Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1898-12-16
|jUBAS DANGER
LESS THAN OU S.
NJ. Bryan On The Imperial
Policy.
MOI The AMERlCA AN IDEAL

His View of the Question Which
@ Confronts tho Nation-Differ-
E ence Between Expansion
and Imperialism
Savannah, Ca, December li.-Colone
William,J. Bryan, upon leaving his COM
mand to-day, the-third Nebraska Regi
ment gave the following interview:
ID My ITsson fot leaving the army was
~ set forth IhtSmy letter to the Adi1tant
8 General in rendering my resignation. Now
that she treaty of eace has been conclud-
Il ed, l believe that can be more useful to
Il my county as civilian than n soldier"
Colonel Bryan then proceeded to the
= discussion of public questions. saying:
p The people of the United States hav-
n ing rescued Cuba from foreign control,
j may now resume the discus sion of the do
h mestic problems which coniron this ma
ton. and to the consideration of the new
Questions arising out of the war.
81 maybe in error but in ny judgement
4 our nation is in greater danger just now
4 than Cuba. Our people defended Cuba
against foreign arms, now they must de-
fend themselves and country against a
foreign idea-the colonial idep of Emo.
pean nations. Heretofore, greed has per-
yerted the government aud used its inter-
ference for private gain; but now the very
foundation principles ot our government
arc assaulted.
THE IMPlRIALIsrIC IDEA.
"The imperialistc idea is directly an
tagonistc to the ideas and ideals which
have been cherished by the American peo-
pie sincethc signing of the Declaration
of Independence. Oar nation must give
up any Issntion of entering upon colo
nial policy (such as is now pursued by
European countres), or it must abandon
the doctrine that governments derive
their just powers from the consent of the
governed.
1--WE may believe that government
comes up from the people, or we may be-
lieve that governments come down to the
people from those who possess the hcav.
lest cannons and the largest ships, but we
!, cannot advocate both doctrines.
''rdbSNow Bible quotation. "a house
divided a lainst itself cannot stand; par
aphrasing Lincoln's declaration, l may
add that this nation cannot endure half
,>.rpeublic and half colony-half free and
half yassal. ourIorm of government, our
traditions, our present interest and our
future welfare all forbid our enteIing
upon a career of conquest.
Jefferson has been quoted in support
of imperialism, but our opponents must
distinguish between Imperialism and cx-
pansionS they must also distinguish be-
tween expansion in the Western Hemis-
phere and an expansion that involves us
in the quarrels of Europe and the Orient.
They must still further distinguish be-
tween expansion WHICH secures contigu-
GUS tern. N.ory for future settlement, and
expansion which secures ds alien races
for future subjugation.
Jefferson favored the annexation of
necessary contiguous territory OH the
North American continent, but he was op-
posed to wars of conquest, and expressly
condemned the acquiring of remote ter
ritory."
RATiFy THE TREATY.
When asked how the colonial policy
could be prevented, Colonel Bryan said:
"5ome think the fight slUul) be made
>against ratification of the. treaty, but
would prefer another plan. If the treaty
: is rejected, negotiations must be renewed,
and .Atead of settling The question ac-
cording TO ouI own ideas, we must settle
itby diplomacy, with the possibilits of
international complications. 1t Will be
easier think to end the war at once by
Hatifying the treaty and then deal with
! the subject in our own way. The issue
can be presented directly by resolution
of Congress declaring the policy of the
nation upon this subject. Congress could
reafiirm this purl ose in regard to Cuba
= aat assertthe same purpose in regard to
the Philippine islauds and Porto Rico.
~ the case OF Porto Rico, where the
peosfehave as yet expressed i.o desire for
an independent government, we might
with propriety declare our willingness to
annex tile island if the citizens desire an
nexation; but the Philippine Islands are
too far away and their people too differ
ent from ours to be annexed to the Unit
{ led States, even IL they desired it,"
Colonel Bryan leaves savannah tonight
for Washington, and will arrive their
"Wednesday. afternoon. He intends to en-
Ter actively in the ight against colonial
policy, In fact. 1t is evident that this wa $
the main cause that led 10 his resignation.
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