Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-12-13
MAKES A RADICAL ANTI-ExPANsIOx
SPEECH IN SENATE.
YELLs: UNCONSTITUTIONAL
WOULD RATHER DIE. HE SAYS, THAN
CONSENT TO EXPANSION.
Senator Platt Takes Issue With Mr..
Vest and Promises to Show Him
the Error OF His Views
Shortly - Nicaragua
Canal Bill Up.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 12.-Discussion Of
! two questions. each of great Importance
| and interest, was begun by the senate at
| its session to-day. Terrible expansion
and the construction of the Nicaragua
| canal occupied the attention Of the body
during the greater part of the afternoon.
As soon as the routine morning business
| had been disposed of. Mr.. Vest. of Mis-
sCurf, called up his resolution, offered last
week. declaring il to be unconstitutional
for this government to acquire foreign ter
ritory except for coaling stations some
like purpose, unless its intention was to
confer statehood upon the territory and
citizenship upon its inhabitants. Mr.. Vest
declared that it was a basic principle of
this government that the powers Of the
government were derived from the consent
of the governed" and maintained that the
federal government had no authority either
in morals or in the constitution to so be-
yond that principle. He held that the prin-
ciple had been sustained by the supreme
court in various decisions. and that no
public man of prominence and no recog-
riZed tribunal had ever been reckless
enough to controvert 1t.
Mr.. Platt, Republican, Of Connecticut.
took issue with Mr.. Vest and announced
that, at some convenient time in the near
future. he would offer some remarks upon
the resolution, in the course of which he
would endeavor to show that the Missouri
senator was wrong in his Interpretation Of
the constitution and inaccurate in his de-
ductions from the law.
Mr.. Morgan opened the debate the
canal bill with a three hour appeal for ac-
tion at this session. The whole country,
he said. would be disappointed if congress
did not act. He was willing to take any
measure which would result in the build
ing of the canal. In the course Of his re.
marks he agreed TO accept an amendment
specifically excepting the canal from neu-
trality with regard to any country with
which the United States might be at war.
At the beginning OF the senate season
Mr.. Hoar and Mr.. Hale presented resoIu-
tions of citizens of their states remon-
stratng against the extension of American
sovereignty over the Philippine islands and
against the acquisition of foreign territory
without the consent of the people Of such
territory. The resolutions were referred to
the committee on foreign relations.
Mr.. Pettigrew introduced Il bill authoriz-
ing A. A. Bartlett to raise the battleship
Maine and transport 1t to the United
States.
Mr. Hoar introduced the following reso-
luton: That the committee on military
affairs be instructed to inquire and report,
as soon as may be- whether some policy
may not be established by law by which
soldiers in the regular army who have
families or parents depending on them for
support, or whose education or opportuni-
ties for business viii be seriously inter-
fered with by-slonger continuance in the
military service. and who enlisted under
assurance that they would be held only
while the war lasted, may be promptly dis
charged, and their places. so far as neces-
sary. be filed with new recruits"
Mr.. Vest then called up his resolution
offered last week, declaring the constitution
confers no power On the federal government
to acquire territory to be held and gov
erned permanently as colonies. and ad-
propose, he said, to say anything that
would necessitate secret session, as he
had no intention to discuss any treaty
after to be offered 1t seemed to him
peculiarly appropriate to discuss the pow
ers of the United States government under
officer of the government" said he, says
that the constitution Is too small for the
present condition of our government. it
seems to me. time to inquire what that con-
stitution is
Mr.. Vest said our forefathers had fought
for years against taxation without repre-
The Declaration Of Independence had been
drawn up. with the idea that all governs
nents derived their just powers from the
that the founders Of the government could
millions of human beings could be held
without their consent, merely as chattels
TO be disposed of as the sovereign powers
of the mother country might choose.
decision heo of be n,sd f5en sse shs ped se0.
court. in support of his proposition. and de-
clared. L assert now that not one tribunal.
that part OF the Dred Scott decision until
within the last six months. when the craze
Of expansion seems to have taken possess
sion of the American people"
Mr.. Vest thought it was the purpose of
the expansionists to adopt the European
system Of colonization, Notwithstanding the
fundamental principle Of this government
was the granting of citizenship to all with
in the jurisdiction of the government, ex-
cept alone the Indians. In the act of ces-
France to the United States is found a
provision that the inhabitants, as soon as
possible. shall be made citizens Of the Uni
ted States. and the territory of Louisi-
ana be made a state of the Union So It
was. declared Mr.. Vest when Oregon was n
Stai Obtained d from from Spain: and when Alaska was
When. where. how?" he asked "have
" we SURRENDERED nIfsd the great power that this
conceive 1t to be possible to point out any
other ti,., , form !, of government under the con-
Mr.. Vest maintained that the overwhelm-
Ing argument of the expansionists was
that the constitution applies alone to the
states of the Union. In favor of what he
termed this monstrous proposition" he
said the xparsionists quoted Daniel Web-
ster. for whose opinions he. himself had
the highest respect. The argument OF Mr.
Webster referred to had been made in a
debate with. John c. Calhoun when slavery
was dominant issue. Mr.. Calhoun had
maintained that. inasmuch as slavery was
recognized by the federal constitution. its
extension into the territories acquired by
the union of states was constitutional. Then
II was that Mr.. Webster had declared that
the constitution applied to the states alone.
ITO say. declared Mr.. Vest. that cftf-
zens of a territory are excluded from the
privileges guaranteed by the bill of rights
and are merely the subjects of the arbi-
trary will Of congress is a monstrous prom
osition: but, fortunately. the supreme court
has determined that question in many
cases"
Il do not deny" continued Mr. Vest, "the
power OF the federal government to acquire
territory, but do deny it's powers to ac-
qure territory peopled with millions with
out their consent and with no intention Of
comforting upon them citizenship. II NAV
be answered that the point is not good;