The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-07-13
WAR.

WAR.
Many are the evil results Of war,
and prominent among those that are
liable 10 grow out OF our present
struggle with Spain is the tendency
towards territorial expansion, or, to
speak more plainly, land-grabbing.
The United States has enjoyed long
period of peace with other nations
until the present Spanish war, and
while it is the duty OF our men IN au-
thority to push the war to success
full termination as rapidly as possible,
it is also their duty tc avoid the
adoption of any policy for future
complications.
To all appearances there can be
but one result of the present conflict
with Spain, and that will be the tax
ing of all her foreign possessions.
We have already taken the Ladone
Islands, the Philippine Islands are
ours as soon as Dewey sees Mt to
take them, and that Cuba and Porto
Rico will fall into our hands is prac-
tically certain. Then the question
arises, what will we do with them:
We have just annexed the Hawaiian
Islands, but that was alright. While
it is a fact that the rightful dynasty
was overthrown few years ago by
what might be termed a conspiracy,
and that made Up principally OF
American capitalists, yet it is also a
fact that when Hawaii knocked at
our doors for admittance she did so
as an independent republic, just as
Texas did nearly fifty years ago. 1t
was good policy, perhaps, to annex
Hawaii, as she will be Of untold value
to our government as coallns sta
ton, and she does not bear sucn close
proximity to any other possessions
as to render foreign complications
probable. But not so with the Phil
lippines. They are situated close to
many islands OF many other posses
sions, and the people ofnone OF them
being OF the highest order, frequent
troubles cannot be said to be i'm
probable. If the United States takes
the Philippines she had best sell
them to Great Britain or some other
country having possessions 10 those
8aters,and use the proceeds to lessen
the war debt Of indemnity which
will be placed upon poor mlsruied
and bleeding Spain. Then what Is
the situation presented as to Cuba
and Porto Rico? We started into
this war upon the high plane OF hu-
manity, to free Cuba and turn the
island over to her people so that they
might have home government. VIII
the United States do that, OF viii she
hold the island herself and annex her
as a State or territory? The char
acter OF the people OF Cuba is well
known. Instructions and uprisings
among them are common. Such
things are inherent, hereditary
among the race, and it matters not
what disposition we make OF the is
land when we take it, unless we sell
it outright to some other country, we
will always have to exercise sort Ct
protectorate over the people and make
them behave themselves when they
become unruly.
We are making much history now.
Much has been made during the past
three months, and great destinies de-
pend upon the acts Of those who are
running our affairs and what they dc
during the next few months.
We believe that the afairs OF oul
government have been well conduc-
ted so far in this struggle, but never
did we need more careful and pru-
dent wisdom than now, lest We devel-
op policy for greedy land grabbing
and which will soon lead US to a con-
dition glittering with the possibility
Of frequent hostilities.
The State Press Association in Sc,