The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-06
BACON ON THE PHILIP
PINES

enato Bacon, of Georgia, is proving
himself to be a strong, well equipped
IdebaOer. On Monday he made a speech
against the war upon the Filipinos and
expansion and its attendant imperial
1t was eloquent, forceful, clear
lcut, judicious and convincing. He drove
home facts n thoughts that should
lnnd lodgment in every freeman's
mind. He gave an impressive, a most
thrilling warning to the American peo-
pile to beware of new republican. Nc
lkinley craze-that the holding OF the
philippines permanently will be fatal in
the end TO our own libsrties. Already
have an army of 100, 900 men, and
the effort to Hold the Philippines as a
conquered province will make it neces-
Isary to increase that army to 200, 900,
then 100000, to 400, 600, to half a mill
lion. The people will be crushed be-
meath the burden of taxation, our
country, even if it remain a republic
in name, will become In empire in fact
and its people will become subjects. ~
citizens. There is a great deal of the
speech that is important and quotable.
We may again refer to it and give some
extracts. To show q ,reacting senti-
ment in the north we quote from an
editorial from the ablest republican pa
lper perhaps in the east, a Staunch up
holder and exponent OF McKinleyism.
1t favors expansion anG yet here is
what is said w or three days ago:
The Tribune does not believe that
Porto Rico or the Philippines ever
to be included among the states
of the union. 1t believes that their
life and conditions and interests are
$50 different from L own that the at
tempt to govern the United States
with their aid would be fraught with
or-oH wa ncnn11nnanc II halinvaS -hnt
since events have forced US to concern
ourselves with outside possessions we
carefully devise a system for
governing each according to its needs,
with the utmos freedom for ii. local
development and with avoidance of all
attempts to control 1T for cur benefit
rather than its own
The people are not in avon of fol-
lowing Great Britain's very trouble
some and costly expansion n imperi-
Ialistic enterprises and schemes, and all
for low commercial principles and not
for the cal elevation Of humanity
Says Senator Bacon:
IF our free republic is to he
&c into this imperial government 1t
lis not those who are TO be held and
ruled as vassals in subject colonies
who will be the principal sufferers.
THE first feature in which this .revo-
Tuition will definitely manifest itself TO
1.-The injury of our people will be in the
Immediate growth of milEtarism. If it
shall be finally determined to hold the
Philippine islands 1T is a safe predic-
Ition that in less than eighteen months
from this date the regular army Of the
limited States will be 100, 0G0 men.
The necessity OF controlling the
IFilipinos and of maintaining the SOW
lereignty of the United States in those
| t-la ,,Ic will hn rho n.1.FGl fer rhlG
large standing army. This will
require a large army constantly or the
islands. And the army of 100, 600, which
now seems to be monstrOus, will in d
short time be increased to 200, 600.
There can be no greater danger no
republican government, there can be
no greater menace to personal liberty
land free institutions, Than a great
standing army in time of peace. A great
standing army is alt unvarying and
lever ready instrument with which lib
lerty is destroyed"