The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-08-21
DANGER in EXPANSION
FOREIGN POLICY CONFERENCE
DISCUSSES CUBAN QUESTION
Against Forcing Cuba to Become
Colony Contrary to the Wishes
of the People of the Island-Ha-
waifan Annexation Cited AS an
Exan.pIe--GOmper Position.

SARATOGA, N. Y, Aug. 2O.-In the
national conference on the foreign poll
cy of the United States this morning
Robert Treat Payne, of Boston, who
presided. said:
1--WE must treat those islands captur-
ed from Spain as prizes to be dealt
with as we think best. We must do
the best thing we can under the cir
cumstances. While we may not hold
them by the right of conquest, we
should see that proper form of gov
eminent is established over each. We
should never, for moment. forget the
great principles that underlie this great
republic" Moorfield Storey, of Boston,
next addressed the conference. He
said:
IF words have a meaning, if the
promises Of this nation are not as
worthless as a rope Of sand, can any
one doubt what our duty is to the
island of Cuba?
Surely, whatever government is es-
tablished there. whether Cuba becomes
a territory of this Union, colony, or
an Independent state. that government
must rest upon the free consent of her
people. If without this we annex her
to impose our sway upon her. we not
only break our own promise, but We
deny that governments derive their
just powers from the consent of the
governed We shake the foundation
upon which our own liberty rests. If
we treat hes as a territory. it should
be only until her people are better fit
ted for self government.
Two systems are possible. and, in
the long run, only two. Either these
islands become states in this Union and
represented in our congress, or they
may be governed as are Canada and
Australia by England. If admitted as
territories, they will not long remain
such. They are too populous. too rich,
too attractive to political Adventures.
The same considerations which brought
into this Union Montana and the other
sparsely settled states of the West will
bring these islands in as states.
TIE question then is, whether Porto
Rico and Cuba shall be admitted as
states. Whether today or next year,
if we annex. them, this question con-
fronts US.
ITO such additions I am absolutely
opposed.
1--WE have annexed Hawaii. A friend
ly state has been deprived of it's indie
perdence. The governed was not ask
ed whether they approved the consti-
tuition, or the rulers under which they
lost their liberty, nor was the question
whether they desired annexation ever
submitted to them. Our flag in Hawaii
floats over a subject people. But this
disregard for our principles will return
TO plague US sorely. We have said that
the native population of Hawaii was
not entitled to vote upon the vital
question, which we decided against
their will, that by reason Of their color
| or race, or ignorance, they may be
governed without their consent. 1t will
be far more difficult hereafter to insist
that the colored voters Of the South
are entitled to rights denied to the
colored voters Of Hawaii, and so that
equality Of rights, which is the first of
rights, is jeopardiZed within our own
border ard problems, which we thought
the Civil war had settled, are reopened
to fresh and dangerous controversy. No
part of the territory taken from Spain
should be kept by US, but our whole
duty will be done If we give to the in
! habitants in each case the opportunity
! to frame such a government as they
| wish
At the conclusion of Mr.. Storey's re-
marks, Mr.. Payne, the chairman, said
that he conceded with the leading an
ti-expansion features of Mr.. Storey's
address. The next speaker was Sam
uel Gompers, president of the Fedora
ton Of Labor.
GCMPERS OPPOSES ANNEXATION.
Samuel Gompers, president Of the
Federation of Labor, in the course Of
a speech opposing territorial eXpan-
sion, said:
81 have been invited as a wage-earn-
er and a representa- of labor to ad-
dress this conference upon the subject
for W mich it is called, ard it is not I'M
fair to assume that the reason which
prompted the invitation was the desire
to learn as nearly as possible the view
which the organized wage-earnerS of
our country hold regarding this at
present all-absorbng question.
I'VE have annexed Hawaii and ap-
pointed a commission to determine the
| form of its government. How many
| of our people are aware that of less
than 100000 inhabitants Of Hawaii, 3d.
Geo are contract and practically slave
| laborers; that of these there are so per
cent Chinese and Japanese and about
20 per cent Portuguese (from the
Azores islands, and South Sea island
ers that the terms Of these contracts
usually run seven years; that the labor
ers have no right to change their en-
ployers or leave their employment; that
The contract to labor is specifically en-
forcibfe by law and a resolution
adopted by congress specifically de-
clares that the laws of Hawaii shall
govern until the new form of govern
ment shall be adopted; that what any