The Indianapolis journal., 1899-01-11
He Tells the Senate 1t Would Be Out
rageOus for America to Govern
Them without Their Consent.
ANDREW CARNEGIE LISTENS
AND THEN TELLS HOW THE PEACE
TREATY MAY BE DEFEATED.
Several Bursts of Applause Greet the
Illinois SenatOr-COnEratulat
at the Close of His Speech.

WASHINGTON, Jan Ex-senator Mason,
of Illinois, occupied the attention of the
Senate for nearly an hour and a half to-day
with o. speech in support OF his resolution
declaring that the United States will never
attempt TO govern the people of any country
without their consent. In many respects the
speech was one of the most notable utter
ances in the Senate thus far this session.
Rugged in language pointed and effective
in Illustration, Mr.. Mason commanded the
attention of the Senate and of the galleries
from the first sentence of his speech to the
apostrophe to liberty which formed his
peroration. Several times spontaneous ap-
plause swept over the galleries. but under
the stringent rules of the Senate it was
Quelled quickly. 1t was several minutes
after the conclusion of the speech before
the Senate could proceed with its business
on account of the confusion incident to the
congratulations which many of Mr.. Mason
colleagues hastened to extend to him.
Mr.. Andrew Carnegie was an interested
listener to Mr.. Mason's speech. He ex-
pressed the opinion that the ratification of
the peace treaty might be defeated, and said
that it certainly could be if Mr. Bryan
would come out in opposition to it. IF he
will only advise his followers to fight in the
pass and not in the open," he said, "the
treaty is certain of defeat. All that / hear
indicates the increase of the opposition
ranks, and l am quite encouraged TO believe
the ratification of the treaty can be de-
feated. According to my opinion this is the
opportune time for those who oppose expan-
sion to do their work. Only a one-third
vote is required to defeat the treaty.
whereas with the treaty ratified we will
have to secure a majority to make our
views effective. Hence L say that this is
the time for Mr.. Bryan and other anti-ex-
pansionists to make their fight. Hereafter
will not enjoy the advantage over our
opponents that we now do, having then to
meet them in the open field"
MASON'S RESOLUTION.
Mr.. Mason spoke from manuscript and
confined himself closely to his notes He
said he intended to speak on his resolution
declaring that all just powers of the govern
ment are derived from the consent of the
governed, and that the United States will
make no attempt to govern any people
against their will. 1T is easy to drift with
the tide" began Mr. Mason, but it is not
always safe. The simple resolution 1 have
introduced has nothing necessarily to do
with any treaty, nor do l intend to speak
of any proposed treaty. The resolution does
not involve question of law, but is a Ques-
ton as to the future policy of this Republic.
1 am willing to trust the people, and | want
the people to hear both sides of the case
before the verdict is rendered.
distinguished editors and statesmen say
the Republican party faVorS governing GER
tain nations without the consent of its peo-
pie. Who dares speak in advance for the
party that speaks only in its convention?
Aartxy 1ilyn
the womb of conscience and made it's first
fight for human liberty. it has never
bowed TO the storm of eXpediency, and If
l may be allowed TO prophesy / predict that
the delegates will go in again and the
rafters will ring again and again when they
demand the same independence for the citi-
zens of the Philippines as they did two years
ago for Cuba.
DO you say 1 am speaking for the Phil
ippines? Yes, one word for them and two
for ourselves. a black man said to a SEN
ator the other day, L thank you for speak
ing of my race and the senator replied, 1
am speaking one word for your race and two
for my own; nothing ever dwarfed the white
race so much as STOPPING for a hundred
years to keep the black man down. | may
appear to speak one word for the Philip
pines, but two for my own people when L
plead for the broad manhood of the man
who wrote: All just powers of government
are derived from the consent of the gov
erned. You cannot govern the Philippines
without taxing them. You have not got
their consent, and the proposition of taxing
without representation IS made 10 them
Look out for tea parties; those little semi
social functions are likely to break out even
there, for Hail, Columbia and Yankee
Doodle have been heard in the archipelago.
We may talk of it as we please, but there
is nothing that satisfies the human mind in
an enlightened age, unless man is governed
by his own country and the institutions of
his own government.
OUR CHRISTIAN DUTY"
1--WE are now asked to say to the citizens
of the Philippine islands: You poor, igno-
rant creatures, you can't govern yourselves; /;
we will extend our control and we will do it
for you. You do not know how to tax your
selves, and in order that we may continue
to exercise our Christian duty to you we will
prevent your exercising sovereignty; we will
exercise that function ourselves
'fMr. President, they will never learn to
govern themselves while we govern them.
There is no such thing as teaching the art
of self-government. For over one hundred
years every lover of liberty has pointed to
this sentence within this resolution: That
all just powers or government are derived
from the consent of the governed as rea-
son for their fight for liberty This SEN
tence has been a. pillar of fire by night and
over the world In the light of this SEN
tence crowns have fallen into dust and the
foundation of republics have been laid
You ask for expansion. See how we have
expanded in the time since this sentence was
written. Not only have republics started
up in place of mOnarchieS but monarchies
have themselves gradually broadened into
constitutional governments. getting nearer
and nearer to the voice of the people. Our
own was the first great republic, and in the
better and broader sense our flag floats
from the dome Of every republic From
Brazil to Nicaragua and Venezuela the
brave little republican flag is floating 1t
may not be striped nor starred like our own,
but it is born of the spirit of our spirit
wherever il floats, and ii breathes defiance
to the monarchies of the world because our
flag is in our sky and because the Monroe
doctrine is written forever in the hearts of
the people.
The other day when the distinguished
senator from Massachusetts (Hoar) asked
the senator from Connecticut (Platt) what
he was going to do with this sentence, that
all just powers Of government are derived
from the consent of the governed he an
swered. from the consent of some Of the
governed Mr.. President. when any great
cause which is agitating the minds of the
people needs for its defense such shallow
and unsAmerican evasions as this. that cause
will not live long in the minds of intelligent
people. We cannot amend that sentence now
and when we all shall have moldered in for
gotten dust this sentence will live and con-
tinue to burn, a. menace TO tyrants and q
beacon Of hope 10 the downtrodden and the
oppressed.
GOD HELP THE PARTY"
"The Filipino is begging 10 treat with us
as to his own land: he acknowledges our
gallant service; there is no honest CONNER
cial treaty that an honest nation could ask
that they are not willing to consent to. They
want liberty as we did, and when 10000 900
people have heard their cry for mercy and
independence the father in New England