Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-01-26
McLAURIu'S SPEECH.
Opposed to Permanently Holding the
Philippines.

/ la ,.N d
Opposed to Permanently Holding the
%S5, Philippines. q
In accordance with notice previ-
ously given Mr.. .MoLaurin Is. C)
addressed the Senate this afternoon
in support of the Vest resolution de-
claring tho policy of acquiring terri
tory not intended to be incorporated
into States to be unconstitutional.
"The manifold and serious ques-
tions growing out of the war with
Spain are now absorbing the atten-
tion of the American people," began
Mr.. MoLaurin. ~ am satisfied that
our action in the next month will
settle the question of expansion.
There are vt this time in tho Senate
and nation at large two well defined
and distinct views, one policy Of
expansion, involving new definition
of our government and tho inaugural
tion of colonial system, with all the
perplexing problems incident to it.
Tho other view opposes a policy OF
imperialism, and is based upon the
governmental policy of the last GEN.
tury, and in my Judgment is the only
position that is in harmony with the
Constitution and the spirit and genius
of republican institutions.
EXPERIENCE OF THE SOUTH.
Mr.. McLaurin felt that as a repre-
sentative of South Carolina he was
particularly qualified to speak on the
incorporation of mongrel and semi
barbarous population into our body
polite.
"The experience of the South for
the past thirty years with the negro
race" said he, els pregnant with les
sons of wisdom for our guidance in
the Philippines. 1t is passing strange
that Senators who favored universal
suffrage should now advocate impe-
rialism. There is glaring inconsis-
tency in these positions. If they are
sincere in their views as to the Phil
ippines they should propose an
amendment to the Constitution which
will put the inferior races in this
country and the inhabitants of the
Philippines upon an equality 40 to
their civil and political rights and
thus forever settle the vexed race
and suffrage questions in this coun.
try as well as in outlaying territories.
"How can they consistently, justly
and, I might add, constitutionally,
advocate policy for outlaying ter
ritories, embracing races so nearly
akin to the negro race, which differs
so radically from the policy adopted
as to that race in the South2 There
can be but one answer to that uues-
tion, and that is that they substanti-
ally admit, in the light of third of
a century's experience, that univer-
sal suffrage is monumental failure
and that the time has come for the
correction of this stupendous gov
ernmental error.
"Universal suffrage in tho South
long since degenerated into race
question:" continued Mr.. McLaurin,
"and as such led to the practical
elimination Of the negro from politics
"a policy to-day wisely advocated
by the great leaders of the race, like
Prof. Miller and Booker Washing
ton, and which in time, without out
side interference, under the guidance
of tho best thought of both races,
will lead to a just and mutually satis-
factory settlement of tho gravest
problems that have ever confronted
any people in modern times.
y "lt is indeed confronting to hear
some of those who in the past criti-
cised US, now that the question is
brought home, completely justify our
methods in providing scheme of
colonial government.
"The Senator from Connecticut
has almost amply vindioated the
South, perhaps unintentionally, but
we thank him the moro heartily for
his complete announcement of the
divine right of the Caucasian to gov
ern the inferior races"
CONSTITUTIONAL ARGUMENT.
Mr.. McLawrin then entered upon q
constitutional discussion of the ques-
ton presented by the resolution,
maintaining that all the rights and
powers of tho federal government
are enumerated specifically in tho
Constitution, and such as were not
thus specially defined did not exist.
"Tho nation, rs nation," he con-
tended, "has no sovereign rights OK
cept those conferred by the Consti-
tuition"