The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-08-01

EVILS OF EXPANSION.
Fall OF Empires In the Past-Mistake ei
to Guard Against In the Future
,4; BY LEN WHITE.
Before the Palmetto Literary Society, May
%. 1900. .,.. o.. y. i'-'.
alton OF territory is not for the best Interests
| OF the American People.
Mr.. President Honorable Judges and Ladies
and Gentlemen: The subject for debate thi!
evening is one ofthe greatest Importance and
one which should occupy the minds OF every
American citizen. One which is calling for
the genius OF our land and although that
Igenius is nobly rising to meet 1t, 1t is still
try. / shall try first to'give some examples OF
| expansion and of its evils In other days, and
then tn enumerate some OF the evils which
might result from 1t In the present day. We
which have risen and fallen we will see the
cause Of their downfall 70 be almost invarta.
bly,, their expsnRiye policy. =,
Take for instance Babylon, that great city
" extsnded from the banks Of the Enphrates
TO- the River OF Egypt For cen tur1es AISLE
trem bled at the tramp OF It's armies, and the
terror OF It's name. Well might the. proud
Of Bis palace and looked out over the broad
expanse Of the city, "Is not this great Baby.
Ion, whfoh,I have builded?" II was indeed q
grand sight. Behold the grand edifices lift
Ing thsil airy tops amons the clouds the
spiral columns toward the sun. But with all
these and the broad expanse of his mighty
empire, the great king was weighed N the
bslance, and found wanting, and his kingdom aa
iansnh The cause Of the downfall Of this great
empire can easily be seen. 1t had expanded
beyond the bounds OF reason and common
sense, and therefore suffered the conse'
|sgThe next most striking example afforded
|up by history OF the fall OF empires from
Expansion. 1s the empire OF Alexander. That
aas death the empire fell TO pieces. In the
Book of Daniel we read that when he was
str ong, the great horn was broken and for II
came up four notable ones toward the four
there shonid be q universal empire, and there.
fore the conqueror's mad course OF conquest
and expansion was cut short by his last
And now We come TO Rome, once the mis-.
shilisaandssWxyed.t the destines Of nations for
LcentnfIea hut now Rome iis fallen. She too
had Ronag beynnd the bounds OF reason In
n
are the mighty fallen" Readers OF history
will remember that the emperor Trajan, was
q soldier by profession and talent, and that
In order to acquire military glory he extend.
limits which had been held by Augustus and
the other Caesars. But when his ktnsman
Hadrian. came TO the throne be re-established
the old boundary lines, because he very readi.
would not be for the best interests Of the
Roman people. He knew that II the empire
was extended further, the government would
be weaker and unable 10 control 30 vast an
II the empire was made larger the barbarians
would come pouring In on every hand. and
break down every trace OF the government
He was wise statesman, and some OF our mod.
footsteps. But even under the conservative
policy OF Hardrian the empire was still too
large. It extended over the whole civilized
and many parts OF the uncivilized world, and
We can very readily see the cause OF the
downfall OF Rome to be her mad course OF
insurpation and tyranny.
Spain affords us good example OF the evil
course of expansion. During the sixteenth
century that country was the leading power
OF Europe. 1t had its colonial possessions 10
almost every part OF the world: But as Is
full, she began q course OF imperialism and
tyranny. The recent war between the United
States and Spain has taken away from her
her most valuable coloniol possessions, and
the eyes ofthe Civilized world.
The French Empire under Napoleon gives
us another warning against expansion and
territorial greed Mapoie@Sn @ ,o mao nd EHsTpe ds1p
ed that continent with blood for years
France at this period might have had the
most prosperous and brilliant era Of her bis.
tory, had 1t not been for the mad ambition
and Unsuitable greed OF her emperor. AS we
look upon the commanding height OF glory 10
which Napoleon attained. and admire the
genius and dash OF the great chief lonely
rock rises out Of the sea for or meditation.
What q fall for that genius who had had the
world for the sway Of his mighty intellect,
now confined 10 barren rock and all the
fruits of expansion.
These are only few examples Of the fall of
nations from ex pansion. AS we read history
there is nothing 1 think which strikes US
so forcibly as this faot-the fall OF empires
from territorial greed. Shall we not proht
by the examples Of the past7 II we enter up
on their policy OF conquest and territorial ex-
panson, what is to hinder us from following
Them to their fall? My opponents will doubt.
every other nation that ever existed that she
knows what she Is doing, and has sense
enough to stop expanding when the time
comes. But ladies and gentlemen. have the
examples afforded US by history proven this
to be true9 Do you not suppose the Romano
thought they had sense enough 10 know
when to stop extending their territory
Doubtless Napoleon Bonaparte thought he
was sure Of his ground and had control OF bis
ambition. But when nation once starts on
q course OF acquisition OF territory, they be-
come putfed up by their foreign conquest.
and are willing to undertake almost any
thing TO further the objects OF their ambition.
can think OF no better argument against
expansion than one of Washington's mes
sages to Congress, In which he said. "Separat-
ed as we are by world OF water from other
being drawn into the labyrinth OF their poll.
tics and In nvolved in their destructive wars"
Surely the Father Of his Country" knew bet
ter about such matters than the progressive
and expansive politicians OF to-day. 1t is
wonderful what an insight Washington had
in 10 the future. You will remember that In
his farewell address he cautioned his country.
men to avoid disputes and sectional feeling
we find he anticipated another, and perhaps
a greater evil, and again cautioned his coun-
trymen against policy Of foreign acquisition
of territory, because he very readily saw that
II would not be for the best interests OF tne
Mr. W. @. MCGEE, vice president Of the
National Geographic Society, In al address
on the growth Of the United states In nrst Gas
alton of Hawaii an end came to Americas
longest period ofinactivity In territorial ex.
pansion-a period Of thirty.one years. But
look back over those years and you VIII see @
that they make up the most brilliant era OF
our country-times when the arts fiourished,
literature was made for our nation, and was
such an age OF science and invention as the
world had never seen. Men instead OF trying
to expand their territory. expanded their
minds, now we have the result and glorious
result 1t is.
The same author just quoted. goes on to say
that the American Of to-day must look for In
dications of results TO follow from expansion
In the future TO the lessons OF 1903, 1921, 1910
and lSis, which are the dates you will remem'
Der OF the Louisiana Purchase, the annexation