Hutchinson gazette., 1902-01-09
TRUE IMPERIALISM.
BELIEVER IN THE DOCTRINE Ex.
PLAINS 1T HONESTLY.
fhe Commoner shows What tho Idea
Really Amounts To-, TakIDg scuddAy
Richardson's Words As II Toxt--MeanS
Apostacy.

Imperialism would be more easily
DyerthroWn II all Of its advocates
would express themselves with the
honest frankness that characteri2es an
article which recently appeared In Il
Texas paper, Mr.. Scudday Richardson
describes himself as one whose people
are Democrats. but 1t is evident from
his article that ne has wandered away
from his early training, The following
extract from his article IL reproduced
that the readers Of the Commoner may
see the lmperlallstlc idea as It really
Is when Its possessors have the courage
to make their lnnermost thoughts
known:
"a student who has communed deep
ly with the muse OF history and been
enlightened as to the constant muta-
tions of human institutions, partlcu-
larly those OF a political nature, may
readily observe, from contemplation
Of all the nations OF the present day, a
decided movement away from the
Ideals which have pervaded the world
more or less since the days OF the
French revolution. The dream that a
number Of men may govern is passing
away; gradually II is becoming appar-
ent, even to the people at large, that 1t
Is contradiction to suppose that gov
ernment means anything but somebody
In control and little by little the illu-
sionary idea Of the consent OF the gov
erned Is dying from the earth. Not a
long while ago this was tested In the
United States, Our new imperlalistic
policy was overwhelmingly upheld
despite the protestations and affrighted
cries of journals whose editors became
almost hysterical in their warnings.
Edward of England has taken
dominant attitude, Everyone remem-
bers what was said shortly before
Queen Victoria died-that Edward
would never be allowed to come to the
throne by the English people, because
the people presumably had drunk too
deeply Of liberty, As matter Of fact,
1t is not surprising that the perogative
Of the crown should have decayed un-
der the sway OF woman, Instead of
manlfesting her power. she was ruled
by her ministers.
Germany has never been stronger
than under the empire, and while a
good deal of foolish stuff is written
about military rule, yet that rule is
necessary to nation surrounded by
enemies. In this world. despite the
yaporlngs Of theorists, neither ma
tlon, nor an individual, retains any
thing long unless the ability to protect
Is present. 1t is not from any benen-
cent lenity or moderation that we do
not force our young men to undergo
military service, nor keep so powerful
an army as the European nations, II
Is because we do not yet require such
sustems, In time Of necessity we force
men into the army just the same as is
done by other nations"
Imperialism means an abandonment
Of our ideas Of government; 1t means
apostacy from the doctrines that have
controlled the nation in the past. Mr..
Richardson Is in error in pointing to
the last election as an evidence that
our people are overwhelmingly impe-
riallstic. The fact Is that the Repub-
llcans denied their imperiallstic ten
dencles until after the campaign was
over, and ever since the election con-
gress has refused to declare itself in
favor Of Imperialism. What 1t has
done can only be construed as impe-
rialsm, but 1t is difficult to persuade
Republicans that their party really
means anything antagonlstlc to our
Ideas Of government. 1t Ia only a ques-
ton of time when the real intent Of the
Republican leaders will be. made
known. Then and not until then will
the people sit In judgment upon that
Issue. In the meantime there is an
occasional Republican who admits his
conversion to the European ideas OF
government. When one departs from
government by the consent of the gov
erned he must advocate a government
based upon force for all forms of gov
ernment except free government derive
their authority from superior force.
Imperialism Is the polite term used
to describe wholesale killing and grand
larceny, The people who advocate 1t
would not think Of applying Its princl-
pies to everyday life. They think, II
they stop to think at all, that theft is
purged OF Its immoral character If
Islands instead Of pocket-books are
taken, and they see less criminallty in
the killing Of thousands of people who
desire self-government than they do in
n single homicide, Strange that any
human mind can be deluded into coun.
Imperialism; strange that
any human heart can consider without |
horror the results of imperialism and
the means employed. THE Commoner. !
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