The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-21
WE MUST PROTECT THEM
KEEP THEM OUT OF OTHER
GOVERNMENTS CLUTCHES.
Mr.. TILMAN ON THE RACE QUESTION
Called to Order for Interupting Mr.. Nelson,
Mr. Tilman then Prevented Compile
tion Of Canal Bill Which he
CaIl.d a Scheme to Steal.


Washington, Jan. 20.-The Senate
was in session for FIVE hours and a half
to-day, but the session was practically
barren of results.
Mr.. Nelson, Rep. Mimi, spoke in op-
position to Mr.. Vests anti-expansion
resolution, and Mr. White, dem. CALI,
made a personal explanation of his po-
sition with respect to the instructions
given the California Senators by the
Legislature of that State as to voting
on the pending peace treaty.
Mr.. Nelson's address was consttn-
tional argument in support of the right
of the United States Government to ac-
quire and govern foreign territory. He
maintained that it was no longer an I'M
settled question that this country had
the power not only to acquire foreign
territory by discovery, conquest or
treaty, but also to govern territory so
acquired. That question. he said, had
been settled by a decision of the Su-
preme court, and was scarcely longer
open to debate. He referred TO the ter
ritory that had been acquired in tine
past by the United States Government.
and declared that in no single case had
the people of the territory acquired
been consulted or their consent secured.
In the course of this debate. lie said.
the contention was being made that the
people of the territory proposed to be
acquired were not fit for citizenship in
our republic. Admitting that that .on-
tention was correcT 1t was quite as
true that the people of territory hitherto
acquired by this country were unfit fer
citizenship at the time the territory was
taken into the Union. Had we applied
the reasoning that was now being adj
vanced against the acquisition of terri
tory to the people of Florida and the
Louisiana territory when they were adj
mitted into the United States. they
scarcely could have passed muster, as
it was well known that they were not
fitted for citizenship.
Mr.. Nelson then entered upon an ella
borate constitutional argument, citing
numerous authorities in support of his
position. He maintained that the argu-
ments that taxation without rcpresen-
tation was tyranny, and that Govern
ments derive their just powers from the
consent of the governed, were true only
III limited extent. A majority Of our
people, he said were witheut direct rep
resentation. Women had to bear their
share of taxation.
In response to Il question by Mr.. Ma
son 0lls.), Mr.. Nelson said that no man
could say truthfully that the rights of
Englishmen had been destroyed or even
in any sense impaired by Great Britain's
great scheme of colonization Further
replying to Mr.. Mason he declared that
the United States, our own magnificent
Government, was the product of the col
onization plans of Great Britain and de-
manded to know whether Mr.. Mason
would desire to blot out that great work
of England.
Mr.. Tillman Is. c., interrupted Mr..
Nelson and referring to the contest be-
tween Sweden and Norway and the
practical severance of their relations. in
quired why the Norwegians at homo
wanted liberty, while those of the United
States do not desire to give liberty to the
Fiipinos.
This reference to Mr.. Nelson's Norwe-
gian birth aroused him. II am not rep
resenting either the people or the Gov
ernment of Norway, whose rights and
liberties ! am satisfied are greater than
those Of the people Of South Carolina. ]"
Uaughter).
In his discussion of the situation in the
Philippines when Admiral Dewey arri-
we'd at Manila on the memorable first Of
May. Mr.. Nelson pointed out that the
islanders were in a state Of practical
slavery under the dominion OF Spain
Aguinaldo had abandoned them. he said
on the payment to him by Spain of
paltry thirty pieces of silver" which fr
this case was to be SS00,000 half OF
which amount the insurgent leader had
already received. He was to leave the
people and leave the country to the ten.
der mercies of Spanish cruelties
Mr.. Nelson maintained that it would
he the acme OF cruelty, for the Unite9
States Government to despoil the Fill
pinos In this time of their need. 'W,
are there" he said, ''to give them ius'
free and good Government and to kee,
them out of the clutches of the grea'
powers of the earth. IT is our dut,
thus TO protect them, and it would be III,
greatest cruelty for us to leave them a
the mercy Of any powers who Nigh.
choose to attack them"
MIR. Tillman called attention n Mr.
Nelson's use of the word .slaye" in hi
reference to the Philippines and askee
the latter if he appreciated that those