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ELECTRIC FLASHES
NEWS FROM ALL PARTS OF
THE WORLD
CHINA WANTS PEACE
ASKS FOR CESSATION OF HOS
TILITIES
JXii Hung Chang Appointed Envoy
Plenipotentiary to Negotiate with
the Powers Conger Will Hold
On Till Relief Comes
Washington
H
Indications of the desire
-of China for a peaceful settlement of her
present difficulties have been multiplying
rfor some time Official evidence of that
desire was presented to the department of
state Sunday It was in the form an edict
promulgated by the emperor Kwang Hsu
appointing Earl Li liung Chang as envoy
plenipotentiary to negotiate with the pow
crs for an immediate cessation of hostili
ties pending a solution of the problems
which have grown out of the anti foreign
uprising in the empire Earl Li is to act
-directly for the emperor and a fair infer
ence is that whatever terms of settlement
bo may reach with the powers will be
iproved by the imperial government
During the day only one dispatch that
was made public reached any of the gov
Ternment departments from China A be
lated message from Minister Conger was
transmitted to the war department by
Gen Chaffee It expressed simply his
ability to hold on until Gen Chaffee
should come to his relief All the power
of this government will be exerted to get
that relief to him and the other imprisoned
ilegationers at the earliest possible moment
COLD BLOODED CRIME
H Perrcll Confesses to Murder
of Express Messenger Liane
Columbus O 11 11 Farrell a former
employe of the Adams Express Company
lias been arrested and confessed to the
murder of Express Messenger Lane and
the robbery of the safe on the Pennsylva
nia eastbound train Friday night One
-thousand dollars of the money has been
-recovered
Ferrill was to have been married Thurs
day to Miss Lillian Costlow daughter of
Patrick Costlow an engineer on the Penn
sylvania lines lie had been discharged
ifrom tlie employ of the Adams Express
Company about three months ago and had
jnot since been able to secure employment
Be confessed that the motive of the robbery
-was to secure money of which he felt in
need on account of his approaching
marriage The money recovered he had
given to Miss Costlow to keep for him
that it was money he had saved from
-his earnings
lie was at the home of his affianced and
Jin her company when placed under arrest
Ferrell is but 22 years of age When
nihe officers took him into custody
turned a nonchalant demeanor but when
Jie found that he could no longer deceive
the officers he made a full confession
The confession of Ferrell disclosed a pre
jneditated and blood curdling crime that
-seemed almost impossible of belief to those
-who looked upon the man of gentlemanly
and refined appearance who reluctantly
stold the story of the murder and the rob
ibery lie said that he had become des
iperate because of his inability to secure
employment and a realization of the fact
that he must have money to defray the
expenses of his approaching marriage
The Tobbary had been carefully planned
and it included the murder of Express
3Iessenger Lane
GOOD NEWS FROM MACARTHUR
Grassa Surrenders His Command
to Twenty Fourth Infantry
Washington The war department on
sSunday received the following dispatch
Containing cheering news from Gen Mac
JArthur at Manila
Manila P 1 Adjutant General
Washington Col Gras sa on Aug 12 in
rvicinity of Tayug surrendered command
fto Col Freeman Twenty fourth United
States In fantry consisting of one major
six captains six lieutenants 169 men 101
grilles and 50 bolas 3IacArthur
ELEVEN INSTANTLY KILLED
Special Train Strikes a JLoaded
Omnibus in Pennsylvania
Siatington Pa Eleven persons were
instantly killed and eleven others several
of whom will die were seriously injured
Sunday night in a grade crossing accident
iihree miles east of this city by a passenger
-train on the Lehigh and Xew England
Railroad crashing into an omnibus con
taining twenty five persons All the dead
jard wounded were in the bus and but
ithree escaped uninjured
King Emanuel Takes Oath
Rome King Victor Emanuel III tool
-a formal constitutional oath Saturday be
fore parliament The senate chamber was
Idraped in mourning The chamber was
lled with senators deputies high officials
of state and the diplomatic corps All
along the route to the parliament buildings
large crowds assembled and the new king
jwas given an ovation
Constable Shqots Two
Ilopkinsville Ky Constable John
Wilson shot and killed Alexander and
jDick White Sunday while the latter were
resisting arrest
Sick Mans Terrible Deed
Churubusco lnd During fit of tem
porary insanity Sol Bear who was lying
at the point of death from illness sprang
-from his bed seized a shotgun and killed
iiis son Isaac The son was attending his
father
Sharkey to Wed a Belle
Ztfew York Tom Sharkey who received
iiis quietus at the hands of Ruhlin several
-weeks ago is engaged to bo married soon
n ricc Jennie Tuttlewho is better know
as The Belfe of Sheepshead Bay
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Mv r t s i r o5 arctvn sc-
I WilHam Jo Bryans Indianapolis Speech g
H
ON WILLIAM 7 BRYAN ad
dressing the members of the No
tification Committee at Indianap
olis said that at an early day and in a
more formal manner he would accept the
nomination which they tendered At that
time he promises to fully discuss the vari
ous questions covered by the Democratic
platform limiting his remarks before the
committee to a few observations upon
the general character of the contest and
upon the question which is declared to
be of paramount importance in this cam
paign Mr Bryan spoke substantially
as follows
When I say that the congest of 1900
is a contest between democracy on the
one nand and plutocracy on the other I
do not mean to say that all our oppon
ents have deliberately chosen to give to
organized wealth a predominating influ
ence in the affairs of the government but
I do assert that on the important issues
of the day the Republican party is dom
inated by those influences which con
stantly tend to elevate pecuniary consid
erations and ignore human rights
The Democratic party is not making
war upon the honest acquisition of
wealth it has no desire to discourage in
dustry economy and thrift On the con
trary it gives to every citizen the great
est possible stimulus to honest toil when
it promises him protection in the enjoy
ment of the proceeds of his labor Prop
erty rights are most secure when human
rights are respected Democracy strives
for a civilization in which every mem
ber of society will share according to his
merits
Against us are arrayed a comparatively
small but politically and financially pow
erful number who really profit by Re
publican policies but with them are as
sociated a large number who because of
their attachment to their party name are
giving their support to doctrines antag
onistic to the former teachings of their
own party Republicans who used to ad
vocate bimetallism now try to convince
themselves that the gold standard is
good Republicans who were formerly at
tached to the greenback are now seek
ing an excuse for giving national banks
control of the nations paper money Re
publicans who used to boast that the Re
publican party was paying off the na
tional debt are now seeking for reasons
to support a perpetual and increasing
debt Republicans who formerly ab
horred a trust now beguile themselves
with the delusion that there are good
trusts and bad trusts while in their
minds the line between the two is be
coming more and more obscure Republi
cans who in times past congratulated
the country upon the small expense of
our standing army are now making light
of the objections which are urged against
a large increase in the permanent mili
tary establishment Republicans who
gloried in our independence when the na
tion was less powerful now look Avith
favor upon a foreign alliance Repub
licans who three years ago condemned
forcible annexation as an immoral and
even criminal are now sure that it is
both immoral and criminal to oppose
forcible annexation That partisanship
has already blinded many to present
dangers is certain how large a portion
of the Republican party can he drawn
over to the new policies remains to be
seen
Abandon Early Ideals
In attempting to press economic ques
tions upon the country to the exclusion
of those which involve the very structure
of our government the Republican lead
ers give new evidence of their abandon
ment of the earlier ideals of the party
and of their complete subserviency to
pecuniary considerations
Bat they shall not be permitted to
evade the stupendous and fur reaching
i sue which they have deliberately
brought into the arena of politics When
the President supported by a practically
unanimous vote of the House and
ate entered upon a war with bpam lor
the purpose of aiding the struggling pa
triots of Cuba the country without re
gard to party applauded Although the
Democrats recognized that the adminis
tration would necessarily Rain a political
advantage from the conduct of a war
which in the very nature of the case
must soon end in a complete victory they
vied with the Republicans in the support
which they gave to the President When
the war was over and the Republican
leaders began to suggesf the propriety of
a colonial policy opposition at once mani
fested itself When the President final
ly laid before the Senate a treaty Avhieh
recognized the independence of Cuba but
provided for the cession of the Philippine
Islands to the United States the menace
of imperialism became so apparent that
many preferred to reject the treaty and
risk the ills that might follow rather
than take the chance of correcting the
errors of the treaty by the independent
action of this country
I was among the number of those who
believed it better to ratify the treaty and
end the war release the volunteers re-
move the excuse for war expenditures
and then give to the Filipinos the inde
pendence which might be forced from
Spain by a new treaty I thought it safer
to trust the American people to give in
dependence to the Filipinos than to trust
the accomplishment of that purpose to
diplomacy with an unfriendly nation i
The title of Spain being extinguished we
were at liberty to deal with the Filipinos
according to American principles The
Bacon resolution introduced a month be
fore hostilities broke out at Manila prom
ised independence to the Filipinos on the
same terms that it was promised to the
Cubans I supported this resolution and
believe that its adoption prior to the
breaking out of hostilities would have
prevented bloodshed and that its adop
tion at any subsequent time would have
ended hostilities
If the treaty had been rejected consid
erable time would have necessarily
elapsed before a new treaty could have
been agreed upon and ratified and dur
ing that time the question would have
been agitating the public mind If the
Bacon resolution had been adopted by
the Senate and carried out by the Presi
dent either at the time of the ratifica
tion of the treaty or at any time after
wards it would have taken the question
of imperialism out of politics and left the
American people free to deal with their
domestic problems But the resolution
was defeated by the vote of the Repub
lican Vice President and from that time
to this a Republican Congress has re
fused to take any action whatever in the
matter
Cowardly Evasion
When hostilities broke out at Manila
Republican speakers and Republican ed
itors at once sought to lay the blame upon
those who had delayed the ratification of
the treaty and during the progress of
the war the same Republicans have ac
cused the opponents of imperialism of
giving encouragement to the Filipinos
This is a cowardly evasion of responsi
bility
If it is rignt for the United States to
hold the Philippine Islands permanently
and imitate European empires in the
HON WILLIAM JENNINGS BRYAN
eminent of colonies the Republican party
ought to state its position and defend it
but it must expect the subject races to
protest against such a policy and to re
sist to the extent of their ability The
Filipinos do not need any encouragement
from Americans now living Our whole
history has been an encouragement
Those who would have this nation enter
upon a career of empire must consider-
not only the effect of imperialism on the
Filipinos but they must also calculate
its effect upon our own nation We can
not repudiate the principle of self-government
in the Philippines without weaken
ing that principle here
Imperialism Not Expansion
Our opponents conscious of the weak
ness of their cause seek to confuse im
perialism with expansion and have even
dared to claim Jefferson as a supporter
of their policy Jefferson spoke so freely
and used language with such precision
that no one can be ignorant of his views
On one occasion he declared If there
be one principle more deeply rooted than
any other in the mind of every American
it is that we should have nothing to do
with conquest And again he said
Conquest is not in our principles it is
inconsistent with our government
The forcible annexation of territory to
be governed by arbitrary power differs
as much from the acquisition of terri
tory to be built up into states as a mon
archy differs from a democracy The
Democratic party does not oppose expan
sion when expansion enlarges the area
of the republic and incorporates land
which can be settled by American citi
zens or adds to our population people
who are willing to become citizens and
are capable of discharging their duties
as such The acquisition of the Louisi
ana territory Florida Texas and other
tracts which have been secured from time
to time enlarged the republic and tiie
constitution followed the flag into the
new territory It is now proposed to
seize upon distant territory already more
densely populated than our own country
and to force upon the people a govern
ment for which there is no warrant in
our constitution or our laws Even the
argument that this earth belongs to those
who desire to cultivate it and have the
physical power to acquire it cannot be
invoked to justify the appropriation of
the Philippine Islands by the United
States for if the islands were uninhab
ited American citizens would not be will
ing to go there and till the soil The
white race will not live so near the equa
tor
A colonial policy means that we shall
send to the Philippines a few traders a
few task masters and a few
and an army large enough to support
the authority of a small fraction of the
people while they rule the natives
If we have an imperial policy we must
have a large standing army as its nat
ural and necessary complement The
spirit which will justify the forcible an
nexation of the Philippine Islands will
justify the seizure of other islands and
the domination of other people and
wars of conquest we can expect a cer
tain if not rapid growth of our military
establishinpnt That a large permanent
increase in -our regular army is intended
by the Republican leaders is not a mere
matter of conjecture but a matter of
fact
Menace of a Big Army
A large standing army is not only a pe
cuniary burden to the people and if
accompanied by compulsory service a
constant source of irritation but it is
ever a menace to a Republican form of
government A small standing army and
a well equipped and well disciplined State
militia are sufficient in ordinary times
and in any emergency the nation should
in the future as in the past place its de
pendence upon the volunteers who come
from all occupations at their countrys
call and return to productive labor when
their services are no longer required
men who fight when the country needs
fighters and work when the country needs
workers
The Republican platform assumes that
the Philippine Islands will be retained
under American sovereignty and we have
a right to demand of the Republican lead
ers a discussion of the future status of
the FMipiuo Is he to be a citizen or a
subject Are we to bring into the body
politic eight or ten million Asiatics so
different from us in race and history that
amalgamation is impossible Are they
to share with us in making the laws and
shaping the destiny of this nation No
Republican of prominence has been bold
enough to advocate such a proposition
The Democratic platform describes the
situation when it says that the Filipinos
cannot be citizens without endangering
our civilization Who will dispute it
And what is the alternative If the
Filipino is not to- be a citizen shall we
make him a subject On that question
the Democratic platform speaks with
emphasis It declares that the Filipino
cannot be a subject without endangering
our form of government A republic can
have no subjects
The whole difference between a mon
archy and a republic may be summed up
in one sentence In a monarchy the king
gives to the people what he bplieves to be
a good government in a republic the peo
ple secure for themselves what they be
lieve to be a good government The Re
publican party has accepted the Euro
pean idea and planted itself upon the
ground taken by George II and by every
ruler who distrusts the capacity of the
people for self government or denies them
a voice in their own affairs
Republicans Fear to Legislate
The Republican platform promises that
some measure of self government is to
he given to the Filipinos by law but
even this pledge is not fulfilled Nearly
sixteen months elapsed after the ratifica
tion of the treaty before the adjournment
of Congress last June and yet no law
was passed dealing with the Philippine
situation The will of the President has
been the only law in the Philippine
Islands wherever the American authority
extends Why does the Republican party
hesitate to legislate upon the Philippine
question Because a law would disclose
the radical departure from history and
precedent contemplated by those who
control the Republican party The storm
of protest which greeted the Porto Rican
bill was an indication of what may be
expected when the American people are
brought face to face with legislation
upon this subject If the Torto Ricans
who welcome annexation are to be de
nied the guarantees of our constitution
what is to be the lot of the Filipinos who
resisted our authority If secret influ
ences could compel a disregard of our
plain duty toward friendly people living
near our shores what treatment will
those same influences provide for un
friendly people 7000 miles away If in
this country where the people have the
right to vote Republican leaders dare not
take the side of the people against the
great monopolies which have grown up
within the last few years how can they
be trusted to protect the Filipinos from
the corporations which are waiting to
despoil the islands
Our Duty iii the Philippines
Some say that it is our duty to hold
the Philippine Islands But duty is not
an argument it is a conclusion To as
certain what our duty is in any emer
gency we must apply well settled and
generally accepted principles It is our
duty to avoid stealing no matter whether
the thing to be stolen is of great or lit
tle value It is our duty to avoid killing
a human being no matter where the hu
man being lives or to what race or class
he belongs Everyone recognizes the ob
ligation imposed upon individuals
to observe both the human and
moral but as some denv
the application of those laws to nations it
may not he out of place to quote the opin
ions of others Jefferson than whom there
is no higher political authority said
I know of but one code of moralitv for
men whether acting singly or collectively
Franklin whose learning wisdom and vir
tue are a part of the priceless legacy be
queathed to us from the Itevolutionary
days expressed the same idea iu even
stronger language when he said
Justice is as strictly due between neigh
bor nations as between neighbor citizens
A highwayman is as much a robber when
he plunders in a gang as when singlv and
the nation that makes an unjust war is oulv
a great gang
Men may dare to do in crowds what they
would not dare to do as individuals but the
moral character of an act is not determined
by the number of those who join in it
Force can defend a right but force has
never t created a right If it was true
as declared in the resolutions of intervention
that the Cubans are and of right ought to
be free and independent language taken
from the Declaration of Independence it Is
equally true that the Filipinos are and of
right ought to be free and independent
It is argued by some that the Filipinos
are incapable of self government and that
therefore we owe it to the world to take
control of them Admiral Dewey In an offi
cial report to the navy department declared
the Filipinos more capable of self-government
than the Cubans and said that he
based his opinionuipon a knowledge of both
races But I will not rest the case upon the
relative advancement of the Filipinos Hen
ry Clay in defending the rights of the peo
ple of South America to self government
said
It is the doctrine of thrones that man is
too ignorant to govern himself Their par
tisans assert his incapacity in reference to
all nations if they cannot command univer
sal assent to the proposition it is then re
manded to particular nations and our pride
and our presumption too often make con
verts of us I contend that it is to arraign
the disposition of Providence Himself to
suppose that He has created beings incapa
ble of governing themselves and to be tram
pled on by kings Self government is the
natural government of man
Some argue that American rule in the
Philippine Islands will result in the better
education of the Filipinos Be not deceived
If we expect to maintain a colonial policy
we shall not find it to our advantage to
educate the people The educated Filipinos
are now in revolt against us and the most
ignorant ones have made the least resist
ance to our domination If we are to gov
ern them without their consent and give
them no voice ia determining the taxes
which they must pay we dare not educate
them lest they learu to read the Declaration
of Independence and the Constitution af the
United States and mock us for our incon
sistency
The principal arguments however ad
vanced by those who enter upon a defense
of imperialism are
First That we must improve the present
opportunity to become a worid power and
enter into international politics
Second That our commercial Interests In
the Philippine Islands and in the Orient
make it necessary for us to hold the islands
permanently
Third That the spread of the Christian
religion will be facilitated by a colonial pol
icy
Fourth That there is no honorable retreat
from the position which the nation has
taken
The first argument is addressed to the
nations pride and the second to the na
tions pocketbook The third Is Intended for
the church member and the fourth for the
partisan
It is a sufficient answer to the first argu
ment to say that for more than a ceptury
this nation has been a world power For ten
decades It has been the most potent influ
ence in the world Net only has it been a
world power but it has done more to affect
the politics of the human race than all the
other nations cf the world combined The
growth of the principle of self government
planted on American soil has been the
over shadowing political fact of the nine
teenth century It has made this nation
conspicuous among the nations and given it
a place in history such as no other nation
has ever enjoyed
The Commercial Argument
The permanent chairman of the last Re
publican national convention presented the
pecuniary argument In all its baldness when
he said We make no hypocritical pre
tense of being interested in the Philippines
solely on account of others While we re
gard the welfare of these people as a sacred
trust we regard the welfare of- the Ameri
can people first We see our duty to our
selves as well as to others We believe in
trade expansion By every legitimate means
within the province of government and con
stitution we mean to stimulate the expan
sion of our trade and open new markets
This is the commercial argument It Is
based upon the theory that war can be right
ly waged for pecuniary advantage and that
it is profitable to purchase trade by force
and violence The Democratic party is in
favor of the expansion of trade It would
extend our trade by every legitimate and
peaceful means but it is not willing to
make merchandise of human blood But a
war of conquest is as unwise as it is un
righteous A harbor and coaling station In
the Philippines would answer every trade
and military necessity and such a conces
sion could have been secured at any time
without difficulty
The pecuniary argument though more ef
fective with certain classes is not likely
to be used so often or presented with so
much emphasis as the religious argument
If what has been termed the gun powder
gospel were urged against the Filipinos
oniy it would be a sufficient answer to say
that a majority of the Filipinos are now
members of one branch of the Christian
church but the principle involved is one
of much wider application and challenges
serious consideration
The religious argument varies in positlve
ness from a passive belief that Providence
delivered the Filipinos into our hands for
their good and our glory to the exultation of
the minister who said that we ought to
thrash the natives Filipinos until they un
derstand who we are and that every bui
Fet sent every cannon shot and every flag
waved means righteousness
We cannot approve of this doctrine in one
place unless we are willing to apply it
everywhere Love not force was the
weapon of the Nazarene sacrifice for others
not the exploitation of them was His meth
od of reaching the human heart Let it be
known that t our missionaries are seeking
souls instead of sovereignty let it be known
that Instead of being the advance guard of
conquering armies they are going forth to
help and to uplift having their Iolas girt
about with truth and their feet shod with
the preparation of the gcspel of peace wear
ing the breastplate of righteousness and
carrying the sword of the Spirit let it be
known that they are the citizens of a nation
which respects the rights of the citizens of
other nations as carefully as it protects the
rights of its own citizens and the welcome
given to our missionaries will be more cor
dial than the welcome extended to the mis
sionaries of any other nation
The argument made by some that it was
unfortunate for the nation that it had any
thing to do with the Philippine Islands but
that the naval victory at Manila made the
permanent acquisition of those islands neces
sary is also unsound We won a naval vic
tory at Santiago but that did not compel us
to hold Cuba The shedding of American
blood in the Philippine Islands does not
make it imperative that we should retain
iwwflrm frrn rr AmpriMn llnnil tvi thtiil
at San Juan Hill and El Caney and yet the
President has promised the Cubans
penuence The fact that the American nag
floats ever Manila does not compel us to
exercise perpetual sovereignty over the isl
ands that flag waves over Havana to day
bnt the President has promised to haul it
down when the flag of the Cuban republic is
ready to rise in its place Better a thousand
times that our flag in the Orient give way
to a flag representing the idea of self-government
than that the flag of this republic
should become the flag of an empire
Solution of the Question
There is an easy honest honorable solu
tion of the Philippine question It is set
forth in the Democratic platform and it Is
submitted with confidence to the American
people This plan I unreservedly indorse
If elected I shall convene Congress in ex
traordinary session as soon as 1 am inaug
urated and recommend an Immdiato declar
ation of the nations purpose first to estab
list a stable form of government in the Phil
ippine Islands just as we are now establish
ing a stable form of government in the Isl
and of Cuba second to give independence to
the Filipinos just as we have promised to
give independence to the Cuban third to 4
protect the Filipinos from outside Interfer
ence while they work out their destiny just
as we have protected the republics of Cen
tral and South America and are by the
Monroe doctrine pledged to protect Cuba
An European protectorate often results in
the exploitation of the ward by the guard
ian An American protectorate gives to the
natioi protected the advantage of our
strength without making it the victim of
our greed
Mr Chairman and Gentlemen cf the Com
mittee I can never fully discharge the
debt of gratitude which I owe to my coun
trymen for the honors which they have so
generously bestowed upon me bnt sirs
whether It be my lot to occupy the high
office for which the convention has named
me or to spend the remainder cf my days in
private life it shall be my constant ambi
tion and my controlling purpose to aid In
realizing the high ideals of thosp whose wis
dom and courage and sacrifices brought this
republic into existence
I can conceive of a national des tiny sur
passing the dories of the prcsnt and the
past a destiny which meets the responsi
bilities of the to day and measures up to
the possibilities of the future Behold a
republic resting securely upon the founda
tion stones quarried by revolutionary pat
riots from the mountain of eternal truth a
republic applying in practice and proclaim
ing tc the World the self evident proposi
tion That all men are created equal that
thev are endowed with inalienable right
that governments are instituted among men
to secure liiese rim iuu yuveruiuenis de
rive their just powers from the consent of
the governed Behold a republic in which
civil and religious liberty stimulate all to
earnest endeavor and in which the law
restrains every hand uplifted for a neigh
bors injury a republic in which every citi
zen is a sovereign but in which no one cares
to wear a crown Behold a republic standing
erect while empires all around are bowed be
neath the weight of their own armaments a
republic whose flag Is loved while other
flags are only feared Behold a republic in
creasing In population in wealth in
strength and In Influence solving the prob
lems of civilization and hastening the com
ing of an universal brotherhood a republic
which shakes thrones and dissolves aristoc
racies by its silent example and gives light
and inspiration to those who sit in dark-
t ness Eehold a republic gradually but surely
becoming tne supreme moral factor In the
worlds prozress aud the accepted arbiter
of the worlds disputes a republic whose
history like the path of the just is as the
shining light that shihetli more and more
unto the perfect day
iumhh - aygW gggisg
MR STEVENSON
Accepting the Democratic Nomination-
for Vice President
Hon Adlai E Stevenson in his specch
nt Indianapolis accepting the Democratic
nomination for Vice President said in
part
I am profoundly grateful for the honor
conferred upon me by my selection by the
national Democratic convention as its
candidate for the high office of Vice Pres
ident of the United States Forthe com
plimcntarv manner in which such action
has been officially made known to me I
express to you Mr Chairman and to
your honored associates of the committee
my sincere thanks Deeply impressed
with a sense of the responsibility as
sumed by smeh candidacy 1 accept the
nomination so generously tendered me
Should thd ttction of the convention meet
the approval of the people in November
it will be my enrnest endeavor to dis
charge with fidelity the duties of the
great office
It is wisely provided in the constitution
that at stated times political power shall
return to the hands of the people The
struggle for political supremacy upon
which we are now entering is one of deep
moment to the American people Its
nO ADLAI E STEVEXSOX
preme importance to all conditions of our
countrymen cannot be measured by
words The ills resulting from unjust
legislation and from unwise administra
tion of the government must find their
remedy in the all potent ballot To it
wo now make our solemn appeal
The chief purpose of the great conven
tion whose representatives are before me
Avas redress for existing wrongs and se
curity against perils yet greater which
menace popular government Your con
vention in language clear and unmistak
able has presented the vital issues upon
which the pending contest is to be deter
mined To its platform I give my earn
est assent
After referring to the platform declara
tions on trusts tariffs Congressional ex
travagance etc Mr Stevenson says A
question is yet to be discussed to which
all of these are of secondary import
ance It is solemnly declared
by our platform to be the
paramount issue Questions of domes
tic policy however important may be but
questions of the hour that of imperialism
is for time In the presence of this stupen
dous issue others seem but as the dust la
the balance In no sense paltering with
words it Is the supreme question of re
public or empire
Upon every phase of our foreign policy
the language of the Democratic platform is
too clear to admit of misconstruction It
favors trade expansion by all peaceful and
lawful means We believe that liberty as
well as the Constitution follows the flag
Democrats in common with many Itepubll
cans oppose the Porto Kican law as a vio
lation of the Constitution and a flagrant
breach of good faith toward a dependent
people It is imposing government without
the consent of the governed It is in con
flict with that provision of the Constitution
which declares that Duties imports anil
excises shall be uniform throughout the Uni
ted States
Deplores Spirit of Empire
The Democratic platform condemns the
policy pursued by the present administra
tion toward the Philippine Islands This
policy inspired by the greedy spirit of com
mercialism has enbroiled our government In
an unnecessary war sacrificed valuable
lives and placed the American republic in
deadly antagonism to our formr alies in
their efforts to secure their Iijerties For
the first time iii our history we are boldly
confronted with the question of Imperial
ism tne spirit of empire This is indeed
the supreme question to which ail others are
of secondary importance
The Democratic party has ever been the
advocate of wise territorial expansion It
was in control of the government during
forty years of the first half of the present
century During that period new States
were admitted into the Federal Union and
our Western border extended beyond the
Mississippi Out of the Louisiana country
acquired under the first Democratic admin
istrationhave been carved fourteen mag
nificent States Under a later Democratic
administration and as the result of the
treat which terminated our war with Mex
ico we acquired California anil neighboring
States and Territories thus bringing under
our flag to remain forever the vast expanse
stretching to the Pacific
The policy of aggressive expansion of sub
jugation of distant islands puusued by the
present administration finds no precedent
in the peaceable cession of the Louisiana
country by Napoleon that of Florida by
Spain nor that yet later of the vast West
ern area by Mexico The territory acquired
under Democratic administrations was with
favorable climatic conditions the fit abode
for men cf our own race At the time of
annexation t passed under the rule of the
Anglo Saxon who carried with him our lan
guage and our laws It was territory contig
uous to our own and acquired with the de
clared intention when conditions and popu
lation would justify cf carving it into
States The result Millions of American
homes our national wealth increased be
yond the dream of avarice and the United
States chief among the nations of the earth
Can it be that the new policy of forcible
annexation of distant islands finds precedent
in the historic events I have mentioned
The answer is found in the bare statement
cf facts The territory acquired under Dem
ocratic administrations is contiguous the
Philippine Islands hfiOO miles distant The
acquisition of territory upon our own con-
tiuent added little to the natiouai expense
to maintain permanent sovereignty over the
distant islands necessitates immense ex
penditures upon our army and navy More
than that it contemplates methods of ad
ministration that pertain not to the repub
lic but to the empire Can It be doubted
that the attempt to stifle the spirit of liberty
abroad will imperil popular government at
home
We stand 100 years from the hour when
the political forces were gathering which
were to result in the election of the first
Democratic President The anniversary of
the masterful day in our history was wisely
chosen for the assembling iu convention of
the representatives of the historic party
whose founder was Jefferson and whose
platform is the Declaration of Independence
In the great struggle now upon us we invoke
the cc operation of all who revere the
ory of our fathers and to whom this declar
ation is not unmeaning parchment but the
enduring chart of our liberties Upon the
supreme Issue now In the forefront and to
the end that republican government be per
petuatedwe appeal to the sober judgment
and patriotism of the American people
After the Combat
While I was abroad I witnessed a
duel in France
-Anybody hurt
Yes one of the principals had a rib
broken enibrs ciHg the other after com
bat was over
t
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