Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-12-24
WASHINGTON LETTER
SEN. VEST ANSWERED.
President McKinIey's
Trip.
THE INCREASE OF THE
ARMY.
The Government of Hawaii.
The Government of Hawaii.
MUCH ACTIVITY EVERYWHERE

(From Our Regular Correspondent.
WAsHIsGroN, D. c., Dec. 1s, 1898.
Senate Platt, of Conn, never sreak:
unless hehas something to say. Con.
sequently, he always gets the alton.
tion OF his colleagues when he speaks
although he is not an orator in the
general acceptance OF the term
His strong point is facts. and he
bro9ghtou an unusual lot of them
when he proceeded to demolish the
shings set sp by Senator Vest in the
name of an argument in favor of his
resolution, declaring that this govern
ment had no constitutional right to
acquire territory except with the in
tention Of admitting it to the Union as
. State.
MADE 1T PLAIN.
Mr.. Plat made it as plain as A, B.
z, that this governm had a clear
right to acquire te rritory TO be dispos.
ed of in any Eanneri it might see f.,
ard clinched it by show wing that it had
almoss from the beginning of the gov
eminent exercised this right without
question
Republicans in Congress are delight
ed with President McKinley's triumph
ant tour OF the South. and enthusias-
ticaIly end orse everything he said
about expansion and the Qovernm ent
caring for the Confederate dead The
enthusiasm with which the Presid eut's
'straik hit irom-the- shoulder expansion
talk was received ia the South with q
point for some OF the democratic an
tick pansonists that is being carefully
STUDIED.
Mr. BRYAN NOT SATISFIED.
Mr.. Bryan was not altogether salts
He'd with the results of his trip to
Washington. He did not find the dem
ocratic response to his anti -expansion
keynote all that he expected it would
be. On the contrary, he was plainly
told ~ number of dem cratic Sena
tors and Representatives that they
could not endorse his position, and
that their constituents would not. III
he had it 10 do over again, there is
very little doubt that Mr.. Bryan would
be less emphatic in EXPIRE ssing HE op-
position TO expansion. but as he has
fully committed himself, there is moth.
ding left for him TO do but to stand by
what he said, and take the conse-
Quences.
OPPOSE THE NcRRIsE.
Strange as it may seem, there are
Senators and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF
them Republicans,-who oppose the
bill 80 increase the regular army to
100000 men, ard to otherwise put it
upon q moo ern basis, Some of these
men were very loud in their complaints
because the organization Of the army
- ha naer mn Of 80 rTA -.
was inadequate to the occasion that
'Ehere was unavoidable delay in getting
the army in fighting condition. Now,
they want TO perpetuate the old and
organization, forgetting
tne advice Of Washington-"In time of
peace, prepare for war;" Fortunately
for the country, these obstructionist SITS
are in the minority; their opposition
may delay the increase OF the army,
but they cannot prevent it.
CONGRESS WILL ADJOURN.
Congress will this week adjourn for
che customary Christ mas recess of two
weeks. No time will really be lost by
the recess, as all Of the important COM |
mittees Will work right through it. !
he Angio-American Commission has /
taken n recess until January 5th. The |
work of the Commission has not been |
progressing verv rapidly of late, and it |
AS now practically certain that if there |
ks o treaty at all, it will not include |
commercial reciprocity.
Hon. David J. Hill. Assistant Secre- |
Eary of State, delivered an interesting |
address on the Expansion of civiliza-
dion" at banquet. Referring To Ehe |
disposition IN some quarters TO harp |
on 81 word imperialism" Mr.. Hill |
said: "a malignsnt disposition couIL |
not have selected worse word than
imperialism. 1t is not q new one and |
the idea is not novel. 1t has existed |
since the inception of national growth. |
TIE PRoeREss OF CIVILIZATION.
Civilization must go on until there |
Es not one province, one island, one in !
dividual upon which its benign light
does not fall" He answered these wac |
argue that it would be violation of
the Constitution for us to set up |
form of government over any people. |
without allowing them to choose its |
form as we'll as it's officials, by saying |
Nations as well as individuals must
pass through the period OF minority. |
1t was so with this nation. See how |
closely our forefsthers guarded the |
right OF franchise. All constitutional |
lawyers agree that the franchise is not |
. natLra right, tut legal gift The |
natural rights are life. liberty and the |
pursuit of happiness. and cannot be-
1ieve that it is an evil for the stars and
strIpes to float over any people. and it
as therefore our duty to extend the
blessings OF our civinzation TO all men
capable OF receiving them"
COMMITTEES AT WORK.
The Senate Committee on Foreign
oale,;opa and Honaa O0mroikfoa ON