Evening star., 1898-12-06
PUBLIC !, ,, SITUATION
Representative Hopkins Talks About
1t and the Message.
A Wise AND PATRIOTIC PAPER
More Time Needed for Informa-
ton as to New Territory.
TREATY TO BE RATIFIED

Representative Hopkins of Illinois. who
is one of the leading republicans in Con-
gress, and who has the reputation of a
thoughtful man, well informed on public
questions, talked very interestingly this
morning on the subject of the Presidents $
message and the public situation.
The Presidents message appears to me-
he said, Ito have been very carefully con-
sidered 1t is wise to reserve for future
consideration the question of the DISPOSE
ton of new territory. The important thing
at the outset is to know just where we
stand. The President presents to our con-
sideration the situation as it has thus far
developed. The message is patriotic in tone
and felicitous in expression, and is calcu-
lated to hold the country united 1t would
not be wise to undertake at the present
time, deficient in information as we must
of necessity be, to determine a policy as
to the government of the new territory
There is comparatively little that this
Congress can do, and the message evidently
does not contemplate broad. general legis-
latfon at this session. 1t is generally rec
ognZed that there can be no currency
legislation nor legislation as to the govern
ment Of the Philippines Porto Rico and
Cuba this winter. While it is true that
the President renews his recommendation
iol iffiiHeuIate iSS4Siatlon TO enable the
department to retire greenbaCkS that have
been redeemed in gold, l do not think that
that subject Will be considered separately
from the general currency question. The
whole question will go over until the regu-
lar session of the Fffty-sixth Congress
There is no danger of harm coming to our
credit or our currency while the republi-
can party is in control. The only thing
we nave to guard against is disturbance,
should the other party at any time come
into power. There is no danger of this hap
pening for a long time, and after the regli-
lar meeting of the next Congress will be
early enough for legislation.
Government of New Territory.
AS to the important question of the gov
ernment of the nav territory, l have no
apprehension of serious difficulty in its sat
isfactory settlement. ] do not think that
the President, nor any of our public men,
nor the citizens generally, know yet just
what we should do about the Philippines
I'VE have yet to know what sort OF peo-
pie they are. what government suits their
condition and how they are to be dealt
with. | think that as soon as we have had
time TO investigate and think over this
matter we shall settle upon plan that will
be an advancement and benefit to the in
habltantS of those islands and not Il burden
nor an embarrassment | do not anticipate
serious trouble. ! do not believe the Presi-
dent has yet decided on any plan of govern
ment for those islands, but that he is wait
ing for better infOrmat ton, Just as every
body else is
The consensus of public opinion is that
Spanish soVel eighty over the islands shouii
cease. Much beyond that it has not gone
neither the Philippines shall become an
integral part of the territory and the people
be advanced toward a citizenship in the
United states depends upon conditions con
cerning which we are stiH ignorant. am
inclined to the opinion that they may be
given a government that will not go at
once so far as this.
To Ratify the Treaty.
AT this time the question is as to the
rattllcatlon of the treaty. By the act Of
ratitying the treaty we do no more than
what public sentiment almost universally
demands. The question of the disposition
OF the islands will still be left open to be
determined later, after all the facts are
known and public sentiment has formed
and been ascertained. The treaty should he
ratlned promptly, without vote in opposi-
lcn, as 1t involves only our differences with
Spain, and not the differences of opinion
among ourselves.
The arguments that Senator Hoar made
against our assuming responsibility for the
fhlllpplnes are almost Identical with those
maze oy Flsher Ames against the acquisi-
lon or the territory of Louisiana. He
thought he saw the same dangers and ex-
pressed his fears in almost the same Ian
guage then that Mr.. Hoar now does Mr.
Hoar Is simply treading the same path that
was followed by that great federalist, who
opposed the most glorious act of Jefferson's
administration. Another thing that should
be remembered at this time is that eighty
SIX years after the purchase of Louisiana
there was still part Of that territory that
had not been admitted to participation in
our government This should suggest the
p1act1cablity of giving the Philippines a
government according to the condition of
their inhabitants, without endangering our
haf ha inoa
VIII never come when the people of the
Islands and other islands will not be as
worthy Of citizenship IN the United States
as any of our people, or that We cannot
undertake to give them a government
suited 10 their condition before that time o.
Other Comments in the House.
The most general comment on the Presi-
dents message is that its chief feature Is
the clear statement of the events leading
up TO the war, and of the progress and con-
clusion of the war. The fact that the set
tlement OF the question of the disposition
and government of the newly acquired ter
ritory Is left to he dealt with later is gen.
orally, though not unanimously, COM
mended.
Representative Hit said that the Presi-
dents proposition TO continue the military
government of the islands for a while
would give time for the proper considera-
ton OF the question of permanent govern
ment.
Representative Grosvano spoke of the
message as valuable contribution to
authentic history. AS to the currency ques-
uon, Mr. Grosvenor said that the Presi-
dents recomm- -ndations would receive the
sane ton of sound money men of all parties
Representative Walker of Massachusetts,
chairman of the House banking and
! rency committee. said that he did not see
any banking and currency features in the
message and added that the only effect of
the one thing recommended, that to the
retirement of ereenbacks, radea med in gold,
would be to add to the burden of taxation
without in any degree favorably affecting
the general banking and currency stua-
ton" -
Repra sentative Wheeler spoke of the mes
sage as clear and comprehensive resume
of recent