The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-12
Our Right to Acquire
and Govern.
EXPANSION TALK.
Mr.. Foraker Replies to SEN
ators Hoar and Vest.

Washington, Jan. IA climax was
question Of expansion which is in prog
ress in the Senate. Heretofore all of the
speeches. with the notable exception of
that of Mr.. Plat Of Connecticut have
been in opposition to what is presumed
10 be the policy of the administration
with respect to the acquisition of the
Philippines. Today Mr.. Foraker of Ohio
addressed the Senate in opposition 10
the declaration of the Vest resolution
that the United States had no constitu-
tional power 70 acquire foreign terri
tory to be maintained as colonies. While
much of his speech was devoted to
constitutional argument in support of
the right of this country as nation TO
acquire and govern outlying territory,
he gave particular attention to the ut
teranceS that have been made in con-
traVention of that position. especially
those of Mr.. Vest and Mr.. Hoar.
He laid down the broad proposition
that TO adopt the Vest resolution was to
declare that our fathers had brought
iorth a nation that was inferior to all
other nations regardless of the general
~ accepted idea that one nat on was he
equal of another and all equally re-
strfcted. He maintained that the right
10 acquire territory was an inherent
right of nationality and that as we had
me rlght to make war and 10 enter into
treaty agreements, it followed logically
mat We had the power to acquire terri
Tory by conquest and to assume the re-
sponslbllities that might accrue there
from. Mr.. Foraker's strong assertion
mat the acquisition of the Philippines
was temporary in character created a
sensation in the chamber. He main
tanned, however, that we had a legal
rlght TO hold the islands permanently.
Prior to the speech by Mr.. Foraker. a
sharp debate was precipitated by Mr..
Allen of Nebraska by some remarks he
made upon resolution he had intro
duced. Mr.. Hoar of Massachusetts and
Z Mr Gray Of Delaware were drawn into
For the first time since the holiday
recess, Vice President Hobart presided
over the Senate.
A bill authorizing Lieut. Col. Wiz
quain of the Third Nebraska regiment
70 accept from the emperor of China
the decoration of the order of the Dou-
bic Dragon, was passed.
MI. Bacon of Georgia introduced
joint resolution, the last clause of
which reads as follows:
That the United States hereby dis
claim any disposition or intention to
exercise sovereignty, jurisdiction or
control over sal islands (Philippines).
and assert their determination when an
independent government shall have
peen duly erected thereon entitled to
recognition as such, to transfer TO said
government, upon terms which shall be
measurable and just, all rights, secured
under the cession by Spain and to
thereupon leave the government and
control Of the islands to their people,
Mr.. Alien of Nebraska offered the
following resolution: That any agrees
sive action by army or navy-on the part
OF the United States against the Fill
pinos would be an act of war unwar-
ranted on the part of the president and
the exercise of constitutional powers
vested exclusively in congress"
-Sir. Allen said he was led to introduce
the resolution because press dispatches
indicate that our troops are moving on
the people of Iloilo. He said he wished
to protest against the waging of war
by the president and the army and the
navy without the authority of con-
gress.
Mr.. Allen was interrupted by Mr.
where do we get the right to use force
against the people of Iloilo? Mr.. Hoar
then read from the protocol that part
referring to Manila bay, harbor and
city of Manila. and said: That we will
make no advance upon Spain or the
Spanish people on the islands until the
situation shall have been changed. If
now we have the power to use the mil
Itary forces against the Filipinos
where does ii come from"
MI. Gray of Delaware. one of the
peace commissioners. said that technic-
ally we were still at war with Spain.
He pointed out that the only cues
ton that could arise would be as to
whether We were in making war upon
the Filipinos. violating the protocol.
and If there were such violation it
would be matter between the United
States and Spain, without reference to
anything else. Mr.. Hoar commended it
was breach of faith to attack Spain
g Hello and bad policy to attack
Aguinaldo.
Mr. Foraker then addressed the Sen
at on the general question of the power
to extend our territory. He argued in
favor Of our right to acquire and gov
ern territory falling into our hands as
the result of war.
Mr. Foraker then proceeded to de-
liver a speech on the general ques-
tlOn OF the power TO extend our ter
ritory He based his remarks princi-
pally upon the Vest resolution incl
dentally giving attention to Mr. Ma
sons measures. The resolution, he said.
were different propositions-the Vest
measure raises the question of power;
the Mason resolution that Of policy.
We had been told by Mr.. Hoar that
the question of power was the most i'm
portant ever raised in the history of
90
agree with this dictum. on the con-
trary it had no importantance what
ever as a question of practicable con-
sderation. The resolution expresses
the extreme view held by any one and
an analysis Of il was sufficient to de-
monstrate the progress that had been
made since the acquisition of Louisi-
There was