The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-24
SENATE.

Turner, of Washington, addressed the
senate today on the anti-expansion res
olution of Senator Vest. He pictured
the storms which the gallant ship OF
state had encountered and concluded
the figure wit the statement that, not
withstanding the trials it had under
gone, it had weathered them all thus
far and had brought into port its pre-
70 cious freight of liberty and national
ity. The builders Of the vessel, he said,
were wise beyond their day and gener-.
alton. Now, however, the noble craft,
it's chart having been torn to tatters,
was drifting whittier she would, on a
wild and unknown sea. This danger
Gus condition was being forced upon the
ship by 1.-The p~retense that Providence
has cast Upon us new responsibilities
which we may not shirk." He could
not agree, however, that this dangerous
responsibility was one for the Ameri-
can people to assume.
Senator Turner denied the contention
that the acquisition of far distant ter
ritOry had been forced upon this coun-
try by the arbitrament of war. he
maintained that victory was not pur-
chased at the cost of aSSlm1latlng lntO
our race the conquered and PROSTATE
foe. This country was at liberty to re-
tain such foreign territory as 1t mad
Onquere if it so desired and Such or
it as was suitable in soil, climate n
inhabitants, we might want to keep;
but he denied that our only other re-
course was to give back the conquered
territory to the enemy. IF We may
keen it ourselves said he, 1--WE may
require it to be given to the people who
ihabit it, for the purpose of indepen-
dence and liberty"
This he believed, was the proper
course to pursue in the case of the
Philippines. The sovereignty of this
country would not be impeached by
such generous action. 1t is no concern
of other nations what we do for u
own national health. THE idea," he
said, that limitations on our sovereign
powers, when applied to our own NUM-
cipal concerns, limits the sovereignty
of the nation in the great famil. Of ma
tons and puts it at a disadvantage
there, has no foundation in fact"
The advice of Washington, ne said,
was against entangling alliances, which
might overcome the great advantage
C our detached situation.
Passing from the domain Of prudence
to that of principle, Senator Turner
maintained that the proposition of the
power urged by many breaks down
1900 f~l - -n;nnin1o on which
our institutions are founded. Under
such a proposition the principles of the
declaration of independence, that tax
alton without representation is tyranny
and that the powers of government are
derived from the consent of the govern
ed, could not longer be a guide to our
statesmen.
Senators may say" declared he,
that their positions do not lead to those
things, but there is only one escape
from them-a universal miscegenatiOn
of blood, of religion, and Of govern
ment, with the yellow BuddhistS, No.
hammedans and Confucians, over
whom it is proposed to extend out pro-
tecting wing, and with whom it pro-
poses to attempt the process of deglu-
ton, and digestion, disguised under the
Christian and euphonious name of be-
neVGlent assimilation"
Senator Turner adverted to the state
ment of Senator Foraker a few days ago
that it was not the purpose of the Unit
ed States to retain the Philippines per-
manently, but he said he was forced to
differ from the Ohio senator, because
he found in the treaty which had been
negotiated under the directions Of the
2. esident evidence Of such a character
that it must override the opinion of
he distinguished senator from Ohio"
He referred to that part of the treaty,
he said, which made not only a cession
This country, of sovereignty, over the
hilIppines, but an acceptance by us
OF that sovereignty. 1t was i'm
p~ssible to forget, too, that the
eaty was negotiated in the midst of
4 C,amOr for an extension of our do
inions. AS further proof of his po-
sition, Senator Turner referred to the
> esjdent's speech at Atlanta, in which
e asked: Who is there that will
iare to haul down the American flag
ON the soil upon which it has once
been p'anted?" He said the president
I'd /. ade the meaning of the administra
eco plain for controversy.
eratOr Turner after referring to the
5 eeches Of Senators Plat, of Connec-
lieut., ard Foraker, entered pom a
discussion of the constitutional phases
of the subject, maintaining that the
resolutionof Senator Vest was a correct
statement of principle founded upon
the work of our fathers"
At the conclusion of Senator Turner's
argument, Senator Foraker took some
sharp exceptions to statements made in
the speech, especially those referring
to him personally. He explained at
length the nature of his statements,
declaring among other things that he
Fad spoken only for himself and had
I'D no intention or desire to pose as
me representative of the administration
so far as his utterances were concern
ed. Referring to the interested com
ment which had been aroused in Great
u