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The Commoner
WILUAfl J. BRYAN, EDITOR AND PROPRIETOR.
Vol. 2. No. 24.
Lincoln, Nebraska, July 4, 1902.
Whole No. 76.
f. AMERICA'S MISSION Ut
Speech Delivered by Mr. Bryaa At the Washington Day Banquet Given by tha Virginia Democratic Association, Washington, 1899.
When the advocates of imperialism find it im
possible to reconcile a colonial policy with the
principles of our government or with the canons of
morality; when they are unable to defend it upon
the ground of religious duty or pecuniary profit,
they fall back in helpless despair upon the asser
tion that it is destiny. "Suppose it does violate
the constitution," thoy say; "suppose it does break
all the commandments; suppose it does entail upon
the nation an incalculable, expenditure of blood
and money; it is destiny and we must submit."
The people have not voted for imperialism;'
no national convention has declared for it; no
congress has passed upon it. To whom, then,
has the future been revealed? Whence this voice
of authority? We can all prophesy, but our
prophecies are merely guesses, colored by our
hopes and our surroundings. Man's opinion of
what is to bo is half wish and half environment.
Avarice paints destiny with a dollar mark before
it, militarism equips it with a sword.
He is the best prophet who, recognizing the
omnipotence of truth, comprehends most clearly
the great forces which are working out the prog
ress, not of one party, not of one 'nation, but of
the human race.
History is replete with predictions which once
wore the hue of destiny, but which failed of ful
fillment because those who uttered them saw too
small an arc of the circle of events. When Pharoah
pursued the fleeing Israelites to the edge of the Red
sea he was confident that their bondage would bo
renewed and that they would again make bricks
without straw, but destiny was not revealed until
Moses and his followers reached the farther shore
dry-shod and the waves rolled over the horses and
chariots of the Egyptians. When Belshazzar, on the
last night of his reign, led his thousand lords into
the Babylonian banquet hall and sat down to a
table glittering with vessels of silver and gold,
he felt sure of his kingdom for many years to
come, but destiny was not revealed until the hand
wrote upon the wall those awe-inspiring words,
"Mene, mene, tekel upharsin!" When Abderrah
man swept northward with his conquering hosts
his imagination saw the crescent triumphant
.throughout the world, but destiny was not re
vealed until Charles Martel raised the cross above
the battlefield of Tours and saved Europe from the
sword of Mohammedanism. When Napoleon
emerged victorious from Marengo, from Ulm and
from Austerlitz, he thought himself the child of
destiny, but destiny was not revealed until Blu
cher's forces joined the army of Wellington and
the vanquished Corsican began his melancholy
march to St. Helena. When the red-coats of George
III. routed the New Englanders at Lexington and
Bunker Hill there arose before the British sov
ereign visions of colonies taxed without represen
tation and drained of their wealth by foreign-made
laws, but destiny was not revealed until the sur
render of Cornwallis completed the work begun at
Independence Hall and ushered into existence a
government deriving its just powers from the con
sent of the governed.
We hLve reached another crisis. The ancient
doctrine of imperialism, banished from our land
more than a century ago, has recrossed the At
lantic and challenged democracy to mortal com
bat upon American soil.
Whether the Spanish war shall bo known in
history as a war for liberty or as a war of con
quest; whether the principles of self-government
shall be strengthened or abandoned; whether this
nation shall remain a homogeneous republic or bo
coma a heterogeneous empire these questions
must be answered by the American people when
they speak, and not until then, will destiny bo
revealed.
Destiny is not a matter of chanco, it Is a mat
ter of choice; It is not a thing to bo waited for, it
is a thing to bo achieved. No one can see the end
from the beginning, but every one can make his
course an honorable one from beginning to end,
by adhering to the right under all circumstances.
HHBBBBnanSffiBHBBHUHMHHCK
ANNOUNCEMENT.
The support which. Tnis Commoner has
received during the past year justifies an
increase in its size. Commencing with tho
issue of July 11th, four pages will bo added,
making a sixteen-pago paper. Tho additional
I pages will bo used to strengthen all depart
ments of tho paper, especially tho general
news and Homo Department.
The readers of The Commoner will bo
kept informed as to tho progress of the
campaign in tho various states, and tho
influence of tho paper will ho employed to
bring about tho success of democratic prin
ciples. To those whoso support has made pos
sible its success, and who have so faithfully
aided in extending its influence by extend
ing its circulation, The Commoner returns
its'hearty thanks.
Whether a man steals much or little may depend
upon his opportunities, but whether he steals at
all depends upon his own volition.
So with our nation. If we embark upon a career
of conquest no one can tell how many islands wo
may be able to seize or how many races we may
be able to subjugate; neither can any one esti
mate tte cost, immediate and remote, to tho na
tion's purse and to the nation's character, but
whether we shall enter upon such a career, is a
question which the people have a' right to decide
for themselves.
Unexpected events may retard or advance tho
nation.'s. growth, but the nation's purpose deter
mines its" 'destiny,
What is tho nation's purpose?
Tho main purposo of tho foundors of our gov
ernment was to secure for themselves and for pos
terity tho blessings of liborty, and that purposo
has been faithfully followed up to this tlmo. Our
statesmon havo opposed each othor upon economic
questions, but they havo agreod in dofondlng solf
government as the controlling national idea. Thoy
havo quarreled among themselves ovor tariff and
finance, but they havo boon united in thoir opposi
tion to an entangling allianco with any European
power.
Under this policy our nation has grown In
numbers and in strength. Under this, policy its
boneflcont influonco has encircled tho globe. Un
der this policy tho taxpayers havo been spared
tho burdens and tho menace of a largo military
establishment and tho young men havo boon
taught tho arts of peace rather than tho scionco of
war. On each roturning Fourth .of July our people
havo met to celebrate tho signing of tho Declara
tion of Independence; their hearts havo renewed
their vows to free institutions, and thoir voices
havo praised tho forefathers whoso wisdom and
courage and patriotism mado it possible for each
succeeding generation to repeat tho words:
"My country, 'tis of thee,
Sweet land of liborty,
Of thee I sing."
This sentiment was well nigh universal until
a year ago. It was to this sentiment that tho Cu
ban insurgents appealed; it was this sentiment
that impelled our peoplo to enter Into tho war
with Spain. Havo tho peoplo so changed within
a few short months that thoy are now willing to
apologize for tho war of tho revolution and forco
upon tho Filipinos tho same system of govern
ment against which tho colonists protested with
firo and sword?
Tho hour of temptation has come, but tempta
tions do not destroy, thoy merely test, tho strength
of Individuals and nations; thoy are stumbling
blocks or stepping stones; thoy lead to infamy;
or fame, according to tho use mado of them.
Benedict Arnold and Ethan Allen served to
gether in tho continental army, and both woro
offered British gold. Arnold yielded to the tempta
tion and mado his namo a synonym for treason;
Allen resisted and lives In tho affections of his
countrymen.
Our nation is tempted to depart from Its
"standard of morality" and adopt a policy of
"criminal aggression." But, will it yield?
If I mistake not the sentiment of the American
people they will snurn tho bribe of imperialism,
and, by resisting temptation, win such a victory as
Jias not been won since tho battle of Yorktown.
Let it be written of tho United States: Behold a
republic that took up arms to aid a neighboring
people struggling to bo free; a republic that, in
tho progress of ha war, helped distant race
whose wrongs were not in contemplation when
hostilities began; a republic that, when peace waa
restored, turned a deaf ear to the clamorous voice
of greed, and to those borno by the weight of a
foreign yoke spoko tho welcome words, Stand up;,
be free let this be the record made on history's
.
