The times., 1898-06-21

Maine CMr Hale) spoke because he
could not think of going contrary to that
senator. who took entire charge of the
proceedings of the Senate.
Mr.. Hale here tried to say word and
Mr.. Wilson vigorously demanded the
regular order. Mr.. Hale was finally re-
cognized and urged that the debate be
| continued, as there was nothing to be
| gained by parleying.
Mr.. White declared that there had not
been shown the slightest disposition to
harass the question on the part of the
| Opposition. and he urged that there was
| no reason thus far to justify prolonged
! sessions.
Mr.. Frye here went over the statement
at the beginning of the debate and denied
that there was any threat in his words.
Mr.. Teller spoke of the custom of the
Senate in regard to yielding the floor, and
urged that as Mr.. Bacon had only yielded
temporarily he be allowed to resume, and
| that to refuse this would be TO break up
very pleasant and courteous practice.
Mr.. Bacon then resumed his speech. He
confined himself to the constitutionality.
| of annexing territory by means of joint
resolution He claimed that it was not
| only in violation of all preeedents, but
! revolutionary and dangerous He said
| should this measure become law there
! would be nothing to prevent the House
| treaty on any subject and with any ma
| tion, and by putting it through both
| houses by merely a majority make II a
! law. 1t could even be passed over the
! Presidents veto, he claimed by receiving
two-thirds vote of both houses. He
urged that such a proceeding would be a
| fragrant violation of the Constitution, as
| that declared that the President, aided by
! the Senate. alone had the authority to
make treaties.
| Mr.. Teller made brief answer to Mr..
| Bacon's argument, declaring that it was
entirely at fault because 1t was founded
| on an erroneous basis.
THE senator who has Just taken his
sea- has assumed that we can only acquire
| territory by treaty. said Mr.. Teller
! ''and that, therefore, we are invading the
| constitutional prerogative of the Presi-
| dent and the Senate. There is nothing
| whatever in that argument for there is
nothing in the Constitution that can be
! construed in:o the suggestion that ter
! ritory cannot be acquired by an act OF
| law any more than there is that il cannot
! be acquired by the strong arm of war
/ We have heard from time to time the
| same argument that we have heard here
/ today. Everybody ought 10 recognize
| that 1t is the right of every sovereign
! power to add to its territory whenever
| 1t sees fit. l assert here that the United
/ States may add territory 10 territory
without any constitutional provision
! whatever"
| Mr.. Teller then alluded to the Louisi-
! ana purchase. and said that these same
i arguments were then brought forward.
! But" continued he, ''if we had failed
to make that accession then. we would
row be a little one 1rse Eower, sur. ound-
/ cd on the south as we are on the north.
/ by the English. and debarred from going
n sr,oly rTrsa5r.a
wa beard thu same cry from persons who
did not want TO see that section of the
! country strengthened and who thought
! that the country was getting so big that
| IL would break down. More complaint
| was made when Florida was annexed.
| In fac. we have not annexed a foot OF
, ground that this same cry has not been
| made.
"There is nothing in this constitutional
argument at all. for premises are as
sumed ~ hich are false, and the conclu-
sons must also be false. or. at least they
/ are liable to be.
II do not intend to debate this subject
have said that l would not. and / viii
not in extenso. l am not one of those who
are afraid that the patriotism and com
mon sense of the American people viii
not constrain them from the acquisition
of undesirable territory 1t is reflection
upon the American people 10 say that
theS cannot restrain themselves.
There is one thing certain. that we
have the same power as nation as any
other nation. and you cannot make The
American people believe that the Gov
ernment of the United States is not as
capable of exercising the power of gov
eminent in the Philippine Islands as any
government in the world; that we canno
give those people a government infinitel!
better than the government they have
had for the past two hundred years.
You cannot make the American peopl
believe that American liberty. carried o!
our efforts and supported by our grea
nation. will be harm TO the people VIII
are asked to share it.
IF we have a mission to free Cuba W
have a mission TO give them a govern
ment, If they do not have it, that shal
secure to them the blessings of freedom
for which this government was estab
lished and for which it has stood befor
the world for more than a hundred years
: and hear with no degree of complacenc
people say we are incapable of managin
. a colony or managing territory not ad
jacent to our own.
The best hour the world saw unde
Rome was when IL was republic If an
people in the world are capable of man
aging colonies it is the people of repub
lie. / do not know what will be don
when this war is over. but I will tell yo
what I belieye-I believe that whereve
! our flag flies, either by right of conques
or by the consent of the people who let
be put up, there it will remain, and tina
party or man who proposes to take
down viii have TO reckon with the grea
body of the American people. who believ
it is the best flag and the best governmer
and better calculated to bring peace tha
any other flag under the sky
Mr.. White here made his motion to aC
1ourn which resulted in the vote bein
taken, as stated above, after which tn
Senate adjourned.