Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-21
PHILIPPINE QUESTION,
First Speech in the House Of
Representatives Thereon
ANT|-ANNEyAT|ON ARGUMENT
Mr.. Williams, Of Mississippi, States OBJ
jeCtiOnS 10 Taking the Islands.
SENATOR TELLER FOR EXPANSION.
III al HfuL
SENATOR TELLER FOR EXPANSION.


WASHINGTON, d. c.. December 20
The House to-day listened to the first
| speech on the subject of the annexation
of the Philippines. Mr.. Williams. Of Mis-
sissippi, a Democratic member Of the
| Foreign Affairs Committee. in an hour S
speech, stating his opposition to policy
which would bring the islands under the
sphere of United States influence, espe-
cially, he said, as the islands would
prove a great disappointment. They were
thicSly populated with people Of hetero-
! geneous races. In the annexation of ter
ritory in the past, the area annexed had
always been coterminous, except in the
case of Alaska, and we had in each case
! INCREASED our population and our power
| Of national defence. These had been the
! tests in the past The Philippines full
! filled none Of these tests.
In the case of Cuba, if Cuba should be
willing in the future to throw in her lot
with us, the case would be different.
| Sxty-six per cent. of Cuba's population
was Caucasion. fact not generally
| known. Her people could easily be as
simulated. Cuba was practically con-
tiguous. She lay directly within the
sphere OF American influence.
WE WANT NO UNWILLING SUBJECTS
1--WE want no unwilling subjects" said
Mr.. Williams. eve want no opportunity
for the exercise Of tyranny. The South is
especially hostile TO the absorption of a
great population alien in race. blood.
color, and customs"
He summed up the objections to the an
nexation of the Philippines. They lie 1900
miles from our coast. Not single geo.
graphical, defensive, or racial test could
be applied. Annexation would project us
1908 miles into the melee of the Orient
We would have to hold I'm subsection 81
100000 Filipinos, at a cost OF Sl4O,COO,0O0 an
nually. "And as the House was consider
ing an agricultural bill" he said, ''it
might be well to bear in mind who would
in the end have to pay the increased
taxes. Taxes could be shifted and shift
ed until they reached the farmer. Then
they were shifted no longer" He argued
that citizenship could not be denied the
natives Of the islands, If they were an
nexed. They came within the purview
OF the fifteenth constitutional amendment.
They became citizens "ipso facto,' as
soon as the islands were annexed.
THE RACE QUESTION.
He had been asked why, If Mississippi
had been able to deal with the race ques-
ton, the people of the United States
would not be able TO do so i'm the Philip
pines. The difference was that the peO-
pie of Mississippi understood the problem
with which they had to deal 1t came
home TO them by actual contact. The |
people of the United States who would !
have TO solve ii would do so theoretically. |
and they would fail. There must be white |
supremacy. If white supremacy were not |
guaranteed in Hawaii, he declared that 90 |
per cent OF the Caucasians would not re- |
main there.
While he opposed annexation, however |
he said, he would not return the Philip |
pine Islands TO Spain. Il should leave |
the islands," he continued, where they |
were the day after Dewey's glorious vic |
tory at Manila. l should haul down the |
American flag. l am for the flag |
for what ii means, not for itself. 1t is /
nothing but a piece Of bunting, and when |
some one announces that il must not |
come down, l care not how high his |
station, he says something unworthy of |
himself and his country The flag should |
come down if ii IS right that it should
do so, and the American people must
pull 1t down We would not let any
other country DO it," prolonged applause
on Democratic side)
TRADE AND THE TARIFF.
Proceeding, Mr.. Williams argued that
If the Philippines could not take care
of themselves they would fall under the
influence of England, or France, or Ger
interest We had in the
East generally an interest in Opening
the door" If any other country got pos
session Of the Philippines, ii could not
do worse than Spain did In any event
our trade with the Philippines was a
mere drop in the bucket. and If we re-
tained possession of them we would have
to sacrifice the "open-door" policy in the
Orient or go back on the Constitution.
He argued that our tariff laws must
extend over the islands and If they did
it would be absurd for us to exercise one
policy in the Philippines and contend for
another in China.
There was still another solution Of the
problem. Mr.. Williams said, IL We did
not want TO give the islands their inde-
pendence or let them fall under the sway
of another country. we could sell them
as a war indemnity TO England. She
would bring TO them civilization. The
islands would get freedom Of religion and
freedom of trade. and we would get rid
Of a naval, military, political. racial,
social, and naval problem, and avert a
perpetual foreign policy.
Mr.. Willlams's remarks were listened
to with careful attention, and his COLI
leagues gave him hearty round of APP
plause when he concluded.
AGRICULTURAL BILL PASSED.
The agricultural bill was then passed.
The provision inserted In the bill. TO be
used as a means Of retaliating against
Germany and other countries. was pass
ID. with a slight amendment which
gives the Secretary OF the Treasury dis
,retion in refusing the delivery OF goods,
,dulterated or deleterious 10 health, In
stead of making refusal TO deliver such
goods mandatory. The bill carries S,-
;s6 s22. or sls7i20 more than the current
aw.
Several resolutions from the River and
aarbor Committee, calling upon the Sec