Arizona daily citizen., 1901-09-02
PROF. NORTON ON IMPERIALISM.

1t is quite natural that Prof.
Charles Elliot Norton of Harvard
college should call down upon him
self the most vulgar abuse because
of his la'o expression upon our
colonial policy. He is man OF
culture and thorough American
but he will learn that the question
of public policy should be left cx-
clusively with the proletariats and
the stock exchange. Tho former
indorse the policy because of their
vulgar love oe braggadocio and
brutality, while the latter is per-
fectly content with war which
opens new fields for spoliation un-
der governmental protection.
Prof Norton anticipates, and
satisfactorily answers the objection
to any further agitation of the i'm
perialistic question on the ground
that the majority of American citi-
zens have given it their sanction.
Even had they vindicated the ad-
ministration when no other ques
ton was involved, the real vital
American would not be justified
in conn;ving at the perpetuation
Of the crime through silence. The
fact that man has been wronged
does not justify the wrong, The
only thing to do in such a case is
to right or palliate the wrong. So
with a nation. If our conquest of
the Philippines and our policy in
Porto Rico were wrong in 1900
they are equally wrong now, and
can never be anything other than
wrong. Principle is involved. and
the principles of right and wrong
are eternal. And in nation in
which every man bears a share OF
the responsibility every man must
answer to his own conscience for
the policy Of the government. If
the majority decide for evil it is
not the part of the honest man
nor the patriot to acquiesce in the
decision. His is the work of edu-
cation, of persuasion. Had the
abolitionists acquiesced in the de-
cision of the majority when the
fight for emancipation first began
the institution of slavery would
pollute the nation today, and the
question of Imperialism is of even
vaster, more far-reaching import
ance than that of slavery. Hence.
every honest American who can
not reconcile the imperialistic
policy with his conception of ma
tional honor is undeserving of his
political dignity if he does not an
tagonize it step by step.
But, after all, was the last cleo
ton a vindication of the admins
tration's attitude toward our island
dependencies? Had no other issues
been involved, are our Republican
friends quite sure that the result
would have been as it was? The
vast majority of people think 9th
erwise.
The fight on Imperialism is on
as much now as ever before. The
people will be given another op-
portunity to express themselves in
l9O2-and then again, If neces-
sary, in 1904. We believe that
the American people, in their Sob
or moments, in their heart of
hearts, agree with Norton when
he says:
"It is time to retrace our back
ward steps, renew our faith in
American principles and ideals
and our alliance to these; to re-
deem our broken promises; to stop
our wicked fightings; to turn from
the darkness of the old world to
the hope of the new; once more to
set our faces to the morning and
to show mankind nation at once
powerful and self-controlled,
strong without aggressive ambition,
q nation that has waxed fat, and
yet does not lightly esteem the
rock OF salvation.
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