Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1904-09-15

There Is O homely old adage which runs,
Speak softly and carry big stick;
you will go far If the American ma
ton will speak softly and yet build and
keep at a pitch Of the highest training
q thoroughly efficient navy the Monroe
doctrine will go far.
"Whatever your own motives, wheth-
er those of the honest fanatic or Of the
crafty political calculator, you are play
ing with fire all the time, playing with
fire to dazzle the imaginations Of the
unthinking.
1.-THE assurance with which you, MI.
President, born in 1885, assume to
have discovered the United States and
its policies is even more astounding
than the policies themselves. You tell
US that the Monroe doctrine will be an
object Of derision unless we have a
mighty navy. The Monroe doctrine
was thirty-f1ve years old when you
were born, and doing remarkably we'll,
as it has been ever since.
"You tell US that under your leader
ship we have just become world
power What were we-pardon the
personal Instantaneous than a gen.
Grafton before you were born, when,
with only 100000 people and insig-
nificant ornaments, we flung the Mon
roe doctrine into the teeth of the holy
alliance?
considering your intelligence and
your knowledge Of American history,
your attitude seems mystery. What
can be its explanation?
what can be the purpose of all
these shrieks for mighty army and
navy, these frenzied denunciations of
''cowards,' 'weaklings' and 'cravens,'
who sordidly mind their own business
instead of flying to arms, with no dis
cernible provocation; these frantic wav-
ings of the mailed fist in the faces of
the nations? The spectacle is extraor.
binary and bewildering.
"You have placed your programme
before the country. If it should be ap.
proved at the polls you would be
bound in honor to carry it out. Such a
policy would explain and legitimize
swollen naval and military expendi
lures. If we are to follow your novel
and startling lead, we shall find oul
ornaments too small. 1t will not be
enough to have the second navy of the
world as the ships already under way
will give us; we must pass England
and adopt her rule Of overwhelming
any other two fleets combined. We
ought to lay down twice our present
number of battleships at once. We
ought to have rough riding military
dictator.
"But If this policy be preposterously
absurd, you are discredited along with
it. am not speaking to Democrats
this is not party matter. You
schemes are personal, not partisan
Your boosted Americanfsm is really
Europeanism. It is the very antithesis
of the true American spirit. You are
proposing to Europeanize our institu
tons. Not content with the extraordi
nary increase in the powers and pat
ronage Of the president Of the United
States, you propose to become practi
cally the president Of the whole west
ern hemisphere. The accidental head
of one republic, you would make your
self the head Of twenty-one.
what is Imperialism? It is not
mere external show, thrones or crowns
or scepters. 1t Is the spirit Of coer'
cion, Of conquest, Of arbitrary power
OF war, OF national aggrandizement, OF
military self seeking, Of lingo exploita
ton abroad among weaker peoples
ruled with no regard for equal right
in coloniessa and remote dependencies.
ITO see Imperialism full blown one
must go to England. At home Eng
bish institutions are free. The cabinet
hs committee of parliament. The
king has not a thousandth part OF
your power and patronage. He could
not jump doctor, even very skillful
and agreeable one-not even Treves
who saved his Me-into major gen
eralship or even lieutenancy. he
cannot appoint q fourth class post.
master. He has none Of the enormous
powers over corporations which enable
You, first, to make an INCUBATION into
the secrets Of every combination Of
capital; second, to smash one such
as an example, and, third,
to send that grand inquisitor, Cortel-
,you, who was your owl. private secre-
Itary and later cabinet member Tor
commerce and corporations, armed
18th all l,ia deadly aecrAtD. 10 mar
tho contribution box ameng the others.
The msmbess Of your cabinet ~
|your elalirs. MT your maGAofD. Y6q