The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-11-02

Why fellow citizens, already we are
hearing utterances from the platform
and from the press and, l am sorry to
say from the pulpit which show how
already our old constitutional restraints
and our old doctrines of freedom are
being forgotten.
1t is said that Porto Rico is already
ours. It may be that Porto Rico is to
become ours. But there is no authori-
ty, under the constitution of the Unit
ed States to acquire any foreign terri
tory save by a treaty approved by the
senate by a two-thirds vote, or by
an act of legislation in which the presi-
dent, the house of representatives and
the senate must unite. We are told
that it is proposed to purchase 10, 900, 900
of people and 1000 islands, 10000 miles
away from this spot where we are
gathered But under what doctrine
ever yet heard on the soil of America
are peoples, men, women and children.
TO be bought and sold like sheep? 1t
is said that the Philippine Islands are
already ours by the right of conquest.
We hold, so far, but single port in
That group of islands, containing, it is
said 100000 of people, suppose no
body knows what their numbers are,
or whether there are not $4,000. 900 in
stead of 10000, 000 For one [ deny this
alleged right of conquest. Human be-
1ngs-men, women, children, peoples
are not to be won as spoils of war or
prizes in battle. 1t may be that such
a doctrine finds a place in the ancient
and harbarous laws of war. But it has
no place under the American constitu-
ton. 1t has no place where the Decla-
ration of Independence is a living reali-
ty. 1t has no place in the code of
morals of the people of the United
States
1t is said that We have made such ac-
questions in the past-that we have
acquired Texas and Louisiana and
California and Alaska and Hawaii.
But Texas was a state already. with
a national life, with president and
legislature. She had asserted her indie
pendence in arms, and came into the
Union as state on her own applfea-
ton, and with the consent of her peo-
pie Louisiana and Alaska and Cali
fornia were largely unoccupied terri
tory, not having in themselves even
the germ or semblance of national life.
waiting to be occupied and possessed
by American immigration and Ameri-
can institutions. / have stated else
where the considerations which, in my
judgment, warranted the acquisition of
Hawaii. 1t is 5000 miles over the sea
from Hawaii to the Philippine Islands.
But further still far as the east is from
the west. are the doctrines and princi-
pies which are applicable to this two
cases. Hawaii came to us with the
consent of her own government, the
only government capable of maintain
ing itself there for any considerable
length of time. We held already the
chief harbor and strong place of Ha-
wall. Her islands, except the Ameri-
can and European population, all OF
whom, with substantial unanimity de-
desired the annexation, were occupied
by feeble and perishing people that
had gone down in single century from
100000 to 10000, who had lost all the
essential characteristics of national
life and who, unless we saved them.
were sure to fall an easy prey to japan
or any other considerable power that
should covet them
Besides all this, we had long ago de-
clared with the unanimous consent of
all our statesmen, for nearly 20 wears
that we would not permit Hawaii 10
exercise that power, most essential to
national character and Independence
of determining her own fate, if she
should choose to form an alliance or a
union with any other country. Besides
all this, we Were told by ouI. great
naval and military authorities. whom il
would in my judgment have been pre-
sumptuous to disregard that the pos
session of the Sandwich islands was es-
sential to the protection of our west
ern sea coast against hostile power
There is nothing in Hawaii outside OF
Pearl harbor, which is ours, except the
American element there, which is ours
which can make a permanent people
or can maintain a national life We
We're but getting a little elbow room
round our fortress. The Hawaiians
there are not equal in any effective
strength to the population-I will not
ray of a Massachusetts city, but of q
considerable Massachusetts town. They
are not equal in any purpose of eff
fective national strength to a TWEEN
tieth part of the population of the city
Of Washington, which we hold under
our constitution without giving the
elective franchise to the people, for our
convenience as a place of self govern
ment.
AS have said. so l repeat. AS fa1
as the east is from the west is the
case of the Philippines from the case OF
Hawaii In the case of the Philippines
we are asked to subject a nation and
TO hold it in subsection We get them
by conquest and hold them by force. In
the case of the Sandwich islands, we
get them by compact made with then
lawful government. We accept a vol
1lntary offer on their part, which had
been awaiting our acceptance for siS
years.
n Is idle to say that the late govern
nent in Hawaii was a usurpation, that
II was forced on them by US. That
claim has been refuted again and
again. That government was as much
a revolution against tyranny and COR