The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-15
on Islands OF the sea. Neither geography rol
distance has anything to do with II.

on on islands Of the sea. Neither geography rol
Instance has anything to do with II.
THE POWER OF CONGRESS.
The constitution of the United States pro-
Vides for the government OF territories a.
well as for government within the states. In
the states the autonomy is fixed in respect
OF all the three departments Of the govern
ment-legislative, executive and judicial In
I I territories congress is left free TO regu-
late, subject to the constitution, the means
or government according to its discretion
But fundamental and other private rights
are; and always have been. as secure under
and by force Of the same constitution in
the territories az in the states This consti-
tuition secures beth, only by different meth
DDS OF exertion. Congress may invest the no.
person II 1t chooses, and confne the fu-
dcieial power to a single Judge II 1t likes, tut
to make a law that injuriou,iy affects per-
sonal rights differently from such laws a,
congress may rightfully make for the citizens
1t cannot authorize territorial Judge to
condemn a man unheard or to deal with
ms person or property otherwise than by that
cures TO all the people who owe allegiance
to the United States are within its soye-
reign power. 1t cannot say that no citizen
residing in a state shall lnigra.e To a terri
tory. or that citizen or some particular
Grass OF citizens residing in a territory shall
NOT nom, migrate to state. IN short. the coz
IN our territories in the respects that affect
the personal and civil righs of All.
This fundamental principle lself-ev'tent On
our republican theory of goyernmen0 has
been constantly recognized and acted upon
by the supreme court If the United States.
vent the migration Of any citizen residing in
the Philippines land every Spanish subject
therein becomes one by force Of the treaty.
prevent the migration Of citizens of the
states to the Philippines. It is not well,
then to to shut s our eyes to dangers Of this
r1tor1es fully populated by such peoples as
those of the Philippines are known to be-
WHAT WILL THEY DO TO US?
There are other considerations, both hui
name and financial, that cannot be ignored
If the people of the Philippines. both civil
hzed and savage, must be subdued to our
Christian government by force of arms how
many American lives and how much Ameri-
end? ~ '
Rapidly developing events seem to show
mat military force of at least 80 600 men
must be Kept up on land in those Islands in
order to our obtaining an effectual supremacy.
And this force must be supported by many
naval vessels, with their crews etc To keen
UP such an establishment 1t Is evident from
the experience of Spain and from that Of
otner nations carrying on such operations in
the tropics that a constant current of supply
ana reinforcement both of material and men
must go On.
Besides the casualties Of battle with foes
(some Of whom Spain has not been able To
srbdue in 200 years of EFFORT there is also
the constant and unconquerable foe OF the
tropical climate and the diseases always pres
ent in it.
And besides this no troops from the tenn
perate zones long endure the effect OF
such climate, and they must therefore be
withdrawn to some cooler latitude at very
snort periods to recuperate. The English in
India happily have the Himalayan hills with
IN comparatively short distances. to which
thelr troops are sent at frequent intervals
to escape the exhaustion of the tropical sea-
coast But our troops in the Philippines must
be transported by sea four or five thousand
miles to- reach the salu5rious shores of Cali
1?rnla and oregon. To accomplish all this
the annual and continuous expenditure OF
millions upon millions of the earnings OF our
people must go on indefinitely.
CONDITION AND 4 THEORY.
But we are now confronted with both
condition" and theory" The executive
has concluded treaty by which Spain has
ceded the sovereignty Of the whole Philippine
group, Of which she had actual possession OF
only small fraction, and in many parts OF
which her dominion had been absolutely over
thrown, and in other parts Of which she never
had any dominion at all. many of the Islands
having from the first until today been in
hab1ted by independent tribes over which
Spain never had any actual dominion.
In dealing with this treaty the ycnate Is
supposed to be as free to act &C: }. ding TO
its own Judgment as the president was free
70 act according to his In negotiating II.
The senate may decline to rally ito tIrety
which in the present state of affairs would
produce situation extremely embarrassInC
But If the senate believes the treaty to be
wrong 1t will doubtless have the courage to
reject 1t and to face the consequences.
The senate, however, may consider that
while Spain ought to depart from the Phil
1ppnes and renounce her dominion there the
United States ought not to assume her
sovereignty, such 1t was, against the ex-
press will of the people of the islands. And
in view OF the evils likely to follow even If
those people desire to become q part of the
United States, the senate can amend th5
treaty SO as to provide substantially, as the
scheme has been as to Cuba, that the peo-
pie of these islands should be left to gov
ern themselves as best they may with such
guarantees for order and personal safety Of
the Inhabitants shall be adequate to the
preservation of order Such a guarantee can
be presently enforced at infinitely less cost
Of blood and treasure than our undertaking
to assume and exercise sovereignty over the
islands.
In such case every material benefit Of
trade, commerce and of political expediency
be attained.
l make comment in respect to the price
of $20,000,00O provided by the treaty to be
paid to Spain for the islands. In view of
the gravity of the other aspects Of the sub
ject it is not worthy Of notice.
Space in a newspaper or magazine does not
permit a full consideration Of the subject
and 1 fear that 1 have already extended this
letter too much. Very truly yours.
Geo. +. Edmunds.