The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-01-21
THE LEGISLATURE AND THE
PHILIPPINEs.


The Senate and HOUSE Of the Maine
legislature have undertaken by resolution
to pledge the support Of the people of this
state to n certain policy In regard TO the
Philippine islands. IL Is unnecessary to
inquire for our present purpose whether
this policy is good or bad. wise or unwise,
whether It will be beneficial to the inter-
ests OF this country or harmful. What
we want to know is where the Senate
and House got the right TO pledge the
people of Maine TO any particular policy
in regard to these islands. All the men,
bers of these bodies were elected last Sep
TENDER before the question Of the DISPOSE
time nobody had formulated any policy
Whatever as to the Philippines. The
protocol had been signed but that left the
disposition, government and control of
those islands to be settled by commits
sion made up of Spaniards and Ameri-
cans. and ut the tine of the election that
commission had not even met. Not a
single one OF the Legislators could have
received any instruction on the subject
from his constituents, or even intimation
from them as to what their views were,
and no one has received any instructions
since. 1t follows then that no one of the
two hundred legislators who undertook
to pledge the people of Maine to certain
policy had the slightest authority to do
so. As an expression of the opinion of
the members of the legislature the resolu-
ton may be valuable, but to undertake
TO fire 1t of as an expression Of the opin-
ion of the people or pledge on the part
of the people, is usurpation of power
and right on the part of the legislature.
resolution adopted by any other two
hundred men OF equal respeetability
would be just as much entitled to be con
sidered the voice OF the people MS this
one. 1t may represent the views of the
majority and 1t may not. 1t has acquired
no title TO n popular expression from the
fact that it was uttered by the legislature
But the fact that the resolution is an
attempt of 200 people to speak for Coz, 90
without any authorization whatever, and
without any positive knowledge of the
views oil a majority of that 800 900 is not
the only objection to 1t, thoughr that is
enough to condemn IL. Another objection
is that it is humilisting confession on
the part of the Legislature that 1t has Just
elected to the Senate a man whose views
and conduct 1t does not approve of and
which 1t Processes to think the people do
not approve of either. 1t cannot be
claimed that the legislature was deceived
In regard to Senator Hale's views on
what is perhaps the most important ques-
ton now before the American people. He
has never concealed them, but has stated
them publicly and privately with great
clearness and frankness. Two weeks be-
fore he was elected to the Senate he
stated them so plainly that no one how
ever dull of comprehension could mistake
them. Yet In the face of fun knowledge
uf his views the legislature elect I'd him
with substantial uuaEimity, to quote
the language of the author of tbs resolu-
ton. SO what they do in this resolution
is to confess practically before the world
that they have deliberately chosen to rop-
resent the state man whom they believe
will misrepresent the stat. This. 1t
| seems to us, is putting an unnecessary
humiliation upon themselves and what is
worse, upon the people who elected them.