The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-17
SENATE.

ScudIC IOOdy oCudlcl nlOLAouAAh, oNAS
crat, of South Carolina, took strong
ground in a carefully prepared speech
against a policy of expansion by this
country. 1.-THE manifold and serious
questions growing out Of the war with
Spain are now absorbing the attention
of the American people, began Senator
McLaurin. Il am satisfied that our &C
ton in the next month will settle the
question of expansion. There are
at this time in the senate n nation
at large two we'll defined n distinct
views, one a policy of expansion, in
yolving a new definition of u govern
ment and the inauguration OF a colonial
system, with all the perplexing prob
lens incident to it. The other view
opposes a policy of Imperialism, and is
based upon the government policy of the
lest century, and in my judgment is the
only view that is in harmony with the
constitution and the spirit and genius
of republican institutions"
Senator McLaurin felt that as a rep
resentative of South Carolina he was
peculiarly qualified to speak on the In
corporation of the mongrel and Sept
barbarous population into u body
polite. 1.-The experience of the south
for the past thirty years with the ne
gro race" said he, sis pregnant with
lessons of wisdom for our guidance in
the Philippines. 1t is passing strange
that senators who favored universal
suffrage should now advocate imper-
ialism. There is a glazing inconsistency
in those positions. If they are sincere
in their views as to the Philippines,
they should propose an amendment to
the constitution which will put the in
ferior races in his country and the
inhabitants of the Philippines upon an
equality as to their civil and political
rights and thus forever settle the vex-
ed race and suffrage questions in this
country as we'll as in the outlying ter
ritOrieS."
"How can they consistently, justly,
and 1 might add, constitutionally, ad-
yocate a policy for outlying territories,
embracing races SO nearly akin to the
negro, which differs so radically from
the policy adopted as to the race in
the south? There can be but n an
swer to that question, and that is that
they substantially admit, in the light
of a third of a century's experience,
that universal suffrage is a monumen-
tai failure and that the time has come
for the correction of this stupendous
governmental error"
Universal suffrage in the south long
since ~degenerated into a race question,
and as such led to the practical elimi-
nation of the negro from politics-a
policy that is today wisely advocated
by the great leaders of the race like
Professor Miller and Booker T. Wash
ington, and which, in time, without
outside interference, under the guidance
of the best thought of both races, will
lead to a just and mutually satisfactory
settlement of the gravest problems that
have ever confronted any people in
modern times.
"It is indeed comforting to hear some
of those who in the past criticised us,
now that the question is brought home,
completely justify our methods in pro-
viding a scheme Of colonial govern
ment. The senator from Connecticut
has most amply indicated the south,
perhaps Internationally, but We thank
him the more heartily for his complete
announcement of the divine right OF
the Caucasian to govern inferior races"
Senator McLaurin then entered upon
a constitutional discussion of the ques-
ton presented by the resolution, main
tanning that all of the rights and pow
ers of the federal government are
enumerated specifically in the consti-
tuition and such as were not thus spe-
officially defined did not exist.
II deny, therefore," said he, that the
f1nifod States &C q nation has a anvor-
eign, inherent right and control outside
of the grant of such power in the con-
stitution. This is not an essential ele.
ment Of nationality as far as our nation
IS concerned, although it may be in
England OF Russia, where the national
ity and sovereignty incident to it are
not created and limited by a written
constitution. I do not, however, con.
trovert the proposition that the United
States has the power to acquire terri
tory by conquest, purchase, or other
wise, and to govern the same under the
grant of power contained in the con
stitution. I do. however, deny tn,
proposition that territory can be &C
quired and permanently held as such
by the United States, of course, subjec
to the exception of small tracts acquir
ECU lOr Specific SOFeTuLueuldl puIpOScS
like coaling stations and the guano is
lands under the act of 1856. I thinl
Hawaii comes under the exception o
"a military and commercial necessity.
After further discussing the consti
tutional points of the question, Senate
McLaurin said it was idle to speak o
Americanizing a tropical country, 500
miles away. Our people would neve
consent that the people of that far of
land should have a voice in the affair
of this country. However" said he
81 believe the time is not far off whel
our flag will float over every foot o
North American soil, but it must com
naturally and peacefully, by the con
sent of the governed, not by the rud
hand of war"
Government by force was despotism