The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-12-16

COLONEL 0RrAN IN THE R1Gnr
A<afnss H0Rerlalfsm - He Gives HIS
1easens for OpPos1ng Annexas1on 81
the Philippines aaA RsFso l91eo
Savannah. Ga, December l3.-colo-
mel VIM J. Bryan. upon le&ying his
command today, the Third Nebraska
regiment, gave the following inter-
view:
My reason for leaving the army was
set forth In M letter to the adjutant
general rendering my resignation. Now
that the treaty Of peace has been CON
cluded, / believe that I can be more
useful to my country as a civilian than
a soldier"
Colonel Bryan then proceeds to the
discussion Of public questions saying:
THE people of the United States
having rescued Cubs from foreign con-
troll. may now resume the discussion
of the domestic problems which con-
front this nation, n the considera-
ton of the new questions arising out Of
the war.
81 may be in error, blu in my judy
men u nation is in greater danger
just now than Cuba. Dur people de-
Tended Cuba against foreign arms;
now they must defend themselves and
their country against a foreign idea-
the olonial idea of European nations.
Heretofore greed has perverted the
government and used its instrumental
interferences for private gains; but now
the very foundation principles of u
government are assaulted. The impe-
realistic idea is directly a~ntagonistic to
the idea and ideals which have been
cherished by the American people since
the signing of the declaration of indie
p~endence. Our nation must give up
any intention Of entering upon a colo
NAL policy (such as is now pursued by
European countries) or 1t must aban-
don the doctrine that governments de-
rive their just powers from the consent
of the governed.
we may believe that governments
come up from the people or We may be-
lieve that governments come down to
the people from those who possess the
heaviest cannons n the largest ships
| but We cannot advocate both doctrines.
TIC borrow a Bible quotation, A
house divided against itself cannot
stand;' Paraphrasing Lincoln's decla-
ration, I may add that this nation
cannot endure, half republic and half
colony-half free and half vassal.'
Our form of government, our tradi-
tons. 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 in the ives.
tern hemisphere and an expansion thai
i~~"'-oe 80 il the uusrrels Of F,,rope
and the Orient. They must still furth.
er distinguish between expansion
which secures contiguous territory fol
future settlement and expansion which
secures Us allen races for future sub.
Jugation. Jefferson favored the annex.
Atom or necessary contiguous territory
on the North American continent, but
he was opposed to wars of conquest
and expressly condemned the acquir.
ing of remote 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 / would : prefer another plan. II
the treaty is rejected negotiations
must be renewe and instead of set
Ting the question according to gu
ideas We must settle /. by diplomacy
with the possibility of international
complications. It will be easier. ]
~AA kHS Wal ol ollSCs ny dll-
Tying 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 says in his message that our
only urpos in taking possession OF
Cuba is to establish a stable govern
ment and then turn that government to
the people Of Cuba. Congress could
re-af1rm this purpose in regard to
Cuba and assert the same purpose In
regard to the PHILIPPINE islands and
| Porto Rico. Such a resolution would
make a clearcut issue between the doc
trine of self-government and the doc
trine of Imperialism.
I'm the case of Porto Rico, where
the people have as vet expressed no
desire for an Independent government
we might with propriety declare our
Willingness to annex the island if the
citizens desire lamentations; but the
Philippine islands are too far away and
their people too different from ours tc
be annexed to the United States, even
If they desire it."
Colonel Bryan leaves Savannah to-
Night for Washington and will arrive
there Wednesday afternoon. He in.
tends to enter actively into the figh,
against the colonial policy. In fact IL
IS evident that this was the purpose
| that led to his resignation.