Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1898-12-17

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American people since the signing o.
the Declaration of Independence. Oul
nation must give up any intention o.
entering upon a colonial policy (suct
as is now pursued by European coun.
tries), or it must abandon the doctrine
that governments derive their just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned.
ave 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
doctrines.
ITO borrow a Bible quotation, "A
house divided against itself cannot
stand : paraphrasing Lincoln's decla.
ration, 1 may add that this nation
cannot endure half Republic and half
colony, half free and half vassal. Our
form of government, our traditions,
our present interests and our future
welfare all forbid our entering upon a
career of conquest.
jefferson has been quoted in sup
port of imperialism but our opponents
must distinguish between imperialism
and expansion they must also distin-
guish between expansion that involves
US in the quarrels of Europe and the
Orient. They must still further distin-
guish between expansion which Sc
cures contiguous territory for future
settlement and expansion which Sc
cures US alien races for future subjuga-
ton.
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, Colonel Bryan
said:
"Some think that the fight should
be made against the ratification of the
treaty, but I would prefer another
plan. If the treaty is rejected negotia-
tions must be renewed, and instead Of
settling the question according to our
own 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
ratifying the treaty and then deal with
the subject in our own way. The issue
can be presented directly by resolu-
ton of congress declaring the policy of
the nation upon this subject. The
president says in his message that our
only purpose in taking possession of
Cuba is to establish a stable govern.
ment and then turn that government
over to the people of Cuba. Congress
could reaffim this purpose in regard TO
the Philippine Islands and Porto Rico.
Such a resolution would make clear
cut issue between the doctrine of self
aud the doctrine of i'm
perialism. We should reserve har-
Dor and coaling station in Porto Rico
and the Philippines in return for ser
vices rendered, and I think we would
be justified in asking the same con-
cession 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
willingness to annex the island if the
citizens desire annexation but the
Philippine Islands are too far away
and their people too different from
ours to be annexed to the United
States, even if they desired it,"
Colonel Bryan leaves Savannah to.
night for Washington, D. c., and will
arrive there Wednesday afternoon.
He intends to enter actively into the
fight against the colonial policy. In
fact it is evident that this was the
main cause that led to his resignation.