The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-02
SENATOR PERKINS AND THE TREATY

~ N the sixth day OF this month Senator Perkins
will have the opportunity OF his life. Believ-
- ing in popular government in which every
true American agrees with him, he invited legs-
lative instruction that contrary to his own per-
sonal convictions, and which, upon reflection we
hope he may deem it his duty respectfully to dsre-
gard. II the question were the improvement of San
Pedro harbor the deepening of the Oakland chan
nell any Federal appropriation for the particular
benefit OF this State it would certainly devolve upon
him either obey the Legislature or to resign But
when the institutions OF his country are in peril, when
this majestic republic is pointed toward the surging
OF Imperialism, when he is directed to indorse
the divine right OF kings as source of title to an
archipelago and to hold that the Declaration of indie
pendence has application TO nine millions of Fill
pinos, obedience to State Legislature may be
son to the nation. 1t is the will of forty-hve Amer-
can States, incorporated into indissolube Union,
and having the future OF mankind in charge that,
with deep OF responsibility, Senator Perkins
is required to register And unless he abrogates his
principal functions that will must be ascertaned by
his own independent judgment The atmosphere at
Washington may have its own peculiar odors, but
IL is at least Tree from the stencil that offends the
nosrs OF honest legislators in the present Senatorial
contest in this State The air of the Senate chamber
is not yet deadly to patriotism.
oeH1tOr ISTklnS Is living OF what D1alnS,
thrift integrity and energy can achieve under Ameri-
can institutions. 1t the protection OF the con-
stitution that enabled him to carve his way from
humble beginnings to his present exaltaton. He
cannot forget or ignore his Americansm, nor upon
issue of possible life death to the Government,
as it is fashioned prefer void legislative in
strucon to fidelity to his oath OF office and the well
fare of the largest free and independent community
now on earth or recorded in history. He is sur
rounded by colleagues, some OF whom have uttered
sentiments which the heart OF citizenship through
out the Union has responded and which may have
sounded the keynote to the last desperate struggle
between despotism and liberty. Our Commission
ers came back from Paris" said the great Senator
OF Massachusetts, bringing with them the cast-off
clothing OF the pinchbeck Napoleon and ask lis
who have seen his fate discard for them the spot
less robes in which fathers arrayed the beautiful
genius OF America And this antthesis to Dan Burns,
this master of law and of rhetoric, with the blood
OF heroic ancestry coursng through his veins held
up before the world the supreme and controlling pur
pose defined in the preamble to the Federal constitu
ton to which all OF its express and implied powers
are subordinate and as an American statesman
ground the argument of the imperiasts to powder.
And in these memorable words he met the false
rhapsodists military glory, when you raise the
flag the Philippines, emblem OF domain
and acquisition, you take it down from independence
Hall Even his allusion to his political
service patheticaly approached the theme of nation
atty and must have appealed with almost irresistible
force to Senator Perkins, who say of the Repub-
can party dedicated to freedom and unity all of
which l saw and part of which l was" We will re-
peat the language OF Mr.. Hoar: 81 stood in humble
capacity by its cradle. do not mean, if I can help
it. to follow its hearse."
These are the expressions OF one Federal Senator
which in virity and in beauty have been unsurpassed
but nearly equaled by many. They ought to consti-
tute controlling example for Republican Sen
ator expanded beyond the lines of party who stands
for the millions of Americans, to whom this country
in IFS integrity and in its grandeur, the type for u
tire history and who spurn alike Asiatc adulteration
and imperalistic revolution.
We sincerely trust that the vote of Senator Per-
kins will help to frame an intelligent answer to Sen
ator Mason's inquiry: How is liberty to be estab
lished?" Is it to be done hypodermically with a
I3-inch gum" We hope that the country and the
world may be spared the infection of the Republican
Senator from California occupying his seat with his
lips closed and his limbs manaced while his ears are
filled with legislative orders in which the voices of
Howard E. Wright and the Burns contingent can be
clearly distinguished
AN EXPERIMENT In TROPICAL EX-