Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-11
tBy Telegraph to virginian-rno.)

(Dy Telegraph to Virginian- Filo.)
Washington, d. c., Jan. Ex-senator
Mason, of Illinois, occupied the atten-
ton of the Senate fer nearly an irour'
and a half to-day with speech in sup
port of his resolution declaring that the
United States will never attempt to
govern the people of any country with
out their consent. In many respects
the speech was one of the most notable
uttcrances in the Senate thus far this
session Rugged in language, pointed
and effective in Illustration, Mr.. Mason
commanded the attention of the Sen
ate and OF the galleries from the first
sentence of his speech to the apostrophe
TO liberty, which formed his peroration.
Several times spontaneous applause
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 be-
fore the Senate could proceed with its
husiDess on account OF the confusion in
cident to the congratulations which
many of Mr.. Masons colleagues has
tened TO extend to him.
THE SPEECH.
at Is easy to drift with the tide"
began Mr.. Mason, but it is not al
ways safe. 1t is pleasant to remain
in the harbor when the storm is on
butt some times the storm within the
inner conscience is more DANGEROUS to
peace of mind than the storm without
the harhor is to human life
The simple resolution / have intro
duced has nothing necessarily to do
with any treaty, so far as 1 am in
FORMED nor do I intend to speak of any
proposed treaty.
THE resolution l present does not
involve question of law, but is n
question as to the future policy of this
republic My resolution recites the de-
claration of Independence. l do not
apologize for the resolution-I regret
its necessity. I agree that you can. as
Lincoln said in the long run, trust the
people. I am willing TO trust the pec-
pie and want the people to hear both
sides of the case before the verdict is
rendered.
a PROPHECY.
Distinguished editors and statesmen
say the Republican party favors-Eoy-
erning certain nations without the con-
sent of it's people. Who darcs sneak in
advance for the party that speaks only
IN It's convention? That party sprang
like young giant from the womb of
conscience and made It's first fight for
human liberty. 1t has never bowed to
the storm of exDedicncy, and if I may
be allowed to prophcsy predict that
IL the delegates will go in again, the
fafters VIII ring again and again when
they demand the same independence for
the citizen of the Philippines as they
did two years ago for Cuba.
,PLDADING FOR BROAD MANHOOD
DO you say I am speaking for the
Ihlllppines? Yes. one word for them.
and two for ourselves. A black man
said to Il Senator the other day: L
thank you for speaking of my race,
and the Senator replied, i am speak
ing one word for your race and two
Tor my own. Nothing ever dwarfed the
whlte race SO much as stopping for n
hundred years to keep the black man
down. l may appear to speak one
word for the Philippines, but two for
my own people when I plead for The
broad manhood of the man who wrote
All just powers OF government are de-
rived from the consent OF the govern
ed
THE LAW OF COMPENSATION.
I'VE ought to begin to learn the in
eXorable law of compensation. You
cannot govern the Philippines without
taxing them: you have not Eet their
consent and the proposition of taxation
without representations is made again
Look out for tea parties-those little
semi social functions arc likely to
break out even there. for Hail Column
bit end Yankee Doodle have been heard
III the archipelago.
I'VE may talk of it as we please,
but there is nothing that satisfies the
human mind in an enlightened age un-
less man is governed by his own coun-
try and the institutions of his own
government. No matter how easy may
be the yoke of a foreign power-no
matter how lightly it sits upon his
shoulders, If it is not imposed by the
voice OF his own nation and OF his
own country he will not, he cannot. and
he means not to be happy under its
burdens.
CAN'T TEACH SELF GOVERNMENT
we are now asked to say to the
citizens of the Philippine islands, You
poor. ignorant creatures. you can't
govern yourselves. we will extend our
commerce, and we will do it for YOU