The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1901-10-25


of honor.
Who would undo
THE SPANISH WAR?
Its victories are the common herit-
age Of the whole people. won by the
valor of the men of all parties. Demo-
| Gratis and Republicans stood side by
side in that struggle. forgetting party
Affiliations and remembering only that
they were Americans. They should
| now stand side by side for the preser-
vation of the fruits of their victory;
not alone for the territory we annexed.
but also and especially for the advance
ment they accomplished of our good
name throughout all the earth.
| Our prestige and our power are now
everywhere conceded. We stand easily
and pre-eminently first in the council
Of nations. Our diplomacy as well as
our arms played the most conspicuous
and most creditable part in the great
worlds work just completed in
CHINA.
Who would blot out that chapter of
American history? We are all justly
proud of it. and yet. if the Democratic
party had been in power, it could never
have been written, because. under their
Interpretation of the Constitution, the
government would have been unable
to even join-much less lead-the col
umn of relief as it marched on Peking.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY.
The great trouble with Democracy
is inherited and radical 1t is afflicted
l 70
doctrine of secession and state rights
that makes its leaders unable to appre-
ciate the place or the power or the
duty of our nation.
With them the states are every
thing; the nation is nothing, except
only as they find power expressly dele
gated. When our fathers framed the
Constitution, they could not foresee
all the great events that have since
come to pass, and. therefore. our Dem
ocratic friends search in vain for some
specific mention of the emergencies
we have been called upon to meet.
Finding nothing there written, they do
nothing 1t was for this reason they
could do nothing to suppress the re-
bellion, to reconstruct the states. 10
abolish slavery, to foster our indus
tries or to change our standard of val
ues; and it was for that reason that,
at the close of our war with Spain,
Spain, they could go no further than
the treaty of peace. That was as far
as they found anything written.
The way was clear to acquire terri.
tory by conquest because that was an
undisputed incident of the power 10
make war; and the way was clear to
take title to such territory by treaty,
, because that power was expressly Civ.
en-but that far and no farther. At
that point the path ended. There they
. stuck. and there they slick, and viii
, continue to st'ck-until they take an
other departure"
They could do nothing that has beer
done in Cuba, because the Constitu
ton was silent about Cuba 1t gave
no directions for such case. The!
could take title to Porto Rico ard the
Philippines, but they could not give
, them government, except only as Il
might flow from the Constitution
which they admitted did not fit ths
case.
: The Constitution expressly provides
that "the congress shall have power
, to dispose Of and make all needfu
rules and regulations respecting the
: territory or other property belonging
| of the United States" But it doesn't
r say anything about islands. and hence
they deny its application, and seem
, unable to comprehend that not only IL
hut hot hon
[ any provision the power is inherent II
: every independent sovereignty to &C
. quire territory, wheresoever situated
and, as a necessary corollary, 1t mus
; have power to govern II. And II I
{ have power to govern, 1t must govern
according to the necessities of tn
, people governed.
! THE REPUBLICAN PARTY
, has no such trouble. 1t believes in tn
nation and believes that the natiana
q government mas power to do all an,
other sovereign power can do.
We believe that We not only hav
+, power to take, but power to hold an
power to govern. We have acted &C
j, cordingly.
! Our work has been upheld by tn
supreme court and vindicated and jus
titled by the results of practical OF
Grafton. The lines of procedure hav
thus been clearly marked, and law. ol
der, prosperity, contentment and haI
piness, with love and loyalty for ou
flag, are the constantly occurring re
suits wherever 1t floats.
= In consequence America is more n
!. spected for her power, her wisdom
and her humanity than ever before /
all our history.
1t is in the presence of all this. wit
all eyes turned upon US, that we ar
;, now fold TO fnrp back.
= Are we to obey?
= Are We now to tell the world tha
q we have come to the conclusion tina
all these brilliant achievements ar
:, beyond the constitutional power Of ou
= government; or that we have come t
:, doubt the wisdom of the policies W
have been pursuing and that, in const
Quence, we have determined to abar
don the great tasks so happily beguI
> so successfully conducted, and s
nearly completed?
And, if So are we ever again to hav
the respect of anybody on earth
Could We ever again respect ou
y selves? Could we ever again claim
!, place in the conduct Of the worlds a
u fairs, or expect any nation to heed ou
- advice?
y 1t was a great thing for this countr