The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1899-02-01
Dr.. Stokes Against Imperialism.

Special to The Dispatch.
Washington, D. c., January 26.
representative Stokes addressed
the House at the evening session
yesterday against the pending Army
Reorganization bill, and incidently
against the imperialistic policy Of the
administration. He argued that the
'proposition to increase the standing
army OF a Republic fourfold in time
of peace or at the close of a success
full war, marks a crisis in the history
of that Republic" 1T is a PROPOSE
tiop,' said be, Ito legislate for the
next war, or else to use the increased
army for sinister purposes in the
present conditions. If the first, then
it applies the assumption that we are
wiser than future congresses. Has
the management Of the Spanish war
been so free from mistakes and scan
dial that those methods should be
crystalized into law and projected
into future c~ampaigns?"
Speaking for myself" said he, 81
would rather trust the volunteer
soldiery, with all their alleged crudi-
ties, for the protection OF our homes
and the preservation of our liberties
than all the standing armies of
Christendom. The volunteer soldiery
of America is the apparently mex
haustible reservoir of power that
amazes and mystifes Europe. The
regular army can be accurately count
ed, weighed and ne~utralized. The
volunteer force never-it is the great
unknown factor in the problem that
cannot be estimated or hedged
against. The proposition to substi-
tute a standing army is to weaken
our position at an additional cost of
upwards of 100 million dollars an
nually. 1t is more money for less
security. This bill, coming at the
time as it does, construed in the light
of various u%tterances of the Chief
Executive, means preparation for
permanent occupation of the recently
coded Spanish possessions"
Mr.. Stokes comedies the constitu-
tional right to acquire territory in
any of the ordinary ways-purchase,
conquest or treaty. The fact is
said he, "we have run the whole
gamut as to the methods Of acquisi-
ton. 1t is a question of policy pure
and simple-a policy for which the
administration will have to answe at
the bar Of public opinion"
lone of the counts in the indict.
ment of the President" said he, 'if
he shall dare to carry out his present
policy, will come up from that very
South which applauded to the echo
his patriotic references to the flag.
When that some South begins to feel
the added pressure Of 10 million
more OF people, producing under in
telligent direction, and with Ameri-
can capital, the staple products tf
the South, that count in the indict.
ment will be coupled with execration
of the policy and of it's authors"
another count will come" he
continued, from the great labor in
terests Of this country already pinch
ed with want for lack of work, when
they begin to feel the added pres
sure of the teeuipg millions of the
Orient, swalmipg through this open
door to take the places in forge and
factory and feld-unhampered by
Exclusion Acts of Congress, which
must utterly fall against citizens of
our own territory-and of other mil.
lions yet to be born in those islands
who shall follow these, clothed with
all the rights, immunities and priv
ileges Of citizenship-rights, immu-
mites and privileges that no court
nor Congress can ever disbar or limit
until the Constitution of the United
States shall have been changed"
Mr.. Stokes was listened to by all
present with close attention and evil
dent interest, being often interrupted
throughout by the applause of the
members.
" "