The courier., 1902-04-26
OBSERVATIONS
BY SARAH B. HARRIS
'Plutoesaey In Instructioa"

"Piutocraey In Instruetioo"
In 'The Commoner" of April IL the
editor says in regard to the appoint
ment OF Mr.. Alleyne Ireland by the
authorities Of the university Of Chi
cago to study the problem Of the
United States in the Philippines:
Attention 10 called to this matter
because it Is one Of the many evidences
Of the studied and concerted efforts on
the part Of plutocracy to change pub
lie sentiment and substitute the doc
trines OF Europe for the doctrines Of
America. Here is a great university
endowed by the chief stockholder In
one Of the greatest and most extor-
tionate of trusts. The Standard Oil
company is the most open and notori-
Gus law-breaker in the United States
beside which petty criminals who are
In the penitentiary seem insignificant.
It not only controls the Oil business
but is reaching out for the control Of
other branches of business, and al
ready its New York bank exerts a po-
tent influence on national finances.
The institution endowed by this prince
Of trust magnates sends to England
for a champion Of the colonial idea,
publishes the fact that he is to be sent
to Asia to study the colonial problem
and then is to occupy a chair and give
to American students the advantages
Of his natural bias in favor of mon
archial institutions.
1t is not necessary for US to wait
until his return to know what his in
struction will be. The whole tenor Of
II viii be to cultivate a contempt for
the doctrines Get forth in the DecI&ra-
tion Of Independence and to inculcate
. love for the doctrines of conquest
and spoliation. He il to yrite articles
for American magazines and his views
will be spread broadcast as the views
of q learned and unbiased man.
urged to bring these matters to the at
tention Of their republican neighbors
In order that the rank and file of the
republican party may know Of the in
sidious and persistent attacks which
are being made upon American ideas
and the fundamental principles Of free
government"
To the subscribers of The Commoner
who have read Mr.. Ireland's book.
Tropical Colonization" the absurdity
of the foregoing warning Is apparent
without further comment. The fore
most authority on this phase Of ma
tional development says:
The general sentiment in regard to
colonies during the period Of the old
colonial system vas that they existed
merely for the benefit of the sovereign
state: that they were a national asset
which should be made to yield as much
profit as possible to the mother coun-
try but the revolt of the
American colonies struck the death
knell Of the system and taught Eng
lishmen a lesson which slowly but
surely carried the nation into the sec
ond stage Of the colonial idea"
The second stage the author names
'laissex aller." The American victory
made Engiishmen doubt IL any Of the
colonies could be retained and English
men questioned IL the cost were re-
paid by the returns.
The third stage was reached in 1SS:
in the year Of the queens golden ju-
bilee. when the fervent loyalty Of the
colonies was first largely expressed by
representatives In London.
Since the first period a great change
has taken place in the attitude of the