The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-04-25

imperialism. 1t deceives no man of in
telligcnce. He understands that there
is no analogy between this country and
the Roman Empire, and that those who
talk Of imperialism do not take into &C
count that power which is born Of our
free institutions, 4 fortress in the hearts
Of our people stronger than any ever
built of stone AS long as this is there
they can never become slaves; and when
it is dead it matters not whether under
republic or empire, they become an easy
prey. 1t depends upon the people, not
the government, whether they be slaves
or frcemcn. 1t is the people who make
the government, not the government the
people With 4 brave, strong, intelligent
people, with free press and popular
education, there can be no imperialism
Why should we be afraid to trust our
selves: The whole tendency of the times
and the spirit of the age is toward Demo
cratic instead of imperialistic ideas of
government.
The throne of the Great White Gar"
trembles today at the roar of the Demo
cratic Lion, and the echoes reSound even
from the far OFF Orient.
Our people understand that it is not
actual territory or dominion over people
that we seek, but the expansion of Amer
lean thought, ideas of government COM
merce and civilization.
Political leaders might well learn that
chaff those who would place barriers
against this mighty tide which is destined
to spread the Democratic idea of govern
mcnt to the utmost bounds Of the earth.
My definition of Democracy is liberty for
man, formulated into theory of govern
ment 1t means mans inalienable own
ership of himself, it means free thought
and free speech.
In the dark ages of the past some poor
slave raised his bowed head and looking
up into the blue sky caught inspiration
from Gods free air and sunshine that he
also Of right was free, and ever since,
that vision of liberty has been an undying
! revelation for every age and all climes.
Grecian and Roman slaves saw the
heavenly light and facing their masters
swords, bravely died. Saxon churl with
wooden collar, and our own fathers, at
Cowpens and Kings Mountain, looked
upon the celestial picture, and with a
smile of joy gave up their lives.
WHAT SHOULD A PARTY DO?
Why need a true Democracy hunt for
issues in our relations with fOrei gn cOun-
trics9 1t is upon domestic problems, the
rights of man and man, the relation Of
labor and capital and its stand upon these
home issues that has endeared it to the
people in the past and upon which it
must finally stand or fall.
1t is folly to attempt to dwarf great
national and international issues into
mere questions of party policy; it failed
in the last campaign, and will fail every
time it is tried.
WILL NOT BE TRAMMELLED.
Every member of the American con-
gress, when it comes to foreign policy,
u foreign war, an army, navy. a mer-
chant marine, or any other question af-
fecting our honor as nation, or our
prosperity as people, should be free and
untrammellcd to vote as his judgment
and conscience dictate For myself, I
would not under existing conditions, be
willing to hold i seat in the United
States senate upon any other terms. To
allow others to think for me upon these
great questions is a cowardly evasion of
my responsibilities, and criminal neg
| lcct of the true interests of those who
select me.
am rcioiced tonight to be in the pres.
cnce of so many of the great captains of
southern industry. You are the men
whose energy and enterprise are develop
ing our natural resources and thus laying
the foundation for the full enjoyment by
our section of all that must follow in the
wake of the expanding glory of our Re-
| public; and this in spite of the fact that
it has become the fashion in some quar-
| tiers to sneer at what is termed the 'sor-
did commercial" argument in favor of
expansion and other national issues.
Our political leaders should not forget
the fact that modern Democracy had its
origin in this same commercial instinct
Two hundred and fifty years ago it had
its birth in those cities along the river
Rhine, where, through trade and manu-
featuring, the people could compel the
feudal lords to grant them civil rights.
! The free institutions of which we boast
grew up under the fostering care of COM
merce The rights of the Individual ex-
panded into rights for his city and these
| for the State, so that modern Democracy
| does not teach that there is an absolute
rule for government, and that any par
| ticular theory of government is of per-
manent value and adapted under all
circumstances for the welfare of man.
The fathers of this Republic never in
tended to lay foundation which was to
be always of the same circumscribed
proportions, with superstructure of
fnicely measured parts all to exist per-
manently just as constructed.
They aimed to create a giant not a
pigmy.
For nation the century has been con-
tent to grapple with questions of internal
development, but suddenly in the evolu-
tion of our national destiny, we have
become one of the great powers of the
world, and can no longer move in a
circumscribed orbit. If we would main
tain our supremacy or even quality
among the nations of the world, the
shackles forged by narrow, sectional
prejudiccs must be broken.
GOVERNMENTS MOULD THEMSELVES.
The question of the hour is not wheth
er this Republic is what its founders
with the light before them) intended to
make it; not whether this is theoretically
an ideal Democratic government, at all
times in exact conformity to the techni
cal requirements Of written constitution,
but whether with the spirit rather than
the letter of that constitution, we are
making the most of our national oppor
tunities and meeting the political econo-
mic conditions growing out of the con-
stantly changing needs of the people. 1t
is historically true that no form Of gov
crnmcnt ever did result from deliberate
choice; it has always been the logical
result of conditions.
The nation is nothing but the type of
individual life, and as from childhood to
manhood we outgrow garments and
duties these are put aside, so it is in the
evolutionary development of a nation,
social, political, and industrial systems
that have their day are thrust aside for
new methods and new systems to meet a
changed and higher state Of existence.
We have reached a stage of development
in the SOnth where il is unavoidable to