The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-12

a
ment of the United States has only TIE
power to acquire territory for consti-
tutional purposes, and as to what these
| constitutional powers possess the sena-
tor from Massachusetts shall be the
sole exclusive judge"
Mr. Foraker's remarks brought Mr.
| Hoar out for a further explanation Of
his position. Rising and interruptirg
| the Ohio senator. he said:
| IF we thought it necessary for our
| national defense to annex an outlying
territory and if the people of the ter
| ritory objected to our acquisition,
should consider the subsection Of it as
a great national crime, to be repudi-
ated and condemned, and I should say
the United States navy should go down
| beneath the waters of the Pacific N
honor, rather than disgrace itself by
| such action
Mr.. Foraker closed at 2:45 p. m. and
Mr.. Allen took the floor to discuss the
| legal features of the acquisition of the
| Philippines Mr.. iIoar said he did not
mean to say that a great continent
| upon which roamfd a few thousand
| savages having no government and be-
| ing incapable of gVernment should be
passed by or that civilization should
stop at its threshold. Mr.. Forakers
assertion that our occupation Of
| the Philippines was only tempo
rary caused sensation in the chamber.
II do not understand that any one de-
sres anything but the ultimate indie
pendence of the Philippines" said Mr..
Foraker. emphatically; neither the
president nor any one in this cham
ber.'
But what about our right if we chose
to hold them permanently with no
thought of their ultimate independ-
ence,' inquired Mr. Hoar
I'VE have the unquestioned right to
do so,' replied Mr.. Foraker. Il speak
particularly of our legal right"
Mr. Bacon of Georgia, at this juno
ture, asked what difference there was
between our relations to Cuba and onr
relations to the Philippines, why we
cannot deal with the latter on the same
basis as the former, simply hold them
now with the declared intention of Civ
ing them self-government as soon as
possible.
"The case of Cuba" replied Mr. For
aker. speaking with great deliberation,
was a single one involving only our
relations with Spain and the Cubans
themselves. In the case of the Philip
pines there We're other complications
which cannot be spoken of here, but
which senators will hear in executive
session. which justified the presidents
course in most ample manner and vindi
Gates most completely What he has done.
J.
of the object we naturally sought to
attain-justice not only to ourselves, but
to the people of these islands"
What of the statement about haul
ing down the American flag" interject-
ed Mr. Hoar.
Not Permanent Retention.
mo one desires to retain the Philip
pines permanently" replied Mr.. For
aker, again., "The president is as mucn
lover of liberty, truth and justice as
is the senator from Massachusetts, and
his love Of liberty goes out to the people
of the Philippines as unerringly as his
own"
Then how are we to understand the
statement that the American flag is not
to be hauled DOWN." said Mr.. Hoar
Does not that mean that we are not to
hold perpetual domain? If the people
of the Philippines believe their happi-
ness can be best secured by selfgovern-
ment, are they to be given an oppor-
tunity to govern themselves"
with the determination of the ulti-
mate policy respecting the Philippines
replied Mr.. Foraker. their feelings will
have much to do. No one. SO far as l
am able to learn. is prepared by force
and violence to take and hold them. I
am willing to trust the administra ton.
l have no sympathy with those who talk
of making war on Aguinaldo any more
than I have with those who talked of
making war on Gomez"
"Thank God for that" murmured Mr..
Hoar from his seat, but in a voice audi
bic through the chamber.
Il repeat continued Mr.. Foraker,
that we had four choices as to what
we should do and l affirm that the presi-
dent acted wisely. 1t is now for con-
gress to investigate whether the Fill
pinos are capable of government
and whether they desire self-govern-
ment. We will know in a short time
what the feeling of the population of
the islands is. Then we can act intel
ligently and / know we will act justly"
In conclusion. Mr.. Foraker said he
would place in the record the recent
proclamat ton of the president to the in
surgents as a declaration of the spirit
and purpose of the United States. When
he took his seat there was a demonstra-
tion of approval from the galleries.
which was unchecked by the presiding
officer. At the conclusion of Mr.. For
aker's speech Mr.. Allen of Nebraska
continued briefly the debate upon the
conStitutionality of the questions relat-
ing to the acquisition of the Philippines
He combatted the position taken by Mr..
Foraker, maintaining that the United
States government Coulu not COnSllTu-
tionally acquire the Philippines with
out the ultimate object in view of ad-
mitting them into the union as a state.
Aliens Resolution.
Mr.. Allen of Nebraska offered the fol- |
lowing resolution:
That any aggressive action of the |
army or navy on the part of the United |
States towards the Philippines would be |
an act of war unWarranted on the part |
of the president and the exercise of con- |
powers vested exclusively IN |
L
In submit ing this resolution. Mr.. |
said Mr.. Allen, II desire to |
make some observations, but will not |
enter upon a discussion of the question |
Of an imperialstiC policy, reserving that |
until a later date, when | hope to pre- |
sent my views quite fully l am led to |
introduce this resolution because the |
press dispatches indicate that cur
troops are moving upon the people of |
IlOilo. I introduce it as a protest |
against the waging of war by the presi-
dent and the army and the navy with