Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-01-25
SENATOR LODGE.

believe that the famous obter dictum of
| Chief Justice fancy was as bad as it was
wrong in politics and inhuman in doc
| trine. l am not very old, but that Is
| belief which am too old to unlearn now.
| | am content to stand on the broad prop
osition laid down by Webster in debate in
lS49-that the territories are not Englands
colonies, but belong to England. 1t does
not alarm me to hold this doctrine of
constitutional law merely because it can
be easily pointed out that the supreme
power which congress may exercise over
territory within its jurisdiction, but not
within the limits of the United States, is
capable of abuse.
Holding these views as to our consttu-
tional powers, the great question now be-
fore the American people resolves itself
in my mind, TO one of policy only. There
is only one question demanding actual
and immediate decision now before con-
gress and the people. and that is whether
the treaty with Spain shall be ratified or
not. The discussion of the treaty is being
conducted and, to my mind, properly con-
Quoted behind closed doors. for there Is
much that must be said affecting other
nations and other people which could not
with propriety be said in public, but the
treaty itself has been made public, and
the debate upon these resolutions, taking
wide range, has covered, SO far as could
be fittingly done in open session, the
broad question of policy involved in the
ratification of the treaty
The Philippines.
Mr.. Lodge continued by stating that
he had heard no opposition to any part
of the treaty but that portion of it re-
lating to the Philippines, and that |
therefore that was the sole point on
which he would touch. He added that
the treaty commits us to no policy re-
garding the Philippines and said
When that treaty is ratified. we have
full power and are absolutely free to do
with those Islands as We please, and the
opposition to its ratification may be sum
med up in a single sentence-that the
American people and the American con-
sress are not to be trusted with that DOW
n and with that freedom of action in re-
gard to the inhabitants of those distant
Stands. Every one of the resolutions thus
ar offered on this subject is an typres-
pn OF disruSt in The character, ability.
honesty and wisdom of the American peo-
Ne and an attempt to make us promise
o be good and wise and honest in the fu-
IRE and In our dealings with other PEG
lie. 1t is a we'll meant effort to make us
tive bonds TO fate by means of a CON
reSsional resolution
In the event of ratification of the
v. 4 f.4ItI
O deal HONESTLY with tho ;s,,5 49, f
oid ho d,d ,,t ,., -. iie /
'.. ny mo" JUST "fat our I
u ec'ae policS would BE- but believed !
mere would be no attempt to incorpo- =
ate the islands in our body polite or L
ct their labor ALONGSIDE of ours or evo [
hem citizenshin He ,e1io,.od vs., 1o;,; S
inos would ha r;,,a,, '..o ~, i
,,,,a,,,..'t S'''' q 'ia"ce lor sell t
oNe.' ''''ei't ui'el'r our protection until
he lline comes Tor them to stand alone
The Alternative.
In bic mind r,tiea,+;.
tba o,,I,, ,tal VI 'iie treaty t
robe now, ,ba ot,,an ,',.a.l.' .o-'''''4e0' X
,se we rciact ,ha ,,r' ,,ntlVe. sup
ause relating to the phi,i,,,,,a, oua r, t'le n
i'll hand the islands back to sDa.n and ID s
lnnot conceive that any Americas sbnm,1 II
Wiling TO 40 that. Suppose we reject s.
If nrnctio,, W r''' io''oWs' Let us look II
war and nvcrv .o,,,., l,,l''ue lhe state d
,untry. every business nternst 't d ii rne a
re establishment of peace in law as h
ell as in fact. At the same time we re-
, ~. .,' the president and his action be-
$s :A?1' The be sa' of ef s