Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-12-14

CIVILIAN THAN AS A SOLDIER.
THE EXPANSION POLICY OF JEFF
FDRSO,N COM RASTED WITH THE
IMPERIALISM F'ANATICISM OF
THE PRESENT DAY.
Savannah, Ga. December 13.-Col.
VIM. j. Bryan, upon leaving his COM
mand to-day, the Third Nebraska reg
iment, gave the following interview:
My reason for leaving the army was
set forth in my letter to the Adjutant
General, rendering my resignation.
Now that the treaty of peace has been
concluded, l believe that l can be
more useful to my country as civil
ian than soldier"
Col. Bryan then proceeded to the dis
cussion of public questions, saying:
1.-THE people of the United States hav-
ing rescued Cuba from foreign control,
may now resume the decision of the
domestic problems which confront this
nation and to the consideration of the
new questions arising out of the war
Il may be in error, but in my judg-
just now than Cuba. Our(people de-
Tended Cuba against foreign arms;
now they must defend themselves and
their country against a foreign idea
the colonial idea of European nations.
Heretofore greed has perverted the
government and used it's instrumental
interferences for private gain but
now the very foundation principles
of our government are assaulted
"The imperialisitc idea is directly
antagonistic to the ideals which have
been cherished by the American people
since the signing of the Declaration Of
independence. Our nation must give
up any intention of entering upon a
colonial policy (such as is now pursued
by European countries), or it must
abandon the doctrine that governments
derive their just powers from the con-
sent of the governed.
oNhNloo las bCCA QuOICu III sup
port of Imperialism, but our opponents
must distinguish between imperialism
and expansion; they must also distin-
guish between expansion in the west
ern hemisphere and the expansion that
involves us in the quarrels of Europe
and the Orient. They must still fur
ther distinguish between expansion
which secures contiguous territory for
future settlement and expansion which
secures us alien races for further sub
jugatiOn.
Jefferson favored the annexation of
necessary contiguous territory on the
North American continent, but he was
opposed to wars of conquest and ex-
pressly condemned the acquiring of
remote territory"
When asked how the colonial policy
could be prevented, Col. Bryan said:
Some think that the fight should
be made against ratification of the
treaty, but l would prefer another
plan. If the treaty is rejected, nego-
tiations must be renewed and instead
of settling the question according to
our ideas we must settle it by diplo-
macy, with the possibility of interna-
tional complications. 1t will be easier,
| think to end the war at once by rati-
flying the treaty and then deal with the
subject in our own way. The issue
can be presented directly by a resolu-
ton of Congress declaring the policy
of the nation upon this subject. The
President, in his message, says that
our only purpose in taking possession
of Cuba is to establish a stable gov
eminent and then turn that govern
ment over to the people of Cuba. Con-
gress could reaffirm this purpose in re-
gard to Cuba and assert the same pur-
pose in regard to the Philippine ISL
ands and Porto Rico. Such a resolu-
ton would make a clear cut issue be-
and the doctrine of Imperialism. We
should reserve a harbor and coaling
station in Porto Rico and the Philip
pines in return for services rendered,
and l think we would be justified in
asking the same concession from Cuba
In the case of Porto Rico. where the
people has as yet expressed no desire
for an independent government, We
might with propriety declare our will
ingness to annex the islp-d If the citi-
zens desire annexation. But the Phil
ippine islands are too far away and
their people too different from ours to
be annexed to the United States even
if they desired it."
Col Bryan leaves Savannah tonight
for Washington and will arrive there
Wednesday afternoon. He intends to
enter actively into the fight against
the colonial policy.
DIVIDENDS DECLARED.