Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-01-11
Mistellaneons Readina.
In WORDS THAT BURN.
VIM. j. Bryan Warns the Nation of Its
Danger.

Inc DucKWOrtn cluD, OF ClDclnnaIl,
gave its annual Andrew Jackson ban
quet last Friday night, and the princi-
pal speaker of the occasion was Colo
mel William ]. Bryan.
After discussing the Chicago platform
and emphasizing the Is to l plank,
Colonel Bryan took up the new ques-
tions that have grown out of the war.
He called attention to the presidents
recommendation ofa larger army, and
insisted that the army should be divid-
ed into two branches the army for
domestic use in the United States,
which he said did not need to be in
creased the army of occupation, which
is temporarily necessary for use out
side of the United States. He said
that the army of occupation should be
recru ted at once, in order to relieve
the volunteers; but that the term of
service should be short, because the
nations policy is not yet settled. He
suggested that the demand for an in
crease in the army might be considered
as the first fruits of that victory to
which the Republicans pointed with so
much pride last November.
Turning to the question of annexa-
tion, he insisted that the nation has
not yet decided what to do with the
Philippine islands. He spoke in part
as follows:
"The sentiment Of the people upon
any great question must be measured
during the days of deliberation and
not during the hours of excitement.
A good man will sometimes be engaged
in fight; but it is not reasonable to
expect a judicial opinion from him un-
til he has had time to wash the blood
off his face. l have seen a herd OF
mildeyed, geltle kline transformed into
infuriated beasts by sight and scent OF
blood, and have seen the same animals
quiet and peaceful again in a few
hours. We have much of the animal
in us still in spite of our civilizing
process. 1t is not unnatural that our
people should be more sanguinary i'm
mediately after battle than they were
before but it is only question of time
when reflection will restore the condi'
tions which existed before the nation
became engaged in the war with Spain.
When men are excited they talk about
what they do; when they are calm
they talk about what they ought to do.
If the president rightly interpreted the
feelings of the people when they were
Intoxicated by military triumph, we
shall appeal from Philip drunk to
Philip SOBER
"The forcible annexation of the
Philippine islands would violate a
principle of American public law too
deeply imbedded in the American
mind that until year ago no public
man would have suggested it. 1T is
difficult to overestimate the influence
which such change in our national
policy would produce on the character
of our people. Our opponents ask,
is our nation not great enough to do
what England, Germany and Holland
are doing?' They enquire, Gan we
not govern colonies as well as they ?
Whether we can govern colonies as
we'll as they, is not material the real
question is whether we can, in our
hemisphere, develop the theory that
governments derive their just power
from the consent Of the governed, and
at the same time inaugurate, support
and defend in the other hemisphere, a
government which derives its author
lily entirely from superior force. And,
if these two ideas of government can.
not live together, which one shall we
choose? TO defend forcible annexa-
ton on the ground that we are carry
ing out a religious duty, is worse than
absurd. The Bible teaches us that it
is more blessed to give than receive,
while the colonial policy is based upon
the doctrine that it is more blessed to
take than to leave. am afraid that
the Imperialists have confused their
beatitudes. 1 once heard Of a man
who mixed up the parable of the SOW
ep, and in attempting to repeat the
former said : "A man went from Jeru-
salem to Jericho, and, as he went, he
fell among thorns and the thorns sprang
up and choked him. We entered the
Spanish war as peacemakers. 1mpe-
rialists have an indistinct recollection
that blessing has been promised to
the peacemakers, and also to the meek ;
but their desire for more territory has
perverted their memories so that as
they greet the former ii reads: Bless
ed are the peacemakers for they shall
inherit the earth Annexation cannot
be defended upon the ground that we
shall find pecuniary profit in the
policy. The advantage which comes
to few individuals who hold offices
or who secure valuable franchises, can
not properly be weighed against the
money expended in governing the
Philippines, because the money ex-
pended will not be paid to those who
pay the taxes. We are not yet in a
position to determine whether the
people of the United States after a
while will bring back from the Philip
pines as much as they send there.
There is an old saying that it is not
profitable to buy law suit. Our ma
tion may learn by experience that it is
not wise to purchase the right to con-
quer people.
"Spain, under compulsion, gives US
a quit claim to the Philippines in re-
turn for 2O,oOO,OOO; but she does not
agree to warrant and defend our title
as against the Fil;2inos. To buy land
is one thing; to buy people is an
other Land is inanimate and makes