The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-08-15

ieePeoiiSou SIE6 pTeSlu6QD, anu lTOLu Lud
time TO this Republican congress has refu
ed TO take any action whatever in the mattel
"When hostilities broke out at Man lila, n
publican speakers and Republican editor
a. aISn once Se sought TO lay the blame upon thos
and, during the progress Of the war, the sam
Republicans have accused the opponents {
Imperialism OF giving encouragement TO tn
Filipinos, ssR li-
This is cowardiyevasi nofrespouslbility Of
"1fit Is right forsthe United States to hol
the Philippine isiands permanently and inn
tate European empires In the govern ment G
colonies, the Republican party ought to stat
It's position and defend 1t, but 1t must expec
pooy rSS s ssep assps o susb ss
ity. The Filipinya do not need any encourage
mentfroms sAmerf4ansn now living. Our whol
history has BEEN Encouragement, not onl.
TO the Filipinosl ID who are denied
pnblicans are are pS fsG to censure all win
have used langH3S elculated to make tn
Fnipinos hateS fpk dom ination, let then
condemi, the ggS Sf Patrick Henry.
give ne lISaf give me death he express rS
ed sentime5 tch, still echoes in the heart
s.Let them cs Jefferson; of all the states
g 3 Hod 9Iss she @Hfds so%s se Si9 II
Lei them 1shfe Washington. who de
SelaFed that The Eolonists must choose between
liberty and slavery.
OF, sif the sstat1te of limitations has rur
against the sins OF Henry and Jefferson and
w Washington, let them censure Lincoln, whose
Gettysburg speech will be quoted In defense
OF popular government when the present
advocates of force and conquest are forgotten
E Some one has said that truth once spoken
can never be recalled. II Is true. 1t goes or
and or. .and no one can set limit to Its ever
widening influence. But If it were possible tt
L l1
fense of the principles set forth In the Declara
ton Of Independence, war ofconquest would
still leave It's legacy OF perpetual hatred. fol
IL wast God himself who placed 10 every
human heart the love Of liberty, He never
made grace Of people so low in the scale Of
civilization or Intelligence that 1t would vel
come a foreign master.
sLincoinsat That the safety OF this nation
was not In Its fleets, Its armies or its forts,
but in the spirit which prizes liberty and the
heritage, OF all men. in all lands, everywhere
and be- warned bis countrymen that they
could net destroy this spirit without planting
the seeds OF despotism at their own doors.
Those who would have this nation enter
upon Z career. OF empire must consider not
only the effect OF Inn periaism on the Fill.
pinos, but they must also calculate Its effect
upon ourown' nation.
1--WE ca6not repudlate the principles of self
goyesnment5 in the Philippines without
that principle here.
q Even now we are beginning to see the
aralyzing, influence OF Imperialism. Here
tofore this nation has been prompt 10 express
It's By mpathy with those who were fighting
for civil liberty. While opr sphere OF activity
has been limited 10 the western hemisphere
our sympathies have not been bounded by
the seas. We have felt 1t due to ourselves
and TO the world, as we'll as 10 those who were
struggling for the right 70 goven themselves
TO proclaim the interest which our people
have, from the date Of their own indepen.
dence, felt in every contest between human
ri = Fn, f1n r q RI
OF q century ago, when our nation was small
the struggles of Greece aroused our people
and Webster and Clay gave eloquent eX.
piession'to TO the universal desire for Grecian
independence.
I'm 1885, all parties manifested lively in.
terest III the success OF the Cubans. but now
when war Is IN progress In South Africa,
which must result In the extension OF the
Idea, or in the triumph of q
Tepabiics the advocates OF imperialism in this
couEtry dare not say word IN behalf OF the
Beers. ~
"Sympathy for the Beers does not arise
from any pnfrieDdless toward England; the
Amertcan people are not unirieudly toward
The people of any nation. This sy Inpathy IL
due TO the fact that, as stated in our platform
we believe In the principle of Selfgovern
ment and reject, as did our forefuthers, the
claims Of monarchy. ltthis nation surrenders
It's belief in the universal application OF the
principles set forth in the Declaration OF
Independence, II will lose the prestige and
influence which 1t has enjoyed among ma
tions as an exponent OF popular government
"Our opponents, conscious OF the weak ess
of their cause, seek 10 confuse Imperialism
with expansion, and have even dared tC
claim Jefferson AS supporter OF their policy
Jefferson spoke so freely and used Language
with such precision thSt no one can be ig
norant OF his views. Oh one occasion he de
clared
"'If there be one principal more deeply
rooted than any other In the mind of every
American, it is that we should have nothing
to do with conquest And again he said
Conquest Is not in our principles; IL Is in.
consistent with our government.
''The forcible annexation Of territory to bt
governed by arbitrary power, differs as muct
from the acquisition OF territory to be bull
up into states as a monarchy differs from 8
democracy. The Democratic party does no
oppose expansion, when expansion enlarget
the area of the republic and Incorporates Ell
lands which can he settled by American
citizens or adds to our population people who
are willing to become citizens and are capabl,
of dlscharging their duties rs such. Tn,
acu uisition of the Louisiana territory
Florida, Texas and other tracts which hav,
Ueen secured from sime 10 time, eularginl
the republic, and the constitution followed
proposed TO seize upon distant territory nj
ready more deusely populated than our owl
country, and to force upon the people gov
ernment TOR which there Is no warrant In ou
ment that this earth belongs TO those VIII
desire 10 cultivate it and have the physics
power TO acquire 1t cannot be invoked I
justify the appropriation OF the Philippn
islands by the United States. II the island
were uninhabited American citizens wouI
not be willing TO go there and till the sol
The white race will not live SO near th
equator. Other nations have tried TO co
ouIZe in theISane latitude. The Netherland
have controlled Java tor 3OU years, and ye
| today there are less than 10000 people {
| European birth scattered among 250O0, ,Ot
| natives. Alter century and q half of Enl
| lish domination in India, less than one twef
tieth of one per cent of the people OF India al
! of English birth, and II requires an army
IL, 900 British soldiers 10 take care of the Ia
collectors. Spain had asserted title to II
Philippine islands for three centuries, an
| yet when our fleet entered Manila bay the
were less than 10000 Spaniards residing in II
Philippines.
| ~ colonial policy means that we sha
send 10 the Philippines few traders, y fe
| task masters and a few oiilceholdeTS, and q
army large enough to support the authori,
OF n small fraction OF the people while the
rule the natives.
"If we have an imperial policy we mn
have large standing army aS It's natural al
necessary complement. The spirit whit
will Justify the fOrcible annexation OF u
Philippine Islands will justify the seizure
other islands and the domination OF 9th
people, and with wars OF conquest we can e
| ptcI d Ccl ltlu u NV inPiu - "" III VI Wi III
tary establishment. That large permane
increase in our regular army is intended :
the Republican leaders Is not mere mEH
of conjecture. but matter of tact. N h
message of December ). 1898, the presids
asked for authority to increase the sKndiI
army To lUO.OOn. ln,l>D the army 9Inlaint
about 25,UM men. Within two Gears u
pr, sident asked for TOUR times mat man
} and Il Republican house OF Vfresentativ
complied with the request sper the Spani'
treaty had been signed andHO country was
war With the United SlaLS. Ifsuch an arm
/. is demanded when an H,pernl policy is co
,elnplnttd, hnt n"I,ssEly avowed. what m,