The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1900-03-08
McLAURINS SPEECH.
file Addresses the Senate or Philippine
Question.

1
McI.aurin made his speech on the
Philippine question. favoring the poilc?
OF expansion. He said in part:
In discussion of the question there
has been manifested a disposition 10
ignore the conditions by which We arc
confronted. and to project the denata
upon a line OF political sentimental
| ism. This mode OF discussion 5 NOT
only unpatriotic but is an evasion or
the true issue. This is not i iol!u"ai
question
Mr.. MaIaurin strongly deprecated
the position which the Democratic
marty had taken in making The Phil.
ippine question and EXPANSION PC
litical issue. He pointed to the past to.
show that some OF the greatest Demo
Gratis who ever lived were expansion
ISIS and to prove by their acts and
measures that if it had not been for
them the United States woa!l moi Eave
been the nation it is to-day.
He took the ground that the PHILIP
pines are rightfully and legally ours
bv the treaty of Paris, AMI that the
United States should hold them. al
fording the Filipinos every opporiuni-
ty TO acquire the art OF goTerEmcnl
and giving them all the powers and
rights possible in the circumstances.
He dwelt particularly on The grea, of-
por,unities afforded by the islands Tor
trade between American ana me h2-
tions OF the Orient. He did not agree
with some Of his colleagues on the
Democratic side that our trade IN the
east was a mere figment OF the lmagl-
nation. He quoted statistics to prove
that the experience Of the last decaue
coptradicted those who asserted ina.
orr eastern trade was not or immense
consequence.
1T is in the Orient" ne said, that
We must look for markets. There must
be a change in our policy. we must
enter into actual competition for this
trade. We must as nation recognize
changed conditions. and | believe that
by holding the Philippines our traae
in the Orient will continue TO increase
until all surplus products for gears %
come will find remunerative markets
in the east"
Mr.. McLaurin then discussed the
special interests Of the south IN the eH-
pansion Of our trade.
Il am glad" said he, "to believe tAat
the southern people have determined
70 investigate and study this question
rather than to be led blintly by politl'
cal anti-expansionists. The southern
farmer by the increased price received
for raw cotton last year has DecoMt
aroused. Fealty to party ana ms
leading information, | fear, has pro
duced among them opposition 10 Yer
ritorial expansion. The effort ha'
been made in my own State to suppress
all information and arouse pubic sen
timent against expansion. The fright
ful ghost OF imperialism has been mel:
I'D before the people Of the south Il
brighten them, but l believe II IS I'M
possible much longer to misiead Fnem'
Mr.. McIaurin said, in sketching th'
nrogress OF the south during the pas
20 years, that the blight OF negro SUI
frage and negro domination had almoS
extinguished hope and energy an(
manly effort. but, like a giant Doun(
with letters. she aroused herself at las
and again started upon an era os IN
dustrial life.
Capital has flowed into that sec
tion" said he. There is confidence II
all southern enterprises. The 'Ditte'
memories OF the past are oelns ~!
gotten in the rush OF the developfneh
Of our resources. Our people feel tina
they are again a part o. this gFea
country and are left free and uh
trammeled TO work out their own des'
inv. Our southern manufactures:
have all reached out to the markets U
the Orient and discovered their au'aH
tages. The southern farmer neeu:
such markets for his raw cotton u
make IT'S production remuneratlve.
by the acquisition OF the fhillp
mines we hold the key to the easter
situation. We need not rely soieis
upon treaty rights to secure tne uii
omen door, burt can demand equal con
mercial opportunity with other ma
t;ous and if necessary, With the van
tage ground We have, assert that W ue'
mand. Will the United states throw
away the golden opportunity by giving
nm fhe Philippines? l am in favor o.
holding them, and l believe the soura
ern farmers and manufacturers VIII
sustain me in my position. believe
h,rrher that the presence OF the Unite1
States and of its flag, the emDiem VI
human freedom, progress ana ci.liiLa.
tion. will carry to the millions IN tns
Orient unnumbered blessings when IL
the coming years will be for their pet