The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1899-05-04
PRESENT DAY THOUGHTS
Arguments About Expansion.
A PARALLEL DRAWN.
BY G. GROsvENoR DAVE.

Written for The Commonwealth.
There are already indications that
an attempt will be made between now
and next summer to exalt the subject
of Epansion into the ranks of a Nation
al political issue. It may we'll be re-
regarded in such a light; for even
granting the diplomatic necessities that
brought to pass our territorial expan-
sion within the past year, it neverthe-
less remains fact that the creation OF
is remarkable departure
from past standards.
Before, however, the presidential stew
pot commences to simmer there are
number OF questllons that ought to be
so clearly recognized by the general
public as haylng no bearing upon the
main question ofexpansion that it may
be we'll to refer at least to one OF them.
It Is being said In print and In speech
that the Filipinos are fighting for ex-
actly the same thing as our forefathers,
and that therefore there is nothing to
be done except to act on precedents OF
the past and back out of the PHILIPPINES
lust as the British backed out OF Amer
ica.
For what did our forefathers contend?
For that which they were well able to
carry on-self-government. What else
did they regard as their inallenable
rights? Life, liberty and the pursuit
of happiness. And in order to secure
their point, what declaration did they
make regarding themselves? That all
men are born free and equal-a soph-
istlcal statement, for whose unreality
the nation they made was almost dis
rupted from '6l to '65.
Very we'll. Viewed dispassionately
these noble contenders for the rights OF
men, ought themselves earlier than
their own contention against the Eng
lish. to have backed out from America
because the poor Indian himself fought
a battle for self-government-after his
own idea-and for life, liberty and the
pursuit of happiness-as he understood
it. Yet I VOW that there be few OF vi
who would have contemplated with sat
lsfaction the triumph of the savage In
dian. even though he was contendlns
for the land that the Great Father gave
him, and the miles over which his an
: cestors had roamed, hunted, tough
and died.
Let us come down to even NOR
, modern matter. Less than year ag
! there was a fierce outbreak of racia
7 feeling in the South. White mel
e we're organized in a certain amateu
/ uniform and armed with shot guns
not because the colored Americans ha
any particular designs upon th'
l hearths or homes of their white fello'
4 men or because they were trying t
a drive the whites off any particular spe
> Of ground. In brief the trouble wa
IL this that one hundred and twent
e wears and more after the Declaratlo
n OF Independence the descendents
r those who fought for independents
IS we're willing to take up arms to prov
even by the death OF their colore
brethren that there is neither politics
'e equality nor freedom tor all, in tn
IS great country of ours.
r. *x*
"a This brief look at ourselves and OF
III past Is designed to make one poll
d clear. in order that it may be reco
Is nized as having little bearing upt
he the present dispute. The point is tn
to there is such thing as a domlna
nd race. and while in fact the pursuit
ID happiness is the object of all OF us,
It, in practice the pursuit OF that hapl
u ness will ever have to be along lin
III decided as to their direction by tt
ne dominant race, or the struggle Tor TN
n supposed happines will have to be
OK pressed by the dominant race.
nd this l do not tor moment mean u
'ut Injustice should be done, but slml
en tn at the assertlveness and the physl'
'od exuberance of barbaric or semi-says
IT, race has always been considered
'ch subject for repression in order to p
i'm duce governmental stability.
an rxF
ink Bearing these points in mind
in carving there also the memory
me. what the "men of '76" contended
ools we shall see that the Filipinos In
the action they are taking are certain
tied not narallels of our own heroic
First, as to self-government. =
'arn the widest armchair theorlser can
We for q moment dream that these sav
the Malays, Chinese, japanese, Mest'
YER heaped together in eight million
lese divldualities, have sufficient trus'
und one another or knowledge OF themse