The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-07-18
BENEFITS OF EXPANSION.
The Original Thirteen States as Com
pared with Our Present Territory.
By +. W. BRADLEY.

The Original Thirteen States as Com
pared with Our Present Territory.
By F. W. BRADLEY.
IDEBATE. "Resolved that further annexa-
tion of territory is not for the best interests
of the American people" Before the Pal
metto Literary Society, May 9S, 1900!
Mr.. President and Honorable Judges:
Ihave been appointed on the negative OF this
question to defend our expansive pollcy.
There is 70 nation, well governed, put mas
two political parties. one liberal, the other
conser yative. In Rome were Plebians ana
PatSicianS in England Wings and Tories anu
and anti-eX eXpapsionists. The expanslonlsts
are liberal the anti-eXpansionlsts conser'a,
tive. We all know that the liberal parry rs
defined as not being bound by estaollsneo
doctrines and the conservative. as preserving
from ruin. so between the weight ol tuese
two political parties, balancing agalnsC GaoLt st
other. the great wheel OF government 40 hSPt
In perpetual motion. The anu eAPanslouis'
party In America serves to keep the eXpan-
sionists from making changes 100 raalcai,
and the eXpansioniSt party serves 70 Keep ouI
doctrines true to the repuollc they auoTn
and To remind us that doctrines are MADE
for countries and not countries lol uoCtliues'
Honorable Judges, we are an eAPanulus ma
1ion. We descend from eSpansioaIhs'b % on ahs baftie
axe of Alaric lit race OF expanslonlsts II
sets today in America ana us last oeah Ialis
on an expansionist. This expansive spirit
lpstilIed by God himself in the hearts oil our
barbarian forefathers my opponents would
bind down to these narrow limits; But say
rather ,"Seek to bind the almighty arm OF
Eous with co6WeoS sr, fn f19vs toes OF Of the
The United States is yet a young nation
but she has already expanded 70 sepe,ae s ,aa
bought Louisiana some of the ooJectlons
were that the territory could never 5eeome
states because the Union was alIeauy too
extensive. Yet the Starspangieo Banner J
bears forty five stars In the field OF blue. ana
one Of our illustrious orators OF to-day mas
said that there is no hope oi auguLnenCius
that numSer 10 from home It takes
us two months to make the lIiP tnete al, ~
back, yet when.we annexed Caliiornia, ,bera Sna
six months to cross the ontlncnl, auu .nete &c
is a star in the field OF blue 10 repFeseI1 'no
/ believe the United Statss is as dlvinely
commissioned as any nation. ! oelleVe ~ LIE is
the Divine Will that this Footstool OF Hoa
shall be peopled by a race that fears MIN, ana
T believe that Civilization and Chrlstlanlty
snail ioin hands and envelop the Slooe aIu
that It shall be under rtheSIar'spansieu Doll
ner. ,,, dr,p from, tho sinh.
,act q little TO show you that our expansions
IF to-day are no worse than our expansions VI
" Iong ago. And here would like to make
fev statements about the Pnlllpines; ~
seems we regard Aguilaldo as kino % y,
George Washington, struggling lor nls own W.
and his country's freedom, and oppresseu py
the United States. But believe that ne u 1s
an imposler on America and on the fn!iiI
mines. He has not hesitated TO ourn tne VII
lages and take the lives OF ms own o,Id moi
hend the knee to him. From eastern Europe,
70 the Pacific the Himalayas have Kept tnelr
solemn watch over races ana trioeS 'En. Ginca the
days of Senacherlb the eastern nations nave
had despotic rule. And If the Filipinos ever
have otherwise 1t will be under the protec-
tion of the American Eagle. The report that
Asuinaldo was at the head OF Twelve thou-
sand armed insurgents was mlstake, naue oS
our consul when Admiral Dewey went 10
Manila The admiral himself gave them arms
seeing that in case of hostilities with Spain,
they would be useful TO US. But ne dia not
recognize their Independence and IN iact they
had none. On May 26. he cabled the secretary
of NAVY. that in obedience to his orders, he
had not entered an alliance with any faction
In the islands. And he Is the only man VINO
had authority. :. 49, 1,,u,,,os
have won Independence, 1 would nke 70
hear who they won it from. No one VINO hao
the authority TO do so entered an aillauce
with them. Our generals used them, JUST as
the British used the Hessians In l716, as
merclnaries Ifthey had won independence
from Spain, then they would have been recog,
nized as free and Independent by her and nol
sold TO the United States as dependencies
shall they win 1t from US? Better men than
they have tried. Our fathers remetnoeT Tue
time when eleven of the states OF TINS Cnlon Thor
took up arms 10 defend their questioned righls
and then ensued the bloodiest war IN my
opinion of which Mother Earth has ever
drunk the blood. Yet To-Day tney ,o are pat'
The Filiplnos are no better than tne noLtu "
American Indians who roamed the contln-
en when we gained our es4a to Spxe them
. across the Rocky Mountains. Mnen we
bought Florida. Of Spain, we did not ask the ne
Indian Chiefs, come under our ruie. o,,d oiu ~,
moi saw the land was theirs, and we would 10
no wise deny their right. We said the land
was ours because We had bought 1t or Spain,
and that we would keep II at the point OF the
bayonet. Honorable Judges, suppose we nau
der the laws Of the United States. Would we
own the West to day" Iet these Reu Meo
had as divine a right to this land as tne fiai. ~
more free and independent. II seems strange
that these Red Men should be driven from
their homes by Christian nation. 1s IL
right? Yes! 1t is simply repetition OF the
expansions of Joshua and the Children Of
Israel. But does the same power rule the af-
fairs OF men to-day as did thousands OF years
B. c.? believe every American loves 10
think that the swelling OF the Catawoa was
- the hand Of Providence interfering in behalf
OF the colonias. No greater miracle was
worked in behalf OF the Children OF Jacob
when they marched on dry path where the
great walls of the Red Sea were held at the
command OF Moses's staff than when our IA
theirs crossed the aQBln ana tnen lne un-
chained elements heaved her HOODS until
their enemy was checked.
This nation we see perplexed over her for
eign trade. About three years ago this was
apparent, yet no one could offer remedy.
Russia seemed certain 10 monopolZe the
trade Of China. Then the Maine was sunk In
Havana harbor. No one saw any good that
could come to us from such catastrophe.
Yet hardly had the sulphurous fumes Of war
cleared when appeared to those, who had
trusted the future OF our nation to Provi-
dence, a way Of opening up our trade In the
east by becoming an eastern power. The ma
tions Of Europe marvelled at our deliyerance.
It is plain to every one that thus opening up
our trade In the east is beneficial If 1t is right.
We cannot deny, II seems the arm OF God ls
laid bare for our ransom. Methinks l hear
the restless spirit of Thomas Jefferson as he
sees the misgiving Of the American People,
and says, What fools ye mortals be! to
doubt the Providence that has so long guided
you" It seems like the doubt OF a com mon
infdel, who gazing into the mystic depths or
The clear dome OF heaven, watching the
twitchipg, twinkling, OF those tiny eyes OF
heaven, and sees in it all mere falling out OF
chance. Perhaps he will believe when look.
ing through telescope he sees, not tiny dots
of light, but innumerable millions OF worlds
revolving and moving in ceaseesS evolutiops.
singing through ethereal space: Not the
Milky Was as path of ghosts, but liver OF
tens OF millions of suns. each holding 10 des
potic sway its separate system.
Honorable Judges. II Is clear that opening
I'D our trade In the east is beneficial to the
American workman by giving him the ad-
vantage of all markets. We know that his
interests is Americas interest. do not be-
lieve that we have been free and Independent
for more than a century TO become the nome
Of tyrants and oppressors. w
say. blending down as Elisha did, praying
that nv ewes NAV be made to see, Catcn the