The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-27
SENATE.

open session today. senator White, or
California, one of the democrats who
has announced, heretofore, his opposi-
ton to ratification of the treaty of
peace, addressed the senate in support
OF the anti-expansion resolution intro
duced by Senator Vest, and of the
resolution offered by Senator Bacon, Of
Georgia, declaring that the Philippines
ought to be free and independent.
In view of the proposition Of the Cal
ifornia Legislature to instruct" Sena-
tor White and his colleague, Senator
? Perkins, how to vote upon the policy
of expansion and upon the pending
} peace treaty, the remarks Of Senator
White were regarded with much inter-
est. He was accorded careful attention
by both his colleagues on the floor and
by a considerable audience in the gal
leries.
senator White took as the text of
his emarks certain paragraphs from
supreme court decisions, a sentence
from McKinley's Atlanta speech and
"a paragraph from the report of Admiral
Dewey to the navy department saying
that the Philippines were as well quail
ified for self-goVernment as the Cubans.
He said he denied the doctrine that
seeks to give this country jurisdiction
in some cases and denies it in others.
The country, he said, was confronted
today by a situation differing entirely
from what it has been confronted at
any time before. While it might be
admitted that we had the power to ac-
rquire foreign territory, whether We
should do so depends largely upO the
circumstances. He maintained that
the question presented was purely one
of policy. Should we take the Philip
pines? he asked. Should we take in
seeds that would prove to be seeds of
dissolution of our body polite? He
@snought not and said he would endeavOr
to show why we should not, for he be-
1ieved it our duty to see to it that our
system was kept free from all such
contamination.
Il care not said Senator White,
whether the people in the Philippines
are fitted for self-government or not.
1t is certain that if they are not they
ought not to be brought into alliance
with us. They repudiate our attempt
to bring hen into our system and in
sist that they should be allowed to-
govern themselves. If we say that the
Philippines are not fitted for self-gOv-
eminent, pray let us know by what
process of reasoning we can take them
into our governmental SYSTEM
Senator White declared that no con-
"clusion was possible, except that it was
the intention of this government and
the officers in power to annex the Phil
ippine Stands. If this was not true,
he inquired, why would not the sup
porters of the treaty consent to the
adoption of such a resolution as that
offered by Senator Hoar, declaring
there was no intention on the part of
this coeerry to hold the islands in per-
Senator Whtte then referred to the
presidents statement that the attitude
of the United States toward the Philip
pines was to be one of benevolent as
similatiOn.'
A short debate occurred at this point,
between Senator White and Senator
Chandler, of New Hampshire, over the
defining of the word assimilation"
The latter claimed that it means "a
resemblance, a likeness, but not neces-
sarily amalgamation or absorption
While he was not responsible for the
presidents definition of his words he
did not think it a fair argument to
say that the word means absorption
or to assume the president used it in
n that sense.
Senator White, continuing, said he
was oppOse4 to the entire policy of ex-
pansion and that his objections to it
were basic. He maintained that if
this country had the slightest regard
for it's position before the world it was
the duty of congress to declare definite
ly TlS pOSlllOI upon the SUBJECT D.
fore proceeding further. If said he,
I'VE ratify the pending treaty and take
upon ourselves the responsibility of
the Philippine islands, there is nothing
else for us to do but to s%ubjugate them
= at all hazards. We must show to the
- nations of the world that we have not
only a legal right but the physical
power to hold them"
Further along Senator White referred
to the necessity under the proposed
policy of expansion Of a large standing
army and demanded to know what ben
eft was to be derived by this country
from such an institution. What is
the limit of the expansionists," he in
quired. w are already told" he con-
tinued. that the expansionists desire
to participate in the partition of Chi
ma, when that shall come and the indi-
cations are that this country is to go
on and acquire still other territory,
which in the nature of things will have
to be defended"
At this point a colloquy occurred
which was participated in by Senator
Mason, of Illinois; Senator Teller, OF
Colorado, and Senator White. Sena
tor Mason inquired if it were not true
that territory whose inhabitants haG
to be forced into submission did no
always require an immense force tt
keep the people in subsection.
Senate White did not desire evi,
IDENTIFY to commit himself to Senator
Mason's position, but Senator Tellel
pointed out that the people of New
Mexico, Arizona and California haC
been forced at the point Of guns int
submission and their consent primaril,
had not been secured.
yes" replied senator Mason, "bu
that territory was acquired by treaty.
1T is by treaty that we proposed t
acquire the Philippines" retorted Sen
ator Teller.
Senator MaSon-"By a treaty with
people who have no more right to ced
- the territory than the devil had to of
- fer to the Saviour all the lar in sigh
No. of. the mountain height. He did no
= possess even a tax title to it,"
. Senator Teller said that the govern
ment could ratify the treaty and the