The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-09-26
The Commercial Phase of
Imperialism.
A PHILOSOPHIC ARGUMENT,
Shall Our Government Be a Re.
public or an Empire7
WHAT IMPERIALISM WILL ENTAIL,

Vast Fleets and Armies Must Ne
DsaN aad Raised - Our Farmers
And Workers Would he Com pelled
- Compete With the Prod ucts and
Labor Of China and siberia-Capi-
tai VIII Go Where Labor i. Cheap
a.a Raw Material Abundant-A
Careful study sf = Great Question.
Especial Washington Letter.l
One OF the very ablest of the young
Democrats In congress Is the Hon. vii.
Ham NJ. Howard Of Georgia. He Dos
sesses as fine judicial aud analytical
mind as does any other man In public
life. His besettlng sin Is his modesty,
which, perhaps. In this age of brass
ought to be accounted virtue. lie is
hne illustration Of the truth of the
old adage that "still water runs deep"
He represents the district formerly rep
resented by Judge Lawson, who was
universally regarded as one Of the
abiest men In the house.
In the Fifty-ffth congress Howard
and l were both placed OH the great
committee on foreign affairs by Hon.
Thomas Bracket Reed: consequently
1 got acquainted with him ut an early
day In his congressional career and
learned TO value his great qualities at
their true worth. He L. very much dis
posed to hide bis light under a bushel,
nut gradually members on both sides
or the house are coming to understand
that he Is one Of the really forceful
characters In congress. In the Porto
Rican debate the subject was discussed
from every conceivable standpoint tx.
cept the commercial. Howard made q
great speech on the commercial phase
Of imperialism:
MIR. Chairman, we are now perhaps
well beyond the sentimental stage of
our victory over Spain. and thoughtful
people are no longer willing to solve
The problems that confront us az the
legacy Of that war by the patriotic ex.
ciamation. Who will haul down the
nagr nor will they accept az an accu-
rate measurement Of our responsible.
ties the mystical solution that IL is
destiny
Our Motives HonorabIe.
whether the Inhabitants Of Porto
Rico and the Philippine Islands arc cit
liens OF the United States. or whether
the constitution guarantees to them q
republican form Of government. or
whether the tariff and excise tax laws
apply equally to all the territory of the
United States, or whether these islands
may be held perpetually as colonies
without the right Of statehood. and
many other problems not yet suggested
oy this new and strange relation. alien
TO the spirit OF l1.G and repugnant to-
the Declaration Of independence and
unprovided for I'm the constitution, are
questions too vital. too momentous. To
DC solved with phrases.
THE decision to 90 to war with Spain
was suddenly made notwithstanding
the long continued existence OF the
causes which we proclaimed as Justify
sng hostilitlcs. and the public mind was
rs little prepared for the ready compre-
nension or the consequences Of victory
and u was therefore but natural that
the hystcria OF our exultaton should
be prolonged by mysticism OIL the part
OF those who conceived that the golden
opportunity was present to convert n
war begun for humanity into one OF
conquest for commercial gain. The
change OF purpose was as radical as IL
was sudden AMI Involved our pllgbted
faith To the world aud with each other.
mo matter that Europe was not de-
ceived. We ourselves believed chat our
motives were honorable and that VIC
fought 10 restore peace and establish
liberty where dcSpotism was revcliny
IN carnival OF death. In July, when
the blood OF our heroes was yet wet on
San Juan hill. we spurncd the sugges.
-tlon OF indemnity rs u taint upon our
honor. and in December a. Paris. we
were sttling the protest OF our pros.
trnte foe with bribe Of gold that Eu.
rope might not hear her cries while we
stripped her Of the Philippines. Ii In
no wonder. then. that the succeeding
chapter I'm our history was written i'm
the Delphlc phrases, Who will haul
down the flag? 1T is our destiny and
God has given them to u.s.
1T Is not my purpose To enter at this
time into discussion Of any Of the
problems which the permanent reten-
tion OF Porto Rico and the Philippines
involves except that of commercial ex-
pansion. There are now many people
In the United States who believe they
see I'm the annexation of Cuba and the
permanent retention of Porto Rico and
the Philippines vast opportunities for
the expansion Of our commerce and
who for the sake OF his supposed ad-
vantage will Justify a d defend Il poll.
cy which results in the permanent re-
tenton OF these islands.