The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-12
NO WAR ON AGUINALDO
ULTIMATE FREEDOM FOR THE
ISLANDERS.
FORAKER MAKES THE SENATE LIVELY
He Declares We Have The Right Given Con
sa,u.onally to Seize and Hold the
Philippines. The Uhi-
mate Poicy.

WA'V utNJ
Washington, Jan. 11.-A climax was
reached to-day in the debate on the ques
ton of expansion which is in progress
"A the Senate. Heretofore, all of the
speeches, with the notable exception of
that of Mr.. Platt. Coma, have been i'll
opposition to what is presumed to be the
polIcy of the Administration to the ac
quisItion of the Philippines. To-day Mr..
Foraker, (Ohio), addressed the Senate in
opposition to the declaration of the Vest
resolution that the United States has no
constitutional power to acquire foreign
territory to be maintained as colonies.
hr. Foraker laid down the broad pro-
position that to adopt the Vest resolution
was to declare that our fathers had
brought forth Il nation that was inferior
to all nations regardless of the gener-
ally accepted idea that one nation was the
equal OF another and all equally re-
strlcted.
Among the powers of nationality are
the powers to make war and TO make
treaties. This is an inherent right of
nationality and the Government Of the
United States has the same power that
all other governments have. 1t being
true that we have the power to make
war and to enter into treaty agreements
we logically have the power to acquire
territory by conquest or otherwise, and
to inherit all the consequences that may
accrue through war. Mr. Foraker
quoted Chief Justice Marshall to sus
tain his position, contending that the
Chief Justice had said the United States
had not only the right to acquire but also
the right TO govern territory so ac-
quired.
Mr.. Bacon called attention to the fact
that the territory under consideration by
the Chief Justice was Florida, which
was contiguous and having Il popula-
tion homogeneous with our own.
Mr.. Foraker said that while this
statement as to the location of the ter
ritoTy> was true as n matter of fact,
Chief Justice Marshall had not found it
necessary TO point out this fact. His
utterance had been clear-cut and with
out qualification. and it was evident
from this quotation that the fathers of
the American republic had not meant
to create nation inferior to other ma
tions in power. Mr.. Foraker also
quoted Justice Bradley in Utah case,
involving the question of polygamy, in
which the Justice said:
1T would be absurd to say that a ma
tion has power to acquire territory and
not the power to govern it,
This was Il late decision on the same
lines as that of Chief Justice Marshall
in the early days of the republic. Such
being the authorities what ground. he
asked, have the supporters of the reso-
luton 70 stand upon.
Mr.. platt, Comm. called attention to
Article V. of the treaty of France with
the United States, withdrawn by
Benjamin Franklin, which provided that
if Canada be obtained by the United
States it should be dependent upon this
country.
Yes said Mr.. Foraker, "and moth
ing is said about the consent of the
Canadians either"
Mr.. Tillman, Is. Co, inquired of Mr..
Foraker whether any Of the States could
discriminate against territory on ac-
count of the color or previous condition
of its inhabitants,
That question is not before us now,"
replied Mr. Foraker. "When it arises
we shall meet it. | wish some of the
State that do discriminate were out
side, and we had trial of the question
now" Great laughter)
Mr.. Foraker then took up that part of
the argument of Mr.. Vest Mo-, in sup
port of the resolution. in which he based
his statements upon the Dred Scott de-
cision. He analysed the decision, show
ing that a majority of the court did not
support the position with reference to
the acquisition and government of terri
tory, that Mr.. Vest had said it did and
that really only one of the Associate
Justices stood squarely with Chief
Justice Taney in support of the full force
of the decision.
In beginning discussion of the speech
of Mr.. Hoar, Mr.. Foraker said:
Il listened, as | always do listen, to
the speech of the Senator from Massa-
chusetts 1t was Il speech of great abili-
ty and power, such as he always deliv-
ers, but when it is reduced Ut amounts
only to this: That the Government of
the United States has only the power to
acquire territory for constitutional pur
poses. and as to what those constitu-
tional purposes are, the Senator from
Massachusetts shall be the sole and eX
elusive judge
Mr.. Foraker's remarks brought Mr.
Hoar out for a further explanation of
his position. Rising, and interrupting
the Ohio Senator, he said:
IF we thought it necessary for our
national defense to annex an outlying
territory. and if the people of that ter
ritory objected to our acquisition of it,