Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1899-01-26
. McLAUR|N'S SPEECH.
Opposed to Permanently Holding the
Philippines. $%s$4> !2E

Opposed to Permanently Holding the
philippines. .5s ..l
In accordance with notice previ-
ously given MIR. McLaurin IS. o.
addressed the Senate this afternoon
in support of the Vest resolution de-
Glazing the 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.. McT .anrin. "I an, satisfied thet
our action in the next month will
settle the question of expansion.
There are at this time in the Senate
and nation at large two well defined
and distinct views, one policy of
expansion, involving new definition
of our government and the Inaugural
tion of q colonial system, with all the
perplexing problems incident to it.
The other view opposes a policy of
imperialism, and is based upon tho
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
IF republican institutions.
EXPERIENCE OF THE SOUTH.
Mr.. McLaurin felt that as 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, "is 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 Jews 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 as 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.
"EIow can they consistently, justly
and, ] might add, constitutionally,
advocate a policy for outlaying ter
ritories, embracing races so nearly
akin to the negro race, which differs
80 radically from the policy adopted
as to that race in the South There
can be but one answer to that ques-
tion, and that is that they substanti-
ally admit, in the light of third of
a century's experience, that univer-
sal suffrage is a monumental! failure
and that the time has come for the
correction of this stupendous gov
ernmental error.
"Universal suffrage in the South
long since degenerated into race
question:" continued Mr.. MoEaurin,
"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 the best thought of both races,
will lead to just and mutually salts
! factory settlement OF the gravest
problems that have ever confronted
any people in modern times.
\ cit 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 vindicated tho
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