Rocky Ford enterprise., 1898-12-15
MIR. BRYAN'S IDEAS.
WILL FIGHT AGAINST ExPAN-
SION.
lie Says tho Country Is In Grave Danger
From = Departure From the funda-
mental Principles of Our Governmcnt.

mental Principles of Our Government.
Savannah, Ga. Dec. l4-Colonel VIII
liam J. Bryan, upon leaving his COM
mand to-day. the Third Nebraska. gave
the following interview:
MY reason for leaving the army was
set forth In my letter to the adjutnnt
general rendering my resignation. Now
that the treaty of peace has been con-
cluded, l believe that ! can he more
useful to my country rs civilian than
as a soldier"
Colonel Bryan then proceeded to the
discussion of public questions. saying:
'"rhe people of the United States.
having rescued Cuba from foreign con-
troll. may now resume the discussion
OF the domestic problems which con-
front this nation and TO the considera-
tlon Of the new questions arising out OF
the war.
Il may be. In error. but In my Judg-
ment. our nation is In greater danger
Just now than Cuba. Our people de-
Tended Cuba against foreign arms. now
they must defend themselves and their
country against II foreign idea-the CO.
lonial idea of European nations. Here
tOfore greed has perverted the govern
ment and used Its instrumental inter
ference for private gain: but now the
very foundation principles OF our gov
crnment are assaulted.
'rhe imperinlistic idea Is directly an
tagonistic to the Idea and ideals which
have been cherished by the American
people since the signing of the dcclara-
tion Of independence. Our nntion must
give up any intention Of entering upon
4 colonial policy tsuch as is now pur-
sued by European cOuntries) or 1t must
abandon the doctrine that governments
derive their just powers from the con-
sent Of the governed.
I'VE may believe that governments
come up from the people. or we may
believe that governments come down
to the people from those who possess
the heaviest cannons and the largest
ships. but we cannot advocate both doc
trines.
"ro borrow Bible quotation. a
house divided against itself cannot
stand;' paraphrasing Lincoln's declar-
alton. may add that this nation can
not endure half republic and half col
ony-half free and half vassal. Our
form of government. even traditions.
our present interests and our future
welfare. all forbid our entering upon
career Of conquest.
Jefferson has been quoted In sup
port OF Imperialism. but our opponents
must distinguish between expansion in
the Western Hemisphere and the cX-
pansion that involves us in the qunrrels
OF Europe and the Orient. They must
still further distinguish between expan-
sion which secures contiguous terri
tory for future settlement and expan-
sion. and that which secures us alien
races for future subjugation.
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 re-
mote territory"
When asked how the colonial policy
could be prevented. Colonel 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, negotiations must be
renewed. and instead of settling the
question according to our ideas, we
must settle it by diplomacy. with the
possibility of international complicn-
tions.
ut will be easier. think, to end the
war ut once by raiifying the treaty
and then deal with the subjects In our
own way. The issue can be presented
directly by a resolution of Congress de-
claring the policy of the nation upon
this subject. The President In his mes
sage says that our only purpose In TAX
ing possession of Cuba IL to establish
a stable government and then turn
that government over to the people of
Cuba. Congress could reatiirm this pur-
pose in regard to Cuba and assert the
same purpose in regard to the Philip
pines and Porto Rico.
"Such resolution would make a
clear-cut issue between the doctrine Of
self-government and the doctrine Of i'm
perialism. We should reserve harbor
and coaling station in Porto Rico and
the Philippines in return for services
rendered, and l think we would be JUS
titled In asking the same concession
from Cuba.
'In the case of Porto Rico, where the
people have as yet expressed no desire
for an Independent government, we
might with propriety declare our will
ingness to annex the island IL the citi-
zens desire annexation; but the Philip
pines islands are too far away and their
people too different from ours to be nn-
nexed to the United States even II they
desired it,
Colonel Bryan leaves Savannah to-
night for Washington and will arrive
there Wednesday afternoon. He in
tends to enter actively into the fight
against the colonial policy.