The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-01-28
gh aaaiehta au Eagles Saturday orma aanmary 1899

ing TO one another the most acute distress
over what they boldly describe as a de
parture from time-honored traditions
''Mr. President, it was not the main pur-
pose of the makers of the constitution 70
point out a way, in accordance with winch
the problems Of government were TO De
solved. That purpose, no doubt, was IN
their minds to some extent, but to an ex-
tent which must have had its boundaries
defined in their own experience. Their
main purpose was to devise a plan of gov
eminent and not TO ordain policies; and
where they seemed TO be ordaining policies,
where they departed from the main work
Of establishing the bodies which together
SHOULD form the government, and Of dis
tributing TO each its particular functions,
they were doing what every 9th T legisla-
tive assembly, before their time and sub
sequently thereto, has had to do-they
were satisfy popular prejudices and look
ing forward to the day when their work
would be passed upon by minds less train
ed than their own in the consideration OF
the great principles and more subject than
theirs to temporary and local prejudice
Il do not mean TO suggest, Mr.. Presi-
dent, that such legislation as does occu:
in the constitution is any less binding upon
US because it was put there as a conces-
sion to the sentiment Of the hour. but
do affirm without hesitation that the in
ferences which we draw now from such
legislation. limiting the power OF the gen.
eral government and tending to render ouI
government less competent than other gov
ernments. need TO be draw carefully and
need to be considered in the light OF the
whole scheme OF federal authority. II Is
true that we are a government of limited
powers but the purpose OF the limitation
was simply to reserve TO the people of the
states such ample power as would enable
them to determine their own affairs in
their own way. Such affairs, I mean, as
were not also the affairs of the people of
other states; and It was not the uuruose
OF such limitation TO hinder the fedora!
government in providing as might seem
best and wisest 70 rthe general welfare of
the whole country.
1T is surprising, Mr.. President. how
often it has been necessary to make this
argument and to call attention to these
distinctions, and yet, I suppose, the tempt
alton is a natural one to make the phrase
"a government Of limited powers mean a
government empowered TO do whatever
each man wants done, but forbidden to do
whatever each man opposes. That thought
must have occurred. it seems to me, TO
every senator who heard the proposition
advanced here that we had the right IN
der the constitution to annex territory for
the purpose Of putting up guns to ht peo-
PIE with, but lacked the right OF annexing
1t for the purpose OF putting up school
houses and of doing the things that con-
tribute to the happiness and prosperity of
the people concerned.
The disorder now existing in the Phil
ippine islands to which senators who are
opposing the treaty may well afford to con-
slider how far they are. contributing. the
unwiIlingness Of the armed natives to ac-
cept American authority does not con-
stitute in my mind the slightest ground on
which to base a vote against the Paris
agreement. On the contrary, it affords a
new reason why our action should be the
more prompt and unanimous.
Mr.. President. I don't know and I don't
think anyone else can know, Just what
ought to be done with the Philippines,
beyond this-that we ought as instantly
as possible to complete the withdrawal of
their sovereignty from the kingdom of
Spain. and we ought ourselves to assume
its obligations and prudently to discharge
them until we have had full opportunity
in our own councils to determine their best
disposition. This is all that the treaty of
Paris proposes or imposes. It is all that
the administration has at any time sug-
gested. II is no more than a safe and
conservative policy advises. 1t is no less
than our public obligations require. 1t IS
a plain, clear. positive duty. It is one OF
those. duties that are not to be got rid of
by evasion nor even by denial II would
remain. after YOU had rejected the treaty
1t lies in the nature of the situation. Your
army, your navy and your flag are at
Manila. You can add to their dangers II
you viii. But the duty abides and the
will of the nation must be done"
Mr.. Fairbanks of Indiana preciDitated
some discussion by statement which he
submitted at this point with respect to the
anti-expansion propaganda. Mr.. Fairbanks
said that he had been credibly Informed
that Mr. Herbert Myrfck. the editor Of an
agricultural newspaper at Springfield,
Mass. had sent 10 agricultural newspa-
pers throughout the country the letter Of
Andrew Carnegie to Secretary Wilson. in
opposition 70 expansion. and had urged
them to print it and comment favorabIv
upon It. the space in their papers to be paid
for at the usual rates
Under the arrangement concluded last
evening. consideration OF the pension ap-
preparation bill was resumed, and after
some debate was passed
a 81