters, licensed to appropriate to our
own uses the property of all weaker
| peoples ad libifum. Indeed, we are
living in ticklish times. and no man can
predict what the morrow will bring
forth. There is only one remedy
establish strict censorship over all
speeches, congressional postprandial
or what not
Good Advice Wasted. s
A good while ago l. advised Senator