Questions Concerning American Imperialism
By L. A. S.
SPEAKING at a dinner of the Harvard Law School Association recently, Ex-Secretary-of-State Richard Olney set forth a number of questions the earnest consideration of which by the lawyers of this day is, he said, imperatively needed. These questions relate to the governmental policy of the nation, in which the speaker saw a great departure from the pathway in which the nation has attained its present position among the world powers. Where in the national Constitution, Mr. Olney inquired, is to be found the principle of altruism. Where is to be found in it “any authority for purely philanthropic enterprises—any right of the government to turn itself into a missionary to the benighted tribes of islands in the South Seas, seven thousand miles from our shores, or any power to tax the toiling masses of this country for the benefit of motley groups of the brown people of the tropics, between whom and the taxpayers there is absolutely no community either of interest or of sympathy?” “Still another search is needed,” he said, “to find in American law any right in a strong nation to appropriate the sovereignty or territory of a weak nation, either in the name of ‘collective civilization’ or in any other name or on any pretext whatsoever.” It is for the men of the American bar to say, Mr. Olney said, “whether there is a break with all our past which ought to be and is to be perpetuated; whether American principles as embodied in American constitutions and state papers, once deemed models of wisdom and inspirations to humanity the world over, are now to be relegated to the limbo of antiquated superstitions; whether the flag shall symbolize the ideas and the ideals of the great Americans who are identified with all that is most glorious in our past history, or shall stand for the theories of the new guides and teachers of the present hour.” That a great and sudden change should come over the policy of the nation at this time, is no mystery to the student of prophecy. The “beast” symbol under which this power appears in inspired prophecy, has “two horns like a lamb,” but speaks as a dragon. This power has been lamblike in its profession and policy hitherto; and if it is to speak as a dragon, a decided change in its attitude must take place. Just such a change has now come, and eminent men of the nation, though they know nothing of any Bible prophecy to be fulfilled by the nation, note this change, and ask whether it is to be permanent. It is a change which sets aside the principles of the equality of all men in point of natural rights and the right of all men to self-government, and declares that government derives its just powers from the consent merely of “some of the governed.” There has come apostasy from the truth by the church; there is now apostasy on the part of the state. Church and state are now to unite, and proceed together against the truth by which God would call men out from the world at this time, and against its adherents. This will yet appear as the meaning of the declaration that is now made that this nation can rightfully govern people without their consent. L. A. S.