Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-11-22
will establish.


The United States government
claims, and The State endorses that
claim, that the war against Spain was
waged for humanity. We were inter.
ested because the inhumanity to which
we wished to put stop was so close
to our doors. An incident of that war
was the destruction of Spanish author
ity in the Philippines. The situation
presented an alluring invitation to the
adventurer, Aguinaldo. His success
would have meant an indefinite reign Of
plunder, arson and murder that would
have necessarily been anarchy pure and
simple. The United States being respon-
sible for this condition of affairs, then,
if we were justified in interfering in
Cuba from motives of humanity, does
not the same motives actually compel
US to complete our work here ?
The State need not worry itself
about our depriving the Filipinos of
the privilege of self government. 1t
ought to know that we are fighting
Aguinaldo in order to insure them that
very privilege. We will give them all
the self-goverument that they are Ca
pable of enjoying. 1t is not likely that
they will ever have anything to do
with governing US; but aside from
that, in the enjoyment of life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness, they will
be as free as the editor of The State
himself, and we do not think that he
really believes anything to the contra
ry. This promise has already been
made to the Filipinos as whole, and,
therefore, to Aguinaldo as much as to
any other individual on the island. If
Aguinaldo is entitled to any more con-
sideration than any one of the S,OOO,'
900 people on the island, we are una
BILE to see why. The State goes on:
We have no manner of doubt that
Senators Tillman. and McLaurin ."are
as anxious for peace in this matter as
is The State" The difference be-
tween US is that they have written "for
buncombe," while We, detest bum
combe.
While it is not especially incumbent
upon US to defend Senators Tillman
and McLaurin, we must protest that
this assertion of The States is, TO say
the least, very unkind. The positions
that Senators Tillman and McLaurln
occupy, require them TO spend most OF
their time studying just such ques
tions as these. They are supposed to
be expending their best efforts for the
good of the people of South Carolina
and of the nation, pnd that they are
doing this we have not the slightest
doubt. They have means of informa-
ton and abilities for superior to those
of the editor of The ENQUIRER, and
almost equal to those of the editor OF
The State. The States suggestion
that they are on the popular side,
strikes us as ridiculous, because Demo.
cratic symnatbEo is ga!@rallXt Xtnnsg naga!ansses sase
the judgment of both Senatohs Till.
man and McLaurin tends rather toShe
support of the policy that is being
pursued by the administration. In.
stead of feeling that. our senators are
talking for buncombe, we have felt
that the high, manly courage they
have exhibited is superior to anything
of the kind that has come under our
observation in years. We are unable
to see wherein The State has any more
right to assume that these gentlemen
are talking for buncombe, than they
have 10 assume thatit is inspired by
no higher motive.
When The State says this is
"a time for sober thinking" we are
fully prepared to agree with it, and
we will remark that we believe that if
it will continue to think as soberly as
was evidently the case when the arti-
Gle now under consideration was writ
ten, it will soon convince itself of the
untenableness of its present positions.