The Lafayette gazette., 1902-02-22
THE PRICE OF IMPERIAL.
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Imperialism comes high, par
ticularly that kind of imperial
ism in which this country is
dealing just now. The salary
list in the Philippines shows
such extravaganza that it is not
at all surprising that the bene-
ficiaries are so thoroughly fasci-
mated with Uncle Sans new
possessions. Judge Taft, who
finds nothing but peace and good
feeling among the Filipinos, gets
$50, 900 a year for his services.
Each of his three assistants
receives an annual compensation
of $4,000. Secretaries get as
much as $500 and auditors
$1,000. Judges are paid from
$4,000 to $4,000 and members
of the municipal board of Manila
are allowed $4,000 each. Under
the new dispensation economy in
the administration of govern
mental affairs is what the late
Kansas senator would have de-
scribed as an iridescent dream.
It has ceased to be the policy of
the government to save as much
as possible, but rather to spend
everything for the benefit of the
proteges of the administration.
There are yet thousands of good
Republicans unprovided for,
and the boundless field offered
for the creation of fat jobs will
no doubt be fully developed.
That paternalism which a
colonial system SO greatly en-
courages, is rapidly building up
a numerous and powerful official
class in this country. This ele-
ment will always join the army
and navy in subservient adula-
ton of the powers that be. Alto
gether their influence will be
difficult one to overcome. They
can always be depended upon
to oppose any movement, how
ever worthy, which means a
diminution of Federal pap. In
the earlier days of the Republic
a government economically ad-
ministered was believed to be
the greatest safeguard to free
institutions, but we are a world
power now and are learning to
do things according to the Euro
pean idea.
To have pleasant official rela-
tions with England is one thing.
To toady to royalty is another
thing. To treat the representa-
tives of the English government
with dignified courtesy is emin-
emily proper, but to send a lot of
millionaires at the peoples ex-
pense to England to scrape and
bow before the king and kiss his
hand if permitted to do so is a
disgusting species of tlunkey-
ism which no self-respecting
republic would be guilty of. A
republic can have no sincere ad-
miration for a monarchy and a
monarchy entertains no friendly
feeling toward republic.
Neither would hesitate to sell a
gold brick to the other. England
has availed itself of every oppor-
tunity to destroy this govern
ment. It would see Uncle Sam
in hell if it had it's choice. Every
manifestation of friendlines to-
ward England on the part of this
government is either born of i'm
perialistic greed or abject toady
ism. If King George had had his
way he would have sent George
Washington, Ben Franklin and
Thomas Jefferson to the gibbet.
Abraham Lincoln, the rail-split-
ter, would not have been per-
mitted to chop wood for an
English monarch. Andrew John
son, the tailor, would not have
been allowed to cut out suit for
the meanest funkey of the royal
court. But we are told by the
anglo o-maniacs of the present |
day that Edward loves us dearly, |
and it is the proper thing to do |