The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-18
OPPOSES EXPANSION.
Senator Bacon Max es Strong Speech
in the Senate.

chaplain, in his invocation referred feel
ingly to the death of John Russell
Young, librarian Of congress. Mr.. Young
was referred to as lone esteemed by all
who knew him." and as one who ''by
toll, had converted his endowments in
to accomplishments
Mr.. Davis, chairman of the commit
tee on foreign relations, withdrew his
notice given yesterday of an executive
session today on account of the an
nounced speech of Mr.. Bacon (Georgia)
but gave notice that tomorrow at the
conclusion of the speech of Mr.. Turner
(WaSh.) he would ask the senate to go
into executive session.
Mr.. Perkins (Cala.) called up the res
olutions providing for the admission to
the naval academy as students of Ri
cardo Yglesias, of Costa Rica and ALI
berto Venezuela Montoya, of Colombia.
Mr.. Gear Qowa) moved to amend the
resolution with reference to young
Yglesias by adding the name of Oscar
Deignan of Iowa, one of the Merrimac
heroes, but later at the request of sew
era1 senator's, withdrew the amendment.
Both resolutions were adopted.
A bill defining the jurisdiction of the
circuit and district courts of the United
States in certain cases was passed.
BACON ON EXPANSION.
Mr.. Bacon of Georgia, addressed the
senate upon his anti-expansion resolu-
lions which were presented last week.
He said in part:
''Of all the great powers of the earth
the government of the United States
is the only one that contends for the
right in the people of self-government.
When they abandon in practice this
principle, when they impose their domin-
ion on an unwilling people, in the ma
jestic march of free institutions, the
hand upon the great dial of the great
clock of the world will have been set
back a hundred years.
1T is not to be believed that the gov
eminent of the United States will with
full appreciation of the nature and the
consequences of the act thus violate the
principle of the right of self-goVern-
ment. 1t is incredible, nay, impossible
that the liberty loving people of these
United States will consent that by pISH-
er of arms, the dominion of this govern
ment shall be enforced upon a people
who have owed US no allegiance-who
are struggling to be free.
There is not a civil official of the
government who will admit that he ia
Nors such an act. There is not pub
lie man in the country who will admit
that he favors the enslavement of
people There is not senator who
would not repel the charge if made
against him. And yet there are many
who are advocating a course the inevi-
table consequence of which if success
fully pursued, is to accomplish the en-
slavement of the people of the Philip
pine islands,
QUOTES FORAKER.
He quoted from the speech of Sena-
tor Foraker the statement that it was
not the purpose to hold the Philippines
permanently and said: ST am especially
glad to have the assurance of the dis
tinguished senator, that of his own
knowledge the position thus stated by
him is the position of the president of
the United States. If that position can
be assured as the one which this gov
eminent will take and adhere to, there
will be little difference or contention
between us. The resolutions which
have introduced and the adoption OF
which am now advocating agree SUBJ
stantially with the position announced
| by the senator from Ohio. What I de.
| desire however, is that there shall be
now an aVowal of this position by the
| law making power of this government
in a joint resolution of congress, ap-
| proved by the president.
IF 1t is not our purpose to subject the
| Philippine islands to our dominion, if on
| the contrary, it is our purpose at the
| proper time to recognize an independent
| government in those islands to leave
| them to the control of their own people
| as soon as proper settlement can be had
| and the proper guarantees for the fu-
| ture can be assured, then such purpose
| ought to be avoWed at once in the most
| solemn and conclusive manner.
| WAR FOR FREEDOM.
when we declared war against Spain
| we also declared that we did not go 20
war for our aggrandizement or for the
| acquisition of territory. We said that
| on the contrary we went to war to
make good to the people of Cuba the til
| tie to the independence and freedom
| which all recognized that a people,
| they had already won and to secure for
| them the esta Enlistment of a stable gov
| eminent. The war has passed and in a
! way almost miraculous we were shield
| ed from the great sacrifice. There has
! been no foreign intervention and there
| will be none.
| Not only has there been no Euro
mean interference as to Cuba, but it is
I'D n q o.
may without hindrance from European
| governments work our own will with
| the Philippine islands. Now, what /
| wish to accomplish by these resolutions
| is that the United States shall, in this
| hour of victory, in this hour of undiS-
| puted physical power, make subStan-
! TALLY the same declaration relative to
| the Philippine islands that they have
made to Cuba"
Mr.. Bacon declared that there was
! no difference in the rights of the Gu
| bans and the Filipinos and they should
! all be considered equal by the resolution
| adopted by congress, although the Phil
| ippines We're not in mind at the time of
| the declaration of war. He said our
| obligations to the Philippines rested
| upon the alliance of the Americans with
| the F'ilipinos during the war, and
| added:
| but that alliance and cooperation
| did put US under a strong moral obliga-
| ton not to make peace with Spain
which did not include in it's terms the
| sundering of the bonds which bound to
| her the Philippine islands. That obi
| cation did not grow out of the fact
| alone that the Philippines were in re
beIlion against Spain, because we did
| not declare war to correct all the
| wrongs inflicted by Spain on her col
! onies We declared war only on &C
| count of Cuba and our obligation to
the Philippines grew solely out of the
| accident of war which threw US into
| cooperation and alliance with these in
| surgents against the dominion OF
| Spain"