The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-09-04
MATCHLESS ADDRESS BY
WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN

ness purposes must be subject to the
, laws of the countries in which they
engage in business enterprises. Many
profitable fields Of investment are
} now closed because the people of the
smaller nations are afraid that an in.
vestment of foreign capital will be
made an excuse for foreign invasion.
Several times on this trip this fact
has been brought to my attention and
| am convinced that for every dollar
we could secure to American inves-
tors by an attempt to put the gov
ernment back of their private claims,
we lose many dollars by closing the
door to investment. Mark the dis
tinction between the protection of
the lives of our citizens and the use
of the navy to guarantee a profit on
investments.
I'VE do not imprison for debt, in the
United States, neither do we put men
to death because of their failure to
pay what they owe, and our moral
lprestige as well as our commercial
interests will be conserved by assur-
ing all nations that American invest
lments depend for protection upon the
laws of the country to which the in
Ivestors go.
Before leaving international poll
tics let me add that our nation has
lost prestige rather than gained it,
by our experiment in colonialism We
have given the monarchist chance
to ridicule our Declaration of Inde-
Ipendence, and the scoffer has twitted
us with inconsistency. tour through
the Philippine Islands has deepened
the conviction that we should lose nc
time in announcing our purpose to
deal with the Filipinos as we dealt
with the Cubans. Every considera-
ton, commercial and political, leads
to this conclusion. Such ground as
we may need for coaling stations or
for naval base will be gladly con
ceded by the Filipinos, who simply
Idesire an opportunity to work out
their own destiny, inspired by our eX-
ample and aided by our advice. Inso.
far as our efforts have been directed
toward the education of the Filipinos
we have rendered them a distinct ser
vice, but in educating them we must
recognize that we are making coloni.
alism impossible. If we intended to
hold them as subjects we would not
dare TO educate them; government
with ultimate independence must be
assured if we contemplate universal
education in the Philippines. AS soon
as opportunity offers, l shall discuss
| the Philippines question more at
| length, and | shall also refer to Eng,
| lish rule in India, for it throws light
upon our problems in the Philippines,
but these subjects must be reserved
until can speak more in detail.
In several of the nations of Europe
| the legislative department of govern.
| ment is more quickly responsive. TO
public sentiment than is our congress.
| In England, for instance, where the
ministry is formed from the domiant
party, when an election Is held, upon
any important issue the government
proceeds to put into law the will of
the people expressed at the polls.
While our system is superior in many
respects it has one defest, viz, that
congress does not meet in regular ses
sion until thirteen months after the
election. During this period there is
uncertainty, long drawn out, which to
the business community is often
more damaging than a change of pol
icy promptly carried into effect
Would not the situation be improved
by a constitutional amendment con.
.
within a few months after the elec.
ton, and compelling the second ses.
sion to adjourn several days before
the following election? Such change
would not only serve legitimate bust
ness interests and give the public the
benefit of more prompt relief through
remedial legislation, but it would pro
tect the people from the jobs that
are I1Sl1allV raSarvad for ho chprt
session which is now held after the
election, and when many of the mem
bers feel less responsibility because
Of defeat at the polls.
SENATORS SHOULD BE ELECTED.
Il return more convinced than be.
fore of the importance of change in
the method of electing United States
senators. There is noticeable every
where a distinct movement toward
democracy in its broadest sense. In
all the countries which / have visited,
there is demand that the govern
ment be brought nearer the people
In China a constitution is under SON
sideration; In Japan the people are
demanding that the ministry, instead
of being chosen by the emperor from
among his particular friends, shall be
selected from parliament, and in har-
mony with the dominant sentiment;
in India there is agitation in favor
of native congress; in Russia the
czar has been compelled to recognize
the peoples voice in the establish
ment of the douma and throughout Eu-
rope the movement manifests itself
in various forms. In the United
States this trend toward democracy
has taken the form of a growing de-
mand for the election OF United States
senators by direct vote of the peo-
pie. 1t must be difficult to overesti-
mate the strategic advantage Of this
reform, for since every bill must re-
ceive the sanction of the senate as
we'll as of the house of representa-
tives before 1t can become a law, no
important legislation of national
character is possible until the senate
is brought into harmony with the