, 1898-12-21

be held and governed permanently as
colonies.
Mr.. Teller's address was a constitu-
tional argument, which he prefaced by
saying that in view of Mr.. Platt's very
able exposition of the question he (Tel-
ler) might omit properly much that he
had intended to discuss. He did not
think there was the slightest question
Of the power of tne government to ac-
quire territory.
IF We are a nation he declared,
I'VE have the power to exercise the
rights of a nation-all the rights of any
sovereign power"
"When the country was called upon
in 1861 to meet this question, 1t met it
fairly and settled it for all time. So
far as the United States was concerned,
the question was settled finally at Ap-
pomattox.
Then declared Mr.. Teller, 1--WE
took our place as a nation, endowed
with all the powers of a sovereign, and
we possess those powers today"
Referring to the territory acquired
by the United States during the recent
war, Mr.. Teller said:
I'VE have already acquired this ter
ritory. We need, as a matter of fact,
no treaty with Spain to confirm our
right to it. BY right of conquest
right undisputed-we came into pos
session of Cuba, Porto Rico and the
Asiatic archipelago. They are ours just
as certainly as they could be made so
by treaty"
Mr.. Teller discussed briefly the state
ment Of Mr.. Vest that many of the
deeds of cession Of foreign territory ac-
quired by the United States contained
clauses providing that the territory I'LL
timately should be erected into states
of the Union.
W can confer statehood upon these
territories when, in our Judgment, 1T
is proper to do so. Nobody can call in
to question III right to exercise IL
judgement in this matter.
"If we acquire territory" he contin-
ued, the very act carries with It the
right to govern. Who" he demanded,
with dramatic force, can govern now
in Cuba or in Porto Rico but the Init
ed States. That question is settled
settled by the very circumstances Of
the case. The question is now: What
disposition shall we make of the ter
ritory that has come into our posses
sion?'"
Mr. Teller Thought it the duty of our
people and legislators to keep in mind
constantly the great principle upon
which this government was founded,
that the just powers of a government
are derived from the consent Of the
governed.
we ought" he said, Ito extend to
The people OF these possessions the pow
er to govern themselves as soon as they
are prepared to exercise that power.
We are coming to deal with the
greatest question the American people
have met since 1861. l anticipate much
difficulty and embarrassment, but have
at no time felt the distrust that has
been manifested by many Of our peo-
pie"
The declaration Of the two congress
sional resolutions with reference, he
believed, might have been made more
applicable to the peoples OF all the ac-
quired possessions.
IF this government will say to the
people of this acquired territory"
said Mr.. Teller, I'VE will give self
government we will not need an army
of $4,000 men in Cuba, 10000 in Porto
Rico and 80, 900 in the Philippines. To
say this to those people Is the only way
to escape a great standing army.
Il am nc one" he said, further along
TO turn these possessions back to
Spain, but do believe that we ought
to give them an opportunity to govern
themselves. l may a. that nobody
wants these possessions made into
states now. No public mar is in favor
Of such a plan, so far as l am aware,
yet, in course Of time, we may take
them in"
So far and as soon as possible, Mr..
Teller believed, the inhabitants Of Gu
ba should be given self government,
but he did not believe the United States
should leave the infant power thus es-
tabfished as the prey of any other ma
ton, either through conquest or treaty.
He believed it folly to talk of "Imper-
ialism" as applied to this country. No
man or senate of men had any inten-
ton Of establishing in this country the.
European policy Of Imperialism, and
none would champion such a course.
mo colonial system, such as Eng
land established years ago in India,
will ever be established under the Stars
and Stripes" declared Mr.. Teller.
"Our flag will float over liberty and
happiness insured to all the people
beneath its folds, though all of them
may not be accorded the fullest rights
Of American citizenship, the flag will
float as an emblem OF good government
and protection to them as it does TO u.s."
There is no favor we can confer