The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-12-13
VEST ATTACKS IMPERIALISM
4 VIGOROUS ARGUMENT AGAINST
 GOVERNMENTS NEW POLICY.

Constitutionalityo of Acquiring Foreign Terrttory--The Senator Would Rather Yield Life Itself Than Give Consent to the "Fantastic and Wicked Attempt to Revolutionize Our Government'-NIr. Morgan Opens Debate on Nicaragua Canal BnI-Abrogation of Clayton- Bulwer Treaty Discussed.
 Washington, Dec., 12-Discussion of two questions, each of interest and ot importance at this time, was begun by the senate at its session to-day. Terrl- torial expansion, and the construction of the Nicaragua canal occupied the at tention of the body during the greater part of the afternoon. As soon as the routine business had been disposed of MT. Vest called up his resolution, offer ed last week, declaring it to be uncon- stitutional for this government to ac- quire foreign territory except for coal ing stations or some like purpose, unless it's intention was to confer statehood upon the territory and citizenship upon its inhabitants. MT. Vest declared that it was basic principle of this govern ment that ''the powers of the govern ment 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 go beyond that principle. He held h. vi, oi,N1o toj 1G1 by the supreme court in various decis- ions and that no public man of prom thence and no recognized tribunal had ever been reckless enough to controvert 1t.
 Senator Vest concluded: T know not what may be done with the glamour of foreign conquest and greed of the moneyed classes of this country. For myself would rather quit public life this minute-nay I would be willing to yield life itself, rather than give my consent to this fantastic and wicked att tempt to revolutionize out government and to substitute the principles of our hereditary enemy for the teachings of Washington and his associates"
 MT. Platt, Conn.,, in expressing the hope that MT. Vest would not ask for immediate action said he desired to of fer some remarks upon it, but was not prepared to-day to do so. He did not, he said, acquiesce in the law as stated by the Missouri senator. He believed that the power to acquire territory was inherent in the nation and was not sub ject to limitation. In the remarks he proposed to submit he would endeavor to establish this belief. He thought it perfectly evident that if the United States in fighting war came into pos session of territory the progress of it's army and navy could not be stopped until the constituted authorities should declare whether it was the purpose of the government of comforting state hood upon it's inhabitants. In response to an inquiry by MT. Hoar, MT. Platt declared that the power of the govern ment to acquire territory was full and plenary. To this proposition, unless it was accompanied by declarations as to the purpose of the government with re- spect to the territory acquired which purpose should be within the power of the constitution to confer, Mir Hoar said he desired to enter his emphatic dissent.
 MT. Morgan opened the debate on the canal bill with three-hour appeal for action at this session. Mr. Morgan of- fered the amendments agreed upon by the committee. MT. Turpie suggested the advisabiity of postponing the con- sideration of the bill until after Janu- ary 1. He stated that the president in his message had suggested that matters should remain in statu quo until the re- port of the canal committee was made It was an open secret he said that the report of the committee would be ready by January 1. It would report officially upon the feasibility of the enterprise the practicability of routes and the es- timated expenditure. The work of the commission had cost quarter of a million. Why not wait. Why do it blind MT. Morgan replied that the country had reached a conclusion upon this question and would not be satisfied to see this session pass without the enact ment of legislation which would secure the building of the canal. MT. Morgan further said that Nicaragua and Costa Rica recognized what the universa opinion of mankind was, that the cana across the isthmus must be built under the protection, control and manage ment of some great maritime power The terms of the Menocal- Cardenas concessions proved this. The two soy. ereign republics became party to stock in the company when offered, Mica ragua retaining per cent. of the paid I'D stock and Costa Rica one-half pei cent. They had waived their sovereign rights in favor of the congress of the Tinted States. They had waived then for the benefit of their own countries in order to accomplish that withou which they were the most minute dot: on the map of the world. We stood nledged by that treaty with Nicaragua to protect the canal. Our armies mus 20 there if the rights of the canal were invaded. The rights of an exclusive character possessed under the treat. of 1867 were in violation of the Claytor Rulwer treaty But seven years before Great Britain had procured treat! with Nicaragua identical in terms, s' that the Clayton-Bulwer treaty ha: vanished into thin air by Great Brit aims act.
 The question of British intervention was very remote. It was only con iured in the minds of those who doubt ed the wisdom of canal. If the sens of the senate were taken he had n