The Meeker herald., 1898-12-31
NEWS FROM THE
NATIONAL CAPITAL.


between the United States and Spain.
In presenting this momentous docu-
ment, Judge Day, as chairman OF the
commission, said 1t represented the
| earnest efforts of the American repre-
I sentatives at Paris, and that 1t was
submitted with the hope that 1t would
rebound to the peace, credit and glory
of the American nation. Accepting the
treaty from the hands Of Judge Day,
the President responded with heartfelt
thanks and congratulations to the com
mission as u body and to the members
individually. He spoke of all that had
been accomplished and OF the happy
method by which difficult questions
had been adjusted.
A well-informed newspaper man
says. There is no question Of the rati-
fication of the Spanish treaty by the
Senate. although there may be good
deal Of debate. 1t involves many In
teresting questions that have not been
discussed in that great debating socie-
| ty and establishes n number of prece-
dents OF Importance. The only Repub-
lican who Is certain to oppose 1t is Mr..
Hale of Maine. Mr.. Hoar and Mfr.
Morrill,, on general principles, are
| against the annexation of territory by
the United States in the West Iudies
or the Asiatic ocean, but will not antag
oniZe the government. At least one
half OF the Democratic senators will
vote for ratification, and probably
more. The attempt to organize that
party against the Presidents policy is
n failure, because such a movement
could do no earthly good and would
only result in defeat.
The Senate committee on foreign re-
lations has concluded its revision Of the
bills providing for territorial govern
ment for Hawaii. and Senator Cullom
reported the changes TO the Senate.
There We're numerous changes, the
most important being as follows: The
section defining citizenship was amend
ed by striking out the word white"
and also the explicit reference to Por-
tuguese and left to read as follows:
THAT all persons who were citi-
zens of the republic of Hawaii
on August 81, 1898, are hereby
declared to be citizens of the United
States" The provision In regard to
the qualifications of territorial senators
is changed so as to require that the SEN
ator shall be a male citizen, thirty
years of age, that he shall have resided
In the Hawaiian islands not less than
three years and that he shall be quail
property qualifications being stricken
out.
General Shafter appeared rather un.
expectedly before the War Investigat
ing committee last Tuesday and told
his story of the Santiago expedition.
He was supported by his aide, Colonel
Mtley, who was with him In Cuba, and
hanked by large pOrtmanteau of pa
pers, to which his aide occasionally ap-
piled for reference. General ShAftef's
story of the operations around Santi
ago was tersely told, hut at times quite
vivid In Its recital and Interesting In
detail. Briefly summed up, his esti-
mate of the Santiago expedition was
that 1t had been n military success. and
cheap at the cost of 500 men lose in
the fight. He considered the expedi-
tion to have been as well fitted out as
the time allowed would permit. and
said that on looking back he had no
criticism of his plans TO make and
would not change them If the events
had to be gone through again. lie
said he had no complaints of any sort
to make and would be 10th to intrude
them at this time If he had.
A decision by the Supreme Court
| some time ago seems to settle the
point raised against the constitutional
ty of Expansion" 1t said: ''The pow
or Of Congress over the territories OF
the United States is general and plen-
ary. arising from and incidental 10 the
right to acquire territory itself, and
from the power given by the constitu-
tion to make all needful rules and reg
ulations respecting territory and other
| properly belonging to the United
States. 1t would be absurd to hold that
the United States has power to acquire
territory and no power to govern 1t
when acquired. The power to acquire
territory is derived from the treaty.
making power. the power to make ac-
QUESTION of territory by conquest, by
treaty and by cession is an incident Of
national sovereignty. These PROPOSE
tions are so elementary and 80 neces-
sarily follow from the condition of
things arising upon the acquisition of
new territory that they need no argu-
ment to support them. They are self
evident"
| Senator Teller occupied the first half
of Tuesdays session of the Senate with
| n speech In advocacy of the theory
that there are no restrictions upon the
right of the United States to expand
its forders so as to include far dis
tant territory. He went quite thor
oughly into the legal points bearing
upon the question, and incidentally
discussed at some length the form of
government for the Philippines, say
ing that he would encourage self-goy-
ernment among the islanders and
would give them the most liberal gov.
ernment which they We're capable of
conducting, but that he would not take
down the American flag where once
planted. IF this government will saw
to the people of this acquired terri
tory" said Mr.. Teller, "'we will give
i self government We will not need an
army of $4,000 men in Cuba, 10000
In Porto Rico and 10000 in the Philin.
pines. To say this to these people Is
the only way to escape a great stand.
ing army. l am not one," he said. fur.
ther along, " to turn these possessions
back to Spain, but 1 do believe that