The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-11-11
Subject Of an Interesting Discus
sion Before the contempOry
Club of Philadelphia.
OPINIONS OF NOTED MEN
Historian MeMaster Took the Affirm
alive View. While George r. Ed
wardsArgDed Against Expansion

PHILADELPHIA. NOV. lO.-''The FL
feet Of Territorial Expansion Upon Oui
Domestic Relations was the subject
Of discussion at the last meeting Of the
Contemporary Club. the speakers belne
John Bash McMaster. historian: Thomas
g. Bhearman. OF New York. and Former
Senator George r. Edmunds. One speak
er favored and the other opposed the
acquisition Of territory not contiguous
to the United States.
Mr.. McMaster gave a history Of th'
policy pursued by the United States ir
It's acquisition Of foreign territory and
It's method OF governing H. TO show tina,
the proposed taking Of the Phllippl.ss
would be in line with previous acts. II,
said he believed there was no reason why
we should not govern these islands al
acceptably as the great west. which wal
ACQUIRED by several purchases.
Referring 10 the declaration Of inde-
pendence and It's enumeration Of seyera
rights of the governed. quoted by oppo
nents OF colonial system, DIR. McMas.
ter said the principles there stated had
never been literally Incorporated into
the governmental system OF the United
States. or any state. Jefferson. who
drafted the declaration. and negotiated
the purchase OF Louisiana and Federal.
lists OF that day urged the same objection,
in force today that we would be com
PEELED TO admit 20 citizenship on equa
terms. the Creoles. the Spanish. tbs
French. the negroes. and all otner per
sons inhabltlng this large territory.
II was their claim that the Mississippi
was the natural boundary OF the United
States and later that Providence had
erected the Rocky Mountains as a propel
boundary OF our union. He quoted from
Daniel Webster that the constitution
could not be stretched 10 cover a terri
tory.
II related only TO states. The territory
was simply owned by the United States
as a man would horse. He showed alsC
that from the beginning o. our acquisition
OF territory that the president had beer
the supreme authority appointing a gov
ernor and council. and that territories
were admitted as states. not as matter
OF right but OF expedlency.
Former Senator John Edmunds said II
part:
"Our sons and daughters cannot liv,
In the tropics. Look at the case Of Grea
Britain and her hundreds OF years o
Indian mastery. Everybody Anows tina
there has never been an English settle
ment within the tropics. but civilian
who so there, and nine out oil ten die be
fore they are 90 years old and the loss o
the battalions that go there is create
than that OF our sons and brothers VIII
went to Santiago and Camp Alger."
Referring 10 the Philippines Mr.. Ed
munds said:
I'VE now have from these Islands a
the commodities they produce on the sam
terms that other nations do. Suppose "
take them and adopt the British oolonia
policy and make them a close colony an
allow no one TO trade with them exceT
ourselves. How soon woulU the othe
nations meet us by saying We will trea
you the same way in our colonies an
then the balance OF the commercial gal
would bankrupt the United States
ten years.
1--WE told Spain and told the world
a solemn declaration OF our congres
when We began this war against Spai
that we rejected the idea OF territoris
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT. Was that lie, a shan
false pretence? And we stand up
the face OF the world and say, Yes, "
have been lying"