The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-09-12

congressman llllalnS rang the bell
every shot. In concluding his speech
he said:
But in answer to all these allegations We are
met with the very eloquent but empty phrase,
"Who will pull down the fag?" l answer, the
American government whenever its honor and
glory require j., but other power on earth shall
ever haul 1t Gown. Our government has ALWAYS
pulled it dowt. from places where it did not be.
long. 1t pulled it down in Mexico In Canada,
and. IL we observe our sacred pledge, we will haul
1t down in Cuba whenever its people desire it,
We had better haul it down in Cuba now than
have 1t wave that fair island as the banner
OF larceny and corruption. ! would rather see it
81 down in honor than UP in d;shonor; down as
the emblem OF liberty than up as the emblem OF
despotism Gu. flag should never remain in anv
land where the constitution can never go and
American liberty can never dwell. ! would rather
have 1t snatched from its mast thousand times
than see its sacred folds unurled to the breeze as
the new banner OF American imperialism the IN.
neral signal Of the republic.
Who will pull down the flag? ] asks Who will
pull down the Declaration of Independence? Who
will pull down the constitution? The sad echo
comes from the White House. William, the con.
queror. he will pull them down. lie has already
torn from their sacred pages the sublime scnti
mcnts OF liberty and freedom and written in their
stead. in letters OF blood. the bitter words Of
tyranny and oppression.
Would to God the Republican party OF TODAY
contained within its ranks another Lincoln. TO
check 1t in its downward course of criminal az.
gression and restore it to the sacred precincts OF
human liberty 1t once enjoyed.
But the question is frequently asked by gentle
men on the other side. How can the Democrats
oppose the annexation OF those islands when JEFF.
ferson. their great founder. was such an expan.
nonistf Jefferson was an eSpan,ionis. but not
an imperialist. Jehersons expansion consisted in
acquiring territory here this hemisphere, then
In the possession OF a foreign power, thereby re.
moving from our very doors q European COLONY
whose presence here made war more threatening
and defense more difficult.
McKinleys expansion gives us territory 10, 900
miles from this capital and carries us right into
the broils and entanglements OF all the warning
powers OF Europe. Jeferson's expansion removed
the foreign dag from our Shores while McKinley's
expansion carries our flag into a foreign land
Jefersons expansion strengthened our fortifca.
tions and made 1t easier to defend our territory
than before. while McKinley's expansion weakens
our Notifications and makes our national defense
more difficult and expensive. jefferson acquired
territory with population OF to every 25
square miles. with climate adapted to our peo.
pie and suitable for American homes. while Nc
kinley Is trying to acquire territory with popu.
lat'on OF over 20 to the square mile. with a eli.
mate entirely unfit for people and never in.
tended for American homes. Jefferson acquired
territory to become future states Of the republic
Inhabited by American citizens while Mckinley
is acquiring territory to become colonies Of the
United States, Inhabited by subjects and not citi
zens Jefferson expanded the republic with our
territory, while Mckinley is expanding our terri.
tory without the republic
Jefcrsons expansion carried to the inhabitants
OF the new territory the glad message of peace and
constitutional liberty. while McKinlcys expansion
carries to the nhsbitants OF the territory the
sad message OF death and despotism. No liberty,
no freedom. no happiness! Jefferson's annexation
gave the inhabitants Of the ceded territory rep.
Iesentation with taxation and government with
the consent OF the governed. McKinley's annexa
tion gives to the inhabitants Of the territory
taxation without representation and government
without the consent Of the governed
Jeffersons expansion republicansm; McKin-
ley's expansion is imperialism. How absurd to
compare the peaceable annexation OF territory
here on our own hemisphere. right at our own
door. thinly settled good climate and suitable for
homes for our own people and for future states Of
the republic, with the !5rcible annexation of sew.
eral hundred small islands 1000 miles from our
nearest Shores with q climate unfit for Americans
with dense population Of people alien to our
government. our institutions and our civilization
Who will be so blind as not to see the distinc-
tion2
No. Mr.. Chairman. Mckinley imperialism will
find no likeness in the whole history OF this re-
public. Thank God. America has had but one
Napoleon. and ! hope she may never have an
other.
Already American liberty under this admins.
tration has become too timid to sympathize with
the oppressed Of other lands now struggling for
that same liberty and freedom which we ourselves
enjoy IL we had a Washington, jefferson or Lin
coin in the White House today, the American coy.
crnment would be sympathizing with the liberty
loving Beers OF South Africa instead Of their Brit
ish oppressors.
But 1t Is whispered We are now in the act Of
becoming world power, and no one must disturb
the evolution. Why. sir, we have been a world
power for over a hundred years We are now, and
for years have been. the mightest world power
on the face OF the earth made SO not by war, but
by pcace-long regns of peace. Sir, what has
contributed more to our rapid progress as a ma
tion than the pure sunlight Of peace. which has
cast its rays of glory into every of the re.
public?
Under its sweet influence we have expanded in
education, science. art, literature. useful invcn.
tons and all the happy auxiliarcs of.a progressive
civilization. Who is not proud Of our whole his.
tory as republic, living under the constitution
and within the constitution fathers made
tf Who would exchange it for an empire (?
With such supreme satisfaction Of past why
imperil the future by attempting new schemes or
trying new experimental Why not permit the old
ship OF state to slil upon that same we'll tried
sea. which will surely carry it safely through to
higher honors and grander glores for the rcpub
lic7
But. alas who will haul down the flag? an.
swer. who will haul down McKinley2 The people,
the liberty loving people. They will haul him
down carly in November. They will snatch from
his imperial brow his glittering crown bought
with the blood Of his countrymen and enthrone in
his place Of power that gallant champion OF hu.
man rights. that fearless defender OF human free.
dom. and crown him with the Declaration Of In.
dependence and the constitution OF the republic