The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1901-08-14

tyrannizes those who need protection
much more than those who are avow-
edly aided.
It goes further and proposes to
grant bounties and subsidies to ship
lines under the pretension that it is to
aid the building up of our Merchant
Marine, when it is we'll known and
understood that such favoritism is
only to pay off past party debts and If
inaugurated as the policy will tend
to destroy the energies of our people
and their individuality, by causing
them to look to the paternalism of
government, instead of relying on
their own efforts to extend their trade.
Such doctrines are and can only be
considered republican no matter by
whom promulgated. No one can or
ought to object to the exercise of per-
sonal preference in opinion but let
those who come out and avow such
ideas announce themselves openly as
republicans.
Apart from this paramount considera-
ton, what necessity, expediency or
justifction is there in our foreign re-
lations for an American policy of for
eign territorial expansion or kingly
colonization?
No one seis word against the ex-
pansion and extension Of our trade
and commerce to the uttermost part Of
the earth and it's full protection by
every agency Of government. If China
is to be dismembered, as she will be
some day, simply insist on our trade
rights by proper treaty relations and
let the territory go to other nations
who wish to own it and thus ample
markets can be opened even in that
event for our increasing cotton goods
from our welcomed cotton mills as
we'll as from all our other resources of
trade. without embroiling ourselves in
all of the evils which follow in the
wake of the siezing of foreign terri
tory.
tory? There are waste places enough
in our own land that need building
up.
There are idle people enough here to
be employed without putting capital
elsewhere to train up untamed people
to trades and handicrafts. Let US
take care of our own laboring classes
at home before expending our surplus
energies on others.
Far better would it be for Us to ex-
pend the money which the government
will waste in such untried ventures IN
measure of government relief for
the education of our children by turn
ing it over to the States to be admin
istered under their school laws in pro-
portion to the population.
Such circumscribed countries as
Great Britain with its over-crowded
population and its nearby adjacent
enemies may see some advantage in
acquiring colonies whose people can
be turned into standing armies to help
in her defense and as an outlet for
her Earls and Lords, but we have no
such conditions at all.
In my humble Judgment when Dew
ev landed at Manila and took charge
OF the Archipelago of the Philippines
instead of confning his action to the
order ''to find and destroy the Span
ish feet which with added glory to
the American flag he did, policy was
opened up which portends, if carried
out, grave and terrible disaster to our
people as a nation.
The half child and half savage in
habitants of these islands were found
in revolt with Spain and ought to
have been left alone to have helped in
her needed humiliation.
But we were on the crest of victory
and the Republican politicians seeing
the opportunity to extend their grasp
ing methods opened wide the new
door in order that there should be a
new field for monopolies and trusts.
The principles of the forefather Puri-
tan: the hope of the gallant cavalier
and the trust of the sturdy Huguenot
when they settled this country and
redeemed it from kingly colonization
that we should shine as an example to
other nations as the republic of the
people and for the people was
trampled in the dust; and by the
treaty of Paris that policy of plunder
was attempted to be molifed by an
act of purchase.
Such policy begun has no bounds
to its fruition and therein lies the
danger. The Philippines will not be
enough to satisfy the cupidity of
grasping after foreign territory.
Eight thousand mrles away from US in
unknown seas and amid unknown peo-
pie it will require a standing army
equal to those of the powers of Europe
to maintain our authority among the
nations and our prestige among the
powers of earth: and this drain upon
our treasury kept full by taxation,
indirect though it be from suffering
people is to be counted as nothing, for
it gives the administration party the
opportunity to make more Offices to be
filled by more supporters.
The maintenance of such depen-
dencies even if it be in the shape of a
protectorate government only will lead
to the formation of military assistance
to other powers for mutual interests
and this will inevitably lead US into
the warlike embodiment in the inevi-
table warlike struggle which is always
impending and must sooner or later
come between the armed powers OF
Europe and Asia, and all of this danger
to the principles and policy of our in
stitution is without the slightest
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