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About Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 2, 1900)
I w 13 V m I - n tts k e r World Herald Herewith are given extracts from the national democratic platform and the editorial comments of the Omaha Bee the administration and imperialistic organ of this section A perusal of this compilation will convince any one that what the Bee advocated before it felt the force of the party lash or foi other reasons surrendered to the im perialist was embodied in the Kansas City platform So harmonious in sen timent and similar in expression that the one might almost be said to be the echo of the other But comment is un necessary the extracts speak for them selves It cannot but be conceded how ever that an editor who thus diametri cally changes his views recognizes that Jiis expressions are without weight or lie regards his readers as a lot ot credulous numskulls who can be influ enced at pleasure for or against any measure Readers of the paper who cannot see that its course ie an insult to their Intelligence are indeed dull of comprehension and more to be pitied than to be blamed Were a minister or other public speaker who essayed to be a public teacher to be guilty of the shameless inconsistency naunt ingly practiced by the local republican organ he or they would be subjects of just derision and public scorn REAFFIRMS FAITH IN THE CON STITUTION We the representatives of the democratic paity of the United States assembled in national con vention on the anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of In dependence do reaffirm our faith in that immortal proclamation of the inalienable rights of man and our allegiance to the constitution framed in harmony therewith by the fathers of the republic We hold with the United States Su preme court that the Declaration of Independence is the spirit of our government of which the constitu tion is the form and letter Kan sas City platform The true friends the really patriotic citizens of the republic are those who insist that we shall faithfully adhere to the policy which imbued the founders of the republic The attempt of the advocates of ter ritorial acquisition to deprecate those who are opposed to their policy by ap plying to them such epithets as little Americans will not have any weight with the thinking portion of the Amer ican people Omaha Bee July 6 189S JOVERN3IENTS DERIVE THEIR JUST POWERS FROM THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED We declare again that all goxern ments instituted among men derive their just powers frcn the consent of the governed that any govern ment not based upon the consent of the governed is a tyranny and that to impose upon any people a gov ernment of force is to substitute the methods of imperialism for those of a republic Kansas City Platform Every voice that is raised in opposi tion to the spirit of imperialism that is being fostered in this country should receive careful attention We confident ly believe that at this time a large majority of our people are opposed to this policy In order that this opposi tion shall not decline those who would renounce the traditional policy of the taation and embark it upon a course pregnant with difficulties and dangers must be met and combated at every point To seize any colony of Spain and hold it as our own without the free consent of the people is a violation of the principles upon which the govern ment rests which we have preached to che world for a century and which we pledged ourselves to respect when the war was declared Omaha Bee June 19 1898 NO NATION CAN ENDURE HALF REPUBLIC AND HALF EMPIRE We hold that the constitution fol lows the flag and denounce the doc trine that an executive or congress deriving their existence and their powers from the constitution can exercise lawful authority beyond it or In violation of It We assert that no nation can long endure half re public and half empireand we warn the American people that imperial ism abroad will lead quickly and inevitably to despotism at home Kansas City Platform The prevalent spirit of imperialism is pregnant with danger It would make the flag of our country the symbol of dominion and empire instead of the blem of freedom equality justice and peace Omaha Bee June 15 1898 We insist that a war begun in the cause of humanity shall not be turned into a war for empire That an at tempt to win for the Cubans the right to govern themselves shall not be made an excuse for extending our sway over alien people without their consent Omaha Bee June 19 1898 THE NATIONS ORGANIC LAW VIO LATED Believing in these fundamental principles we denounce the Porto Rico law enacted by a republican congress against the protest and op position of the democratic minority as a bold and open violation of the nations organic law and a flagrant breach of the national good faith It imposes upon the people of Porto Rico a government without their consent and taxation without repre sentation Kansas City Platform An attempt to win for Cubans the right to govern themselves shall not be made an excuse for extending our sway over alien people without their con sent To sieze any colony of Spain and hold it as our own without the free consent of its people is a violation of the principles upon which the govern ment rests which we have preached to the world for a century and which we pledged ourselves to respect when the war was declared Omaha Bee June 19 1898 REPUBLICAN PARTY DISHONORS AMERICAN PEOPLE It dishonors the American aeople by repudiating a solemn pledge made in their behalf by the com manding general of our army which the Porto Ricans welcomed to a peaceful and unresisted occupation of their land It doomed to poverty and distress whose helplessness ap peals with peculiar force to our justice and magnanimity In this the first act of its imperialistic pro gram the republican party seeks to commit the United States to a colo nial policy Inconsistent with repub lican institutions and condemned by the supreme court in numerous decisions Kansas City Platform Any annexation of territory as a re sult of the war would be a violation of the national faith pledged in the joint session of congress which declared that the United States disclaimed any dis position or intention to exercise sover eignty jurisdiction or control over Cu ba except for the pacification there of To abandon the principles and policy under which we have prospered and embrace the doctrine and practices now called imperialism is to enter the path which with other great republics has ended in the downfall of free insti tutions Omaha Bee June 19 1898 DEMANDS HONEST FULFILLMENT OF PLEDGES We demand the prompt and hon est fulfillment of our pledge to the Cuban people and the world that the United States had no disposition nor intention to exercise sovereign ty jurisdiction or control over the island of Cuba exceut for its pa cification The war ended nearly two years ago profound peace reigns over all the island and still the administration keeps the gov ernment of the island from its peo ple while republican carpetbag offi cials plunder its revenues and ex ploit the colonial theory to the dis grace of the American people Kansas City Platform Any annexation of territory asa re sult of the war would be a violation of the national faith pledged in the joint session of congress which declared that the United States disclaimed any disposition of intention to exercise sov ereignty jurisdiction or control over Cuba except far the pacification there of Omaha Bee June 19 1898 Americans know that it is grossly un just to charge that the motive for going to war with Spain vas territorial ag grandizement Congress distinctly and explicitly disclaimed any such purpose declaring that the sole object of the war was to give Cuba free and independ ent government No utterance of the most violent jingoes even remotely in timated a desire for expansion of terri tory and no such thing was in the thought of anybody in this country when hostilities were declared The idea of territorial expansion was de veloped after the Manila treaty Omaha Bee July 27 1898 DENOUNCES PHIDIPPINS REPUB LICAN POLICY We condemn and denounce the Philippine policy of the present ad ministration It has embroiled the republic in an unnecessary war sac rificed the lives of many of its no blest sons and placed the United States previously known and ap plauded throughout the world as the champion of freedom in the false and un American position of crush ing with military force the efforts ot our former allies to achieve liberty and self government Kansas City Platform Nothing could be more repugnant to American ideas and principles than coercing these people into submission to our rule If they do not desire American government we should violate the cardinal principles of our political system by forcing them to submit to it Omaha Bee September 28 1898 We have accomplished our mission quotes the Bee from the Chicago Chron icle If we go further we must aban don any pretense of humanity or ven geance and admit that we seek con quest and conquest alone We cant af ford to do It when our volunteers are dying In Cuba We cant afford to weigh distant islands against American lives We cant afford to haggle with Spain when every hours delay means mourning for some American home We must end the war and bring the soldiers back to Gods country The Spaniards can keep rthe rest Omaha Bee August 2 1898 7 - va DEMOCRATIC PHILIPPINE POLICY STATED The Filipinos cannot be citizens without endangering our civilization they cannot be subjects without imperiling our form of government and as we are not willing to sur render our civilization or to convert the republic into an empire we fa vor an immediate declaration of the nations purpose to give to the Fili pinos first a stable form of gov ernment second independence third protection from outside inter ference such as has been given for nearly a century to the republics of Central and South America Kan sas City Platform One serious danger is in the likelihood of pressure from our new possessions for admission to the union as states To admit them sooner or later is to follow a long line of precedents to de bar them is to adopt a wholly new the ory of national policy Under a policy of imperialism or territorial acquisi tionwe must choose between giving new possessions statehood and govern ing them as colonies the latter a course which might be fraught with grave menace to our whole constitutional sys tem We shrink from intrusting po litical control to dark skinned Hawail ans of uncertain pedigree and problem atical civilization What a spec tacle this republic would present to the world in denying universal suffrage to one portion of its people while giving it to -another portion Omaha Bee Oc tober 9 1898 COMMERCIALISM DENOUNCED The greedy commercialism which dictated the Philippine policy of the republican administration attempts to justify with the plea that it will pay but even this sordid and un worthy plea falls when brought to the tests of facts xne war ot criminal aggression against the Filipinos entailing an annual ex pense of many millions has already cost more than any possible profit than could accure from the entire Philippine trade for years to come Furthermore when trade is extend ed at the expense of liberty the price is always too high Kansas City Platform Success in obtaining our share of the trade will depend upon our ability to meet the competition of our commer cial rivals There is a view of this matter which appears to have escaped the attention of most people This is the possibility that in the event of the United States permanently occupying the Philippines there will be an indus trial development there v nich will sup ply a large share of the demand of the Asiatic trade thus curtailing the op portunities in that quarter of our own manufactures Labor in these islands can be had at about one third what it costs in the United States and there is an abundance of it The inevitable tendency of this would be to bring down the price of labor in this country em ployed in like industries American labor would consequently have to suffer In no other way could our manufacturers successfully com pete for the Asiatic trade against man ufacturers located nearer to that trade and employing the cheapest labor in the world Omaha Bee July 31 1898 FAVORS TRADE EXPANSION BY PEACEABLE MEANS We are not opposed to territorial expansion when It take3 In desirable territory which can be erected into states in the union and whose peo ple are willing and fit to become merican citizens We favor trade expansion by every peaceful and legitimate means but we are unal terably opposed to the seizing or purchasing of distant islands to be governed outside the constitution - - v I III liPlfffillil 1 linlli I 111 lilli illll nil 1 1 1 1 i llllii WmU mll llufl fl J SlAlnsHni a ilslS nr J tiMiiilUlW 111 iMIml u t wr wfmkMW wM Jm WWWWv 1 WWW J1 If 11 i l ftrfty W ify ZKi rlM vllli - r r - t O m jBz - - -v v - mMmss tE Uneasy Lies the Head That Wears the Crown WHY DID THE BEE CHANGE POLICY SVERY PLANK Iff THE KANSAS CITY PLATFORM RELATING TO McKINLEYS POLICY OF IMPERIALISM HAD THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE OMAHA BEE and whose people can never become citizens Kansas City Platform The United States wants no territory in remote seas requiring great military and naval establishments for its de fense and with a people not fitted for self government The acquisition of such territory would inevitably prove a heavy burden and bring us endless trouble Omaha Bee June 15 1898 FAVORS A HIGH HONORABLE EX AMPLE We are in favor of extending the republics influence among the na tions but believe that influence should be extended not by force and violence but through the persuasive power of a high and honorable ex ample Kansas City Platform We were anxious to stand well in the opinion of the world when we went into war we desired that all disinterested mankind should accept as honest and sincere our assurances of usefulness and of a lofty purpose We sought the good will of the nations on the ground that we made the fight to accomplish the highest objects for which man can battle The war is now over It would seem to be the dictate of wisdom to avoid whatever may seem to justify hostile European sentiment Omaha Bee July 2 1898 IMPERIALISM THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE The importance of other questions now pending before the American people is in no wise diminished and the democratic party takes no back ward step from its position on them but the burning Issue of imperialism growing out of the Spanish war In volves the very existence of the re public and the destruction of our free institutions We regard it as the paramount issue of the cam jaign Kansas City Platform This voice of protest against a policy of imperialism speaking of Boston meeting resolution against a proposed course on the part of the United States distinctly hostile to our republican sys tem and which would inevitably lead us into militarism with all that im plies should find an echo in every quarter of the nation Thoughtful men conservative men patriotic men should everywhere within the boundaries ot the union make themselves heard in explicit and unqualified terms in oppo sition to the demand that this war be made a war for empire that it shall be perverted from the humanitarian pur pose for which it was declared into a war of conquest and territorial ag grandizement Let those who realize the dangerous character of the spirit of imperialism not delude themselves with the idea that left to itself it will not grow There are powerful influ ences fostering it influences prompted by avarice and by ambition for power commercial and military influences and the force of these upon public sen timent must not be underrated Against such influences all who believe that the republic should adhere to its tradition al policy should array themselves at once That is dictated by a wise and true patriotism Omaha Bee June 39 1898 THE BEE ALSO INDORSES BRYAN These direct indorsements of the principles of the democratic platform could be continued almost indefinitely but the above should suffice to show that the organ is utterly lacking in consistency and principle To cap all this however those who are interested should turn to the Bee of June 15 1898 and there read the editorial comments of the paper on Mr Bryans address at the dedication of the Nebraska building when Mr Bryan raised his voice in strong protest against the imperialistic spirit them commencing to be exhibited In this editorial the Bee said Hon William J Bryan sounded the right note in his address at the dedication of the Nebraska build ing when referring to the war wltl Spain he said It should not degen erate Into a war of conquest Mr Bryan made it clear that he 13 un qualifiedly opposed to any schema of colonization and his position la this respect will have no little In fluence upon public opinion The Bee can heartily approve the utter- ance of Mr Bryan because it is In accord with the view this paper has consistently urged The tendency to make the war ona of conquest is becoming far to marked It is receiving kncourage ment in commercial cln 1 sTMt has supporters In the army ind navy and many public men t libllcans are favorable to it Uv ter these influences public sentimet 1 Is being shaped In favor of territorial ag grandizement and if this sentiment is not to be permitted to grow to formidable proportions those who believe that the republic should ad here to its traditional policy and also be faithful to the assurance It gave the world when it entered upon war in the Interest of freedom and hu manity must make themselves heard POYNTER VS DEITRIGH Deithrich In Da kota county said Our army is not large enough yet it should be in creased until it equals correspond ingly to our popu lation the armies of Russia England and other Europe an powers Omaha Neb Oct 20 Governor ter said to the FirstNebraska vol unteers on their re turn home The strength of our rej public lies in our citizen soldier Ho who volunteers to fight when his country is assailed and returns to his farm or shop to produce wealth as soon as his country jls at peace A Gage county German farmer said If you people had lived in Germany or any other European country with a great standing army you would say the United States with its volunteers was good enough for you Our army tax is too much already Dietrich at Super ior said Our flag now floats over the Philippine Islands slave pens and ha rem of the Sultan of the SuIus Shall we haul it down No Poynter at He bron said In the discussion of our treaty with the Su lus I cannot con demn our policy more strongly than by quoting the words of Lincoln when he said When a man gov erns himself that is self government but when he gov erns another and against that oth ers will that I desnotism CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITEEk STATES Art 13 Neither slavery nor involun tary servitude except as punishment for crime shall exist in the United States or any territory under its jur isdiction THE FULL DINNER PAIL During a speech at Twentieth and- Lake streets Omaha Deitrich said There is no question about pros perity being in the land Even here in South Omaha beef is worth IS cents a pound A laboring man In the audience arose and said Yes Mr Deitrich that is so and my wages have not been raised for four years and tha result is I cannot buy any beef for myself or family If you vote fori If you vote for Deitrich you favoi jPoynter you favor all of the viclousia man who Is ap things the adminis posed to all the vf tratlon favors alcious things favor national banker aled by the McKIn money loaner alley administration man who referees prize fights a man without a family a farmer a mart who settled on th nrairies of Nebras ka years ago an tasted the trials nd tribulations ot the early pioneer a man whose heart beats in sympathy with the farmers and laborers of his state a man of a family a man who loves his family and would defend the honor and pur ity of any mans family a man who made an honest and conscientious chief executive a man who is liberal in all things but temperate in all things Voter drop your ballot in the bo done so you become responsible Zaf the man you elect A SNAP SHOT This Induvidual Fored Before Neb- raska people For 48 hours ask Business Man In Politics In Chicago a Dr linger and others arc held for investigation of a plot- ta kill a young woman for her insurance They probably wanted to make insure ance doubly sure The fact that Emma Flour was mar ried to Elmer Kneader in Council Bluffs the other day will probably lead some puagrapher to dilate upon the happi ness of their doughmesticlty - i - jyjjffSftjjySig f l - jiU4