The San Francisco call., 1898-12-28

c ldture or California" was c c the frank declaration made c c by Senator Perkins to-day. c
 He discussed the subject with earn estness and without reservation. T have very strong convictions on the subject, and I am not endeavoring to draw an unnecessarily dark picture when I predict that a general reaction against expansion is now going on all over the country, and before a great while we will be brought face to face with the fact that we have more mo- mentous problems to solve right here at home without going to the far-off Philippines"
 Will the treaty be ratified?" asked The Call correspondent.
 Not the same day 1t is presented" !" replied the Senator with marked em- phasis. Tt has been stated by some of the. newspapers that Hoar is prob ably the only Republican Senator who will vote against ratification. l am quite certain that other Republican Senators are as strongly opposed to the policy of expansion announced by the Presi- dent as I am, and when the vote is taken. unless the treaty is materially amended, it will be found that Senator Hoar does not stand alone on the Re- publican side of the chamber in oppo- sition to a policy which will surely come home to plague us.
 This is very strong language to come from a Republican. but l have very deep and earnest convictions on the subject and cannot believe that the people of California are willing to brush aside the Chinese exclusion acts and allow millions of Chinese to rush into this country as American citizens. Our people on the Pacific Coast have been struggling for many years to pre- vent the Chinese from coming into com petition with our laboring people and now it is proposed at one fell swoop to admit 1000. 900 of mongrels, many of whom, sixty days ago, had never heard of the United States and are totally ignorant of our habits, our laws and our institutions.
 Tt is claimed that the acquisition of the Philippines will increase our trade relations, and in support of that theory we are obliged to listen to that glitter ing sentence, Trade follows the flag That sounds very pleasant and patri- otic. but the theory is kicked to death by the stubborn fact that to-day our official reports show that the balance of trade is in our favor and at the same time the records show that the great bulk of our trade is carried in ships flying foreign flags"
 Tt is asserted that the friends of expansion insist it is too late to turn back, and that we could not let go of the Philippines if we desired to-" The Call correspondent suggested.
 Tt is never too late to do the right thing hon if is diCPnUarpd hot a mistake has been committed" replied the Senator. ''I have seen.it suggested that we might sell some of the Philip pines to other countries, and thus real ize handsome sum to compensate us for our outlay during the war. Such talk is absurd. We have made seri- ous mistake and the sooner we admit it the better it will be for our common country.
 T am an American and believe in building up American institutions and doing whatever is right to promote American interests. Looking at the situation from the commercial and also the political standpoint, I cannot see that our people or our party will be benefited by carrying out the expan- sion policy which the President so gracefully enunciated during his recent visit to the sunny South.
 ''I am convinced that the more prac- tical business people ponder over the subject the more they will be impressed with the belief that we do not desire nor do we need the Spanish colonies of the Pacific or the West Indies. Why, Adiutant General COrbin told our com mittee a few days ago that we would require an army of 50.000 men in Cuba, even after we have sent all of the Span is1 soldiers back to Spain. Many peo- pie who are crying so loudly for expan- sion have failed to stop to consider the great burdens which will fall upon the weary taxpayers to maintain a stand ing army of 100000 and also maintain such governments as may be deter mined upon in the Philippines, Cuba and Porto Rico. Unless I am greatly mistaken. a reaction will set in which may sweep the Republican party from power because If the unwise policy of expansion