The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-01
SPEECH BY Mr.. TILLMAr
THE RACE PROBLEM AS VIEWED BY
THE ERRATIC PITCHFORKER.
FiIibuster in the House Against the
Bill to Incorporate the Interna-
tiOnaI American Bank.


in conference was disposed of and was a
law before midnight. After a debate last
ing three hours the Senate finally receded
from it's amendments to the sundry civil
and adopted the conference report on the
Indian appropriation bill. Mr.. Allison, in
charge of the bills, explained that it was
necessary that the reports should be agreed
to to-day as this was the last day of the
fiscal year He pointed out that if the bills
were not laws by midnight they would have
to be passed again by the two branches of
Congress. The delay consequent upon such
action would seriously embarrass the gov
eminent and might force Congress to re-
main in session several weeks longer. In
denouncing the action of the conferees for
striking out the free homes provision of
the Indian BILL Mr. Pettigrew charged the
Republican party with being dominated by
the money power" and with the election
of senators by the corrupt use of money.
Mr.. Tillman (Dem., S. CD discussed the
race problem from the standpoint of a
Southern man and was Enthusiastically
vigorous in his remarks. He accounted for
the slight interest manifested in the Ha-
waian debate by saying that the question
was fully discussed in executive session
early last winter and that it was only
natural that there should be lack of in
terest and unwillingness to listen to repe-
tition of speeches delivered then.
DR.. Voorsouger, rabbi of Temple Emanuel
and professor of Semitic languages and lit
erature at the University of California San
Francisco, pronounced the invocation at the
opening of the Senate's session to-day. he
prayed that ''the flag under which we live,
that for which our fathers fought, be for
ever the sacred emblem of liberty until time
shall be no more"
The Hawaiian annexation resolutions
were at once taken up, and Mr.. Bate spoke
in opposition to them. tsn
Mr.. TILLMAN'S SPEECH.
Mr.. Tillman was the next speaker, =. 80 Thus
far he said, 1.-The discussion of the 'resolu-
tions has been entirely one-sided. When
ever the majority of the Senate sets in ST.
lence on so important a question as this l
am impressed with the idea that there is
devilment afoot. Senators desire to talk
they like to hear themselves speak; to get
their names in the newspapers and to see
their remarks in the Record. When, there
fore they are silent there is, depend upon
it, something rotten in Denmark. " AS to
the sugar interests, he said When / con-
slider the mastery of the American Sugar
Trust over the Senate and the House as
law, / am forced into the belief that this
trust is not opposed to annexation, and that
It's ln1uenc6 is at work among the ranks OF
those faVoring annexation.
Discussing the race problem presented,
Mr.. Tillman said: THE Philippines are al
ready densely populated with. races for
which we have no affinity or liking. 1t is
the same with Porto Rico and in some de-
gree with Cuba. But we have already one
perplexing and harassing problem right here
at home, and that must give Us npaase. 1
mean the negro question. The wisest
craftsmanship is unable to foresee the final
result of the presence in the same common
wealth of two distinct races, each possess
ing the same rights under the law, but
one of which is superior to the other lf we
are not to witness blocking of the wheels
of progress and condition OF mongrellsm
decentralization and retrogression such as IS
appalling to every lover OF the anglo saxon
and justly. 1t is impossible for me, famil-
lar as 1 am with its perplexities and dan
gers, not TO call halt and beg ser, tors TO
pause and take care what they do With
g. 600, 900 negroes already among us, tie add
ing of more colored peoples presents to a
lions a grave problem a solemn RESPONSE
bility. Can we afford to enter upon a
scheme of colonial expansion by conquest
with the inevitable result that we will in
corporate another million and half of ne
groes, 10, 900 Malays: Nigritos. Japanese
and Chinese to say nothing of the hundreds
Of thousands of mongreis Of Spanish blood,
imbued with Spanish thought and action?
But lest I be misunderstood, wish to
say that I sympathiZe with the white men
who live in Hawaii, that / would not leave
them to the tender mercies of the colored
races, who outnumber them; that am
ready to vote for a treaty annexing these
islands and even under protest to vote for
this resolution with the Petugrew amend
ment added, though l prefer the other as
the legal and constitutional method of an
nexation if I can get this Senate to incor
porate an amendment which will declare in
words what is here declared in effect to
wit. that the colored races, the negroes.
Kanakas and Chinese are incapable of self
government, are unfit to participate in gov
eminent and in the future in dealing with
these islands and all the islands which we
may conquer if we choose to hold them, it
will be the policy of the United States to
have only those participate in government
who have white blood in their veins
RACES NOT EQUAL.
For my part, l declare that the races
are not equal and never were God never
made them So and while subscribe to the
doctrine that among the inalienahle rights
of man is the right to life. liberty and pur-
suit of happiness declare my unalterabe
faith in the doctrine that the white race
is superior to the coored."
In the course of his remarks, Mr. Till
man criticised declaration Of Mr. Teller
made a few days ago that wherever the
American flag was raised in this war there
it must stay He held that that statement
was in direct contradiction of Mr.. Tellers
amendment to the war resolutions that the
war was not to be waged for the acquisi-
ton OF territory.
Mr.. Teller replied that he had not been
inconsistent. as. if the people of Cuba were
capable of governing themselves he wanted
them to do so
Thea why offer an impossible condition."
demanded Mr.. Tillman. NO combinatio of
Spanlards and half negroes capable of self
government exists on the face of the
earth"
Mr.. Teller in response. said the people of
Cuba were he believed, capable of self
government. but If 1t should be demon
strated that they were not, it would be the
duty OF this country to maintain a proper
government on the island. Mr. Teller said
that while 1t was. of course. necessary yet
to have a demonstration of the ability of
the Cubans to govern themselves il was
not and never would be the policy of this
government TO abandon the people cG Cuba
tender mercies of Spain.
Mr.. Tillman maintained that in view of
the declaration of Congress in the war reso-
luton this government. in seizing Cuba
Porto Rico and the Philippines. with the
purpose of holding them. was acting in bad
faith with the world. The American people
were becoming land grabbers under the
guise OF humanitarianism. This bad faith
had. he said, already excited the distrust of
European nations, and Germany, with her
war ships at Manila, and perhaps other
of the booty. II am in favor he. declared
vehemently. "of giving Germany and all the
rest of the European nations to understand
that this government will tolerate no inter-
ference with it's policy or action
II agree with the senator" interjected