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The Commoner.
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fconornl inclination to neglect that day. But if.-Miv
Cleveland will tnlco the trouble to investigate, ho
will (Uncover that during, all the timo when his
voico and pen have been exorted in behalf of tho
republican effort to defeat tho domocracy, Jack
son's Day has been celebrated in all parts, of tho
country. This day has boon very generally cele
brated by democrats who- have read Jackson's his
tory and who minora to Jackson's principles as
closoly on oloction day as they do at tho banquet
boards whero nion gather to pay tributo to his
memory,
Tho "old-time,, honest, consistent and aggres
sive democratic faith" did: not inspire its adher
ents to give encouragement to a political party
whoso principles aro cssontially hostile to demo
cratic principles.
Mr. Olovolaud may not know it, but the fact
remains that In nearly ovory city in tho United.
States thoro nro oven raoro than "thirty young
democrats" who, during all tho time Mr., Cleveland
has absonted himself from the party councils,
have boqn "unwilling to allow Jackson's Day to
'pass without recognition."
JJJ
Time For Protest.
Tho attention of a republican congress is
called to tho fact that land in tho western hemis
phere is being used as a prison for tho incarcera
tion of mon whoso only offenso is that they ha'o
fought for liberty and independence. Not only aro
men imprisoned at Bormuda, but even little chil
dren, carried from tholr far away South African
homes, aro also detained there.
Tho Outlook, an outspoken advocato of im
perialism, publishod in a recent lssuo an articlo
written by Mr. Frank Schcll Ballentlno giving, a
description of tho prison camps as ho found thorn
"When ho visited tho Bermudas. Tho following is
an extract from hfs articlo;
In our visit to tho Boer laager on Darrell's.
-,4fjnild''i)YlAlcILat 'Pa time. was. tho largest-of
them all, tho' first thing to attract our attention
nnd to keep it was tho groat proportion of boys'
on all sidesV Tho English officer accompany
ing us Informed us, in a l apologetic way, oven
before wo asked him, that those boys wore
taken with their fathers in tho trenches and
had boon substantially taking tho places of
men in tho battles. They would carry shot
and shell, ho said. They would act as water
carriers. They would creep to tho tops of
kopjes and bring back Information of tho
whereabouts of tho foe, etc. But from tho
Boers WO nftertt'nrrlp hnnivl flmf .,. :.
tain gathering of twenty-four boys, such boys
on tho islands who were specifically ques
tioned on this nolnt. nniv hiv ,. -,., S,., i.,
gathers- with them, and not all of thoso six or
graven had eventakon any part at all in tho
war.
Little Peter Oronje, for instance, the young
est of thorn all (ho was only eight when cap
tured), says his father was away from homo
when ho was taken. His mother had just
gone to another farm. Then -tho British camo
along, and took him away with an older
brothor of sixteen. Mother and children were
thus ruthlessly snatched from eaqh other's
arms and the most sacred of homo ties com
pletely ignored.
John Vlljoen is only nine years old. Tho
occasion of his capture ho tells as follows:
alio Kaffir servants had left the farm. His
father was away to tho war. Ho was out on
mriHrf?1 tondi?B th0 aheeP- Th khakis
(British) camo along and took him as well as
the sheep.
Another boy tells of his capture in the fol
.fSJhSf m1 ?Q s n-hIs way with his
qnhbnfh n b"y ProvIsiS for the
Sabbath. Tho khakis camo along, took their
horse .and wagon, himself and his father, ami
now they aro transported and hold as prisoners
of war in Bermuda.
An old Irishman says a Kaffir came out to
SSfilJ01 n0 dliy with a raessage from tho
British commander requesting him to report
at once to hoadquartors. Ho went and ra-
Zf'rr f WJS detalue for two or three
days. He then began to Inquire as to tho causa
. of the detention. "It is because you did Sot
' ort in tho time-limit heretofore pub-'
lished," ho was Informed And so he Is now a
prisoner of war in Bormuda.
The next thing to attract our attention in
tho laager after tho boys was the numberof old'
men in it. Ono of these, a Mr. Senekel, is
soventy-eight years old. Quito a number rango
between sixty-five and deVenty-flve.
Thero nro altogether about three thousand
Boer prisoners at Bermuda, of whom three are
Americans. Is not England presuming too much
upon tho friendliness of tho United States' wlton
sbo uses American territory as a prison-house for
tho confinement of those who lovo self-government
woll enough to fight for it?
In Its platform of 1890 tho republican: party
said: "Wo hopefully look forward to. the eventual
withdrawal' of the European powers on this hemis
phere and to tho ultimate union of all the English-speaking
part of the continent by the free
.consent of its inhabitants."
This declaration followed immediately after
tho reassertlon of the Monroe doctrine and' was in
turn followed by an expression- of sympathy with
the Cubans. Here is the way it was stated i
From tho hour of achieving, their inde
pendence, tho people of the United States have
regarded with sympathy the struggle of other
Amorlcani peoples to free themselvea from Eu
ropean domination."
Is it consistent with this doctrine to look with1
unconcern upon the use of American soil for the
imprisonment of those who are seeking indepen
dence and are struggling "to free themselves from
European domination?"
Tho English government certainly knows the
feelings of American citizens on this subject, and
knowing, the irritation that such a condition is
llkely to produce would, in. alH probability, remove
thi prisoners, to the eastern hemisphere if atten
tion was called to the matter: It is time for a
friendly protest. If the administration is unwill
ing to express sympathy for tho Boers, it surely
ought to bo willing to carry out the spirit of so Me
a republican platform as the one written in'.189
and protest against tth"e.;e!fgcioii,,pfJnBigJsh
uasuje upon Amprlcan soil... ,.
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J'JJ'
Following English Precedent.
The Outlook ot December T selmSrfbTTina
cause for congratulation in the fact that the Phil
ippine tariff bill provides that the money col
lected on goods imported from the Philippines- to
the United States "shall be held as a separate fund:
and paid !to the treasury of the. Philippine isl
ands to bo usod and expended for the government
and benefit of said islands." The editor of the
Outlook reminds his, readers that his paper in
sisted upon this provision in a previous issue, and
he rejoices that the demand, was complied with.
. Before our esteemed contemporary jubilates
too much over this provision; it would be weir for
him to read tho protest against English rule writ
ten by John Jay and approved by the colonial con
gress, October 21, 1774. As this protest is repro
duced in the World's Best Orations as well as in
many other publications, the editor of the Outlook
will have no difficulty in finding it. His atten
tion is called especially to the following words,
which appeared in that protest:
These, and many other impositions, were
laid upon us, most unjustly and unconstitu
tionally, for the express purpose of raisimr a
revenue. In order to silence complaint, it was
indeed provided that this revenue should bo
end)iiln AmerlSa for ts protection and de
fense. These exactions, however, can receive
no justification from a pretended necessity of
protecting and defending us. They are lavish
y squandered on court favorites and minister
ial dependants, generally avowed enemies to
America, and employing themselves by nar
t al representations to. traduce and embroil
the colonies. "
Here is an English precedent for the provi
sion inserted by a republican congress and glee
fully Indorsed by a great religious periodical it t
not strange that a colonial Poiicy such as En--
land enforced, against tha American colonies,
should, when adopted hero, bringr with it all tho
hypocrisy and false pretense that, characterized its
administration against our forefathers, but never
theless It is humiliating that our nation should ba
doing, today exactly tho samo things against which
earnest and effective protest was made a century,
and a quarter, ago..
"To silence complaint" now,, as, then, the rev
enues are to be turned over to the colonies, but
What of the principle of taxation without repre
sentation? What of the theory of government
without the consent of the governed? Tho revolu
tionary patriots were not willing to surrender the .
right of self-government merely because the Eng
lish turned over to them the proceeds of uncohv
stitutional taxation.
There is another parallel between Jay'l? pro
test and prent conditions in the Philippines. It
was complained that the revenues collected with
out authority and then turned back to the col
onists, "to silence complaint" were "lavishly squan
dered on court favorites and ministerial depend
ents." While we have .no court favorites as ye;
we have ministerial dependents, men appointed- by"
tho president, who have fixed for themselves larger
salaries than are paid for the same kind of worlc
in this country. Complaint was made that the
salaried officials appointed by England were
"avowed enemies to America" and employed them?
selves in "traducing and embroiling, the colonies."'
If any one will read the official reports that come
from the Philippine islands he will be convince
that the Filipinos are being, governed by "avowed
enemies" of their principles, however they may
profess friendship for the Filipinos themselves.
Step by step the doctrine of imperialism is ad
vancing,, and unless the American people are pre
pared to adopt the European idea, of government
there must be a protest that will rescue the re-,
publican party from its present tendencies '"or; '
drive it from power; '"'"
thy initiative andi Referential
Mr. James 0 Hogan, of New Jersey,, in. a very
interesting speech, delivered before the J?wi&8ldL,
club ojLNew. Yorlr, discusses the referendum apd
"quotes at length from the debates on the. adoption,
of our federal constitution. Rodger Sherman is
quoted as- saying1- "I oppose the election of mem
bers of the national legislatures by the people,-.
The people, immediately, should have- as little- to
dc as may be about the government."
Mr. Dickinson, of Delaware, is quoted' as say- -
"I consider a limited monarchy as one of the-
best governments in the world," while Mr. Garrey
"admitted that it was necessary that the people:
should appoint one branch of the government in
order to inspire them with the necessary confi
dence." Alexander Hamilton is quoted as favor
ing a strong centralized government In which life
tenure was prominent and appointment rather
than election suggested.
Tliere is no doubt that the constitution was' a '
compromise between those who had faith in the
capacity of the people for self-government and
those who favored an independent government,
but doubted and distrusted the' people. The fol
lowers of Jefferson represented the popular idea
of government and the followers of Hamilton
represented the aristocratic idea of government.
Experience has demonstrated that the people can.
be trusted. The abuses; which, have- arisen and
which, have given cause for complaint are due not
to the participation of the p jple in government,
but to their partial elimination from the control
of the government. The government is good just
in proportion as it is responsive to the will of. the
people; it is bad in proportion as- the virtue, of
the people is strained through, agents and diluted
by misrepresentation.. . ' '
The last national platform, of tho democratic
party indorsed, the principles ot the: referendum!
,t That principle is now .recognized in the subinis-
ing:
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