The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1902-06-05

with the internal affairs and admins
tration of justice in the State. We
condemn the Dingley tariff law as a
trust breeding measure skillfully de-
yised to give the few fayors which
they do not deserve, and to place upon
the many burdens which they should
not bear.
We reaffi-m our belief in tariff for
revenue only. and that taxation should
he 50 regulated as to meet the needs
of an honest and economical govern
ment. We condemn all class legislation
such as the ship subsidy bill, which We
believe to be rich mans raid on the
nI,hlir Golfer. and we also condemn all
sectional legislation, such as the Crun-
pacher bill, which we believe to be in
tended to arouse sectional animos!ties.
We hold with the United States su-
preme court that the declaration OF IN
dependence is the spirit Of our govern
ment, OF which the constitution is the
form and letter.
We declare again, that all govern
ment instituted among men derive
their just powers from the consent Of
the governed; that any government not
based upon the consent Of the govern
ed is a tyranny, and that to impose up
on any people the government of force
is to substitute method OF imperial
ism for those Of a republic. We hold
that the constitution follows the flag
and denounce the doctrine" that an eX"
ecutive of congress, deriving their ex-
istence and their powers from the con-
stitution. can exercise lawful authority
beyond it or in violation OF 1t. We as
sert that no nation can longer endure
half republic and half empire, and We
warn the American people that imper-
ialism abroad will lead quickly and in
evitably to despotism at home.
We condemn and denounce the Phil
ippine policy of the present admins
tration. 1t has involved the republic
in an unnecessary war, sacrificed the
lives Of many Of our noblest sons, and
placed the United States, previously
known and applauded throughout the
world as the champion or rreeuom, IN
the false and unameTican position Of
crushing with military force the efforts
Of our former allies to achieve liberty
and self-government. The Filipinos
canot be citizens without endangering
our civilization, they cannot be sub
jects without imperiling our form OF
government; and as we are not willing
to surrender our civilization to convert
the republic into an empire, we favor
an immediate declaration OF the ma
tions purpose to give the Filipinos.
first, a stable form Of government; Sc
cond, independence; and third, protec-
ton from outside interference. We are
not opposed to territorial expansion
when it takes in desirable territory
which can be erected into States in the
union, and whose people are will
ing and free to become American citi-
zens. We favor expansion by every
peaceful and legitimate means. But we
are unalterably opposed to the seizing
or purchasing Of distant islands to be
governed outside the constitution, and
whose people can never become citi-
zens. We are in favor of extending the
republics influence among the nations,
but believe that influence should be ex-
tended not by force and violence, but
through persuasive power of a hign
and honorable example. The burning
issue of imperialism growing out Of the
Spanish war involves the very exis-
tence Of the republic and the destruc-
tion Of our free institutions.
We regard it as the paramount issue
Of the campaign.