Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-08-11
BRYAN AND The TREATY.
Some Sensible Reasons For Opposing the
Democratic Minority.

Some Sensible Reasons For Opposing the
Democratic Minority.
In his speech of acceptance last
Wednesday, Mr.. Bryan explained his
position on the peace treaty question
as follows:
I was among the number of those
who believed it better to ratify the
treaty and end the war, release the
volunteers, remove the excuse for war
expenditures, aud then give to the Fill
ipiuos the independence which might
be forced from Spain by u new treaty.
In view of the criticism which my
action aroused in some quarters, l take
this occasion to festaLe the reasons
given at that time. l thought it safer
to trust the American people to give
independence to the Filipinos than to
trust the accomplishment of that pur.
pose to diplomacy with an untriendly
nation. Lincoln embodied an argu-
ment in the question when he asked :
"Can aliens make treaties easier than
friends can make laws?" | believe
that we are now in better position
TO wage a successful contest against
imperialism than we would have been
had the treaty been rejected. With
the treaty ratified clear cut Issue is
presented between government by
consent and government by force,
and imperialists must bear the respon.
sibility for all that happens until the
question is settled. If the treaty had
been rejected the opponents of imper-
ialism would have been held RESPONSE
BILE for any international complications
which might have arisen before the
ratification of another treaty. But
whatever differences of opinion may
have existed as to the best methods of
opposing the colonial policy, there
never was any differences as to the
great Importance of the question, aud
there is no difference now as to the
course to be pursued.
The title of Spain being extinguish-
ed, we were at liberty to deal with the
Filipinos according to American prin-
ciples.
The Bacon resolution, introduced a
month before hostilities broke out at
Manila, promised independence to the
Filipinos on the same terms that it was
promised to the Cubans. supported
this resolution and believe that its
adoption prior to the breaking out of
hostilities would have prevented blood
shed, and that its adoption at any SUBJ
seuuent time would have ended hos.
tilities.
If the treaty had been rejected con-
siderable time would have necessarily
elapsed before new treaty could
have been agreed upon and satisfied,
and during that time the question
would have been agitating the public
mind. If the Bacon resolution had
been adopted by the senate and carried
out by the president, either at the rati::
6cation of the treaty or at any time
afterwards, it would have taken the
question of Imperialism out of politics
and left the American people free to
deal with their domestic problems.
But the resolution was defeated by
the vote of the Republican vice presi-
dent, and from that time to this Re.
publican congress has refused to take
any action whatever in the matter.
When hostilities broke out at Ma
Mia, Republican speakers and Repub.
lican editors at once sought to lay the
blame on those who had delayed the
ratification of the treaty, and during
the progress of the war the same
Republicans have accused the oppo-
nents of Imperialism of giving encour.
agement to the Filipinos. This is a
cowardly evasion of responsibility.