The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-02-07
plantations in the Philippine Islands. W

plantations in the Philippine Islands. w
must compete with ''pauper labor"
There is one Others OF this question
which must appeal to any thinking man
and that is the question as to whether w
can maintain the Monroe doctrine in tn,
Western Hemisphere, warn off trespaSser.
and fight and beat Off any nationality il
Europe, or any combination Of nation. i
ties, who dare to come on this continen
and establish any OF their despotisms o.
governments, whatever they may be. Gal
we maintain that doctrine after we have
invaded the other hemisphere, have occu
pied territory, and stand ready to partici
pate--fOr it is no use to deny it, it Il
the purpose fully outlined in this Chamber
in more ways than one and at more time!
than one-to participate in the partition O.
China whenever that comes.
We have become. % ''world ipower." We
are to create big navy. am in favor O.
navy enough to warn all people off from
this continent andlkeep them off of.it; but
il we are going to undertake to warn 9th
ers outside Of our preserves and then claim
the right to invade their area of jurisdic
ton and territory. the beginning of the
wars in which we shall be involved and the
cost Of those wars in life and treasure, the
probable consequences Of surrendering &
tenahle position for one full Of danger and
always inviting attack, should at least
give Senators pause and make them stoI
and think and consider calmly whether the
game is worth the candle; whether we
have a title to the Philippines; whether we
have made mistake, and il 80, what we
ought to do.
Mr.. President, now approach phase Of
this question which is very unpleasant
because it deals with the personality Of
men, and would not willingly wound the
sensibilities Of any Of those Swho, like
myself, are charged here with government
tai responsibility. Those Of US who from
the very beginning have opposed this poll
cy have appealed and argued for what We
conceived to be right, that our Government
should pursue the only, course which tc
our minds was honorable and just, have
been met with accusations Of treason, have
been charged with lack Of patriotism, an6
the Senator from Indiana has not ever
hesitated to tell us to our faces that we are
responsible for the war and it's conse'
quences. His ignorance OF the facts may
explain affrontery and in part excuse it
He said d I'll.
American opposition to war has been the
chief factor in prolOnging It, Had Aguinaldo
not understood that In America, even in the
American Congress, even here in the Senate,
he and his cause were supported; had heinot
known that 1t was proclaimed on the stump
and In the press Of faction In the United
States that every shot that his misgutded FOL
lowers fired into the breasts OF American
soldiers was like the voleys fired BY Washtng'
toms men against the soldiers Of King George,
his insurrection would have dissolved before II
entirely crystalized. a.....'
Then again he said: IS .''T
have stood on the firing line and beheld
our dead soldiers, their faces turned to the pitt
less Southern sky, and In sorrow rather than
have cheered those misguided natives on to
shoot our soldiers down that the blood of those
dead and wounded boys Of ours Is on their
hands, and the flood of all the years can never
wash that stain away.
Mr.. President, if Senators on this floor
and patriotic Americans throughout the
cOuntry-thousands Of them belonging to
the party which elected Mr.. Mckinley
President-have felt it their duty to
conduct Of our Government, il they have
believed that the Stars and Stripes were
being disgraced and that the United States
was waging q war OF conquest upon a
liberty-loving people, I ask that Senator
in Gods name would he have us remain
silent? He has his opinions on this sub
ject. So have we. He has right to speak
those opinions without question anywhere,
So have we. Are Senators and citizens to
be afraid to speak the truth? Must we
close our eyes and shut our mouths to
all the grave dangers to our institutions
by reason OF this policy? Must we be acns, u.s.
declare our belief that in prosecuting this
war it is in disloyalalty to the Declaration
Of independence? I repel with scorn the
charge coming from any source whatever
that I am not as loyal to the flag as any
man on this floor, and il it is sought t.
locate the responsibility for the blood that
has been spilled / am ready in this
presence to speak what belivc and to de-
clare the truth as I see it.
There are three classes of men in the
United States Congress, those who are
honest and independent, those who are
corrupt, and those who are merely weak
When I first came to this Capitol thought
there were as many Of the one class a.
of the other. A closer view and fuller
acquaintance has taught me that the real
ly corrupt men are few in number, but the
weak ones are in large majority.
speak now from personal knowledge and
inquiry and investigation. | do not hesi-
tate to assert that when it was first prOpos-
ed to annex the Philippines majority in
both Houses of Congress were opposed
to it.
After the President went on his Western
tour his own misgivings and doubts were
pushed aside, and he felt that he was doing
popular thing in demanding that Spain
should cede us the islands. Then, by the
instrumentalities that are SO well under
stood in this Chamber and in the Other
Chamber, in the use Of which he is moi
alone, because they were alike characters
tic Of his predecessor, Executive influence
was brought to buar; the party whip was
cracked the men who thought the Filipin
Os ought to be let alone, we exercising some
kind Of protectOrate over them and get
ting such advantages as we might need IL
our business as q naval power and as ;
commercial power-those men, l say, sur
rendered their independence as Senators
and the treaty was ratified.
Party was everything; principle was
nothing; everything for Rcpublicanism
nothing for America. There were some
honorable exceptions among the adherents
OF the President; and, MI. President, i
there are any men in this Chamber whom
honor, it Is those Republicans here who
in spite of all the threatening lightning:
that were flashing around their heads
stood steadfaSt as the advocates OF thai
policy which was alone honorable, patriot
| ic, and in accordance with fairness an(
Justice. But with those Republicans al
| lined up and some Democrats who, from
purity OF motive or.from honesty of belief
had Joined with them, there, was still lack
ing the two-thirds vote necessary; thu
Presidents hands were tied unless til,
treaty was ratified, and his proclamation
of annexation would have no authority ant
would have died. Where did he get tn,
votes, and how?
If you want my opinion as to whose
soldiers, and Of tens Of thousand of Filipin
os-men, women, and children-who have
been slaughtered like cattle, look ar0unC
and call to mind the men who made those
strong and eloquent pleas, those earnes
protests on this floor in opposition to thu
| traat,r and aunn QaNa nnrSnnnl nlplrOS Il