The age-herald., 1898-12-21
BOTH RECEIVED APPLAUSE OneDiscussed Principle the Other
 Constitutionality. THE FiLIPM0s EASY TO GOVERN Dewey Says He Finds Them Docie and
 Readily Reasoned With. WAR WILL NOT BE NECESSARY To Force Our Institutions Upon the Natives of the Archipelago Lib
 eral Treatment All That
 They Desire.
WAR WILL NOT BE NECESSARY

yvashinrton December 20.-Senator Teller occupied the first half of today's session Of the senate with speech in advocacy of the theory that there are no restrictions upon the right of the United States to expand it's borders so as to include far distant terri tory. He went quite thoroughly into the legal points bearing upon the question and also incidentally discussed the form of gov ernment for the Filipinos saying that he would encourage self government among the islanders and would give them the most liberal government which they were capa- ble of conducting, but that he would not take down the American flag where once planted. nt
 The remainder of the session was given up to the Nicaragua canal biN. Senator Caffery was the only speaker on this sub ject and he opposed the Morgan bill.
 MT. Teller addressed the senate upon MT. Vests resolution, declaring that under the constitution no power is given to acquire territory to be held and governed perman- ently as colonies.
 Constitutional Argument
 MT. Teller's address was a constitutional argument. He did not think there was the slightest question of the power of this gov ernment to acquire foreign territory. "If we are a nation,' he said. "We have the power to exercise the rights of a nation all the rights of any sovereign power"
 Referring to the territory acquired by the United States during the recent war; MT. Teller said: "We have already acquired this territory. We need, for matter of fact, no treaty with Spain to confirm our right to 1t. By right of conquest-a right undisputed-we came into possession of Cuba, Porto Rico, and the archipelago. They are ours certainly as they could be made so by treaty."
 MT. Teller discussed briefly the statement of MT. Vest that many of the deeds of ces- sion of foreign territory acquired by the United States contained caluses providing that the territory ultimately should become states of the union. "We can confer state hood upon these territories whenever the conditions justify it. Nobody can call into question our right to exercise our judgment in this matter.
 The Question Settled
 If we acquire territory he continued, 'the very act carries with 1t the right to govern
 Who" he demanded in dramatic force, "can govern now in Cuba or in Porto Rico but the United States? That question is settled-settled by the very cir cumstances of the case. The question is now, what disposition shall we make Of the territory that has come into our pos- session?"
 MT. Teller thought it duty of our peo- pie and legislators to keep in mind con- stantly the great principle upon which this government Is founded, that the just pow CTS of government are derived from the consent of the governed. We ought said he, ito extend to the people of these pos- sessions the power to govern themselves as soon as they are prepared to exercise that power. We are coming to deal with the greatest question our people have met since 1861. anticipate much difficulty and em- barrassment, but at no time felt the dis trust that has been manifested by many of our people,"
 The declaration of the congressional resolutions with reference to Cuba, he be- lieved, might have been made applicable to the peoples of the acquired possessions. "If this government will say to the pee pie of this acquired territory" said he, We will give you self-government, we Will not need an army of 50,000 men in Cuba, 10000 in Porto Rico and 5000 in the Philippines. To say this to this people is the only way to escape great standing army
 May be Made States
 q am not one," he said further along. "to turn these possessions back to Spain, but do believe that we ought to give them the opportunity to govern themselves. I may say nououy WantS these possessions made into states now No public man is in favor of such a plan, so far as I am aware. Yet, in course of time we may take them in."
 So far and as soon as possible, MT. Tel Ter believed, that the inhabitants of Cuba should be given self-government, but he did not believe that the United States should leave the power thus established as prey of any other nation, either through conquest or treaty. He believed 1t folly to talk o1 Imperialism" as applied to this country. No man or set of men had any intention of establishing in this country the European policy of imperialism and none would chahhpioh such a course.
 'No colonial system. such as England established years ago in India, will ever be established under the stars and stripes" declared MT. Teller. "Our flag will always float over liberty and happiness insured to all the people beneath its folds. Though all of them may not be accorded the fullest