The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1899-01-26
THE GREAT DEBATE.

The full reports OF the debate III
the Senate over the theory of the rs
lation OF the territories to the FEEDER
al government are not only valuable,
but fascinating to the students Of po-
litical institutions. The debate re-
wives questions discussed early in the
century over the acquisition of terri
tory. But conditions of the nation
have so entirely changed duriag the
succeeding hundred years, the. debate
is forced far beyond the lines: Of the
early discussions.
1t is admitted by the men Of both
parties that Senator Hoar's speech on
expansion was worthy of the best
days of the Senate. Senator Foraker's
speech ON the other side shows his
great gifts as a keen debater. Some
of his propositions were startling, and
deeply concern the condition of these
Islands. He says I'VE, by act of Con-
gress in every instance where terri
tory Is acquired, declare that the con-
stitution shall be extended, and then
by act of Congress we provide legisla-
ton that will set the principles of the
Constitution in motion in that terri
tory; but when the legislative ma
chinery has been supplied, it then
operates there and not till then. And
in the Hawaiian bill now pending be-
fore the Senate, as suggested by the
Senator from Massachusetts that idpn-
tical clause is to be found"
Senator Teller agrees with Senator
Foraker. When asked by Senator AL
len whether the provisions of the
Constitution extend to Arizona and
New Mexico, he replied: They do
not extend to Arizona unless We ex-
tend them by law. No public man in
this country, save Mr.. Calhoun, ever
insisted that the Constitution of the
country went by its own force into a
Territory" Mr.. Allen then asked Mr..
Teller: do not the provisions of the
Constitution now extend to the Ha-
waiian Islands, Mr.. Teller replied:
'They extend there if it is provided
NY law JLStI lily hot oChCt" ioC.
I say the Constitution has no power
to extend itself into the new territor-
les unless Congress shall SO declare.
This language indicates the drift of
sentiment held by prominent Repub-
licans The act of Hawaiian annex
alton does not extend the Constitu-
tion to these Islands, but provides
that no laws shall remain in force
that are in conflict with it. Until Con-
gress shall have extended the Con-
stitution to these Islands, it has the
right to treat the territories according
to its own will and pleasure, except
ing only in the matter of certain per-
sOnal rights. The claim of the EX-
pansionists is that the Federal gov
eminent has the right to regulate and
govern the territories in a manner
suitable for their conditions, and in
this respect they are not to be har-
raised by too many Constitutional
limitations. The Anti-EXpansionists,
on the other hand, insist that the
Territories must be governed strictly
in accordance with the Constitution.
Senator Foraker contends that the
opinion of the Supreme Court in the
celebrated bred Scott case, is not
binding, when it declares that the
United States cannot hold colonies.
Heretofore, Congress has found lit
tie difficulty in dealing with the in
habitants of the territories, because
they have been ineonsiderable, and
easily assimilated. The emigration of
new settlers has quickly determined
the political status of the larger part
Of such territories. But the case of
people living beyond the seas, in
Cuba, the Philippines, and even Ha-