The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-01-12

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only one Of the associate Justices stood
squarely with Chief Justice fancy III sup
port Of the full force Of the decision.
Mr. Foraker then entered upon a cons
stituticnai argun,ent In reply 70 the points
tf.A.) In support OF the resolution.
port OF the resolution and by Mr.. Caffery
In beginning discussion OF the speech
OF Mr.. Hoar Mr.. Foraker said: II listened
as always listen 10 the speech OF the SEN
ator from Massachusetts. II was speech
OF great ability and power, such as he al
| ways delivers. but when II Is reduced II
amounts only to this. that the government
| OF the United states has only the power to
acquire territory for constitutional pur-
u poses and as to what those constitutional
powers are the senator from Massachusetts
shall be the sole and exclusive Judge.
Mr. roraker's remarks brought Mr.. Hoar4
out for further explanation Of his post
Il ton Rising and interrupting the Ohio
senator. he said II we thought II ncces
sary for our National defense to annex an
that territory objected 10 our acquisition
OF 1t should consider the subjugation Of
Z IL as great National crime to be rspu-
dated and condemned, aud ! should say
& the United States would better 20 down
beneath the waters Of the Pacific in honor
rather than disgrace Itself by such ac-
4 ton S1sS
MIR. Iloar said he did not mean TO say
Il that a great continent on which roamed
few thousand savagcs, having no gov
eminent and being incapable Of Govern
ment, should be passed. by or that civlisa-
tion should stop at Its threshold.
I Mr.. Foraker repudiated the conclusions
Il reached by Mr. Hoar, .,As ! now UNDER
! stand tho senator from Massachusetts, y
Il said Mr.. Foraker, "thc march OF civillsa-
tlon ought not to he stopped for lack OF
consent fho march OF the French across
~ dark eppftpauf A.. al the HrItiah TN
Fashoda Is not then to be Interrupted"
Mr.. Foraker maintained that the gov
ernment OF the United States had ample
power to acquire territory by treaty and
he demanded to know of Mr. Hoar II ho
I did not think territory so acquired was
acquired constltntionally.
j Tho trouble. Mr.. President" continued
the senator lis that senators are talking
about theory instead of a practical con-
dition. What have the senators who have
discussed these theories proposed? Moth
ing. You know the presidents of condi-
lions we face. We had made war and It's
fortunes have carried us to the Phillip
pines. when the end came those islands
were in our possession. What was to be
done? Four possibilities existed We
might return the ISLANDS 10 Spain, allow
some other country to seize or gobple
them up the people Of the Islands might
be left to themselves and the anarchy
that existed there, or we ourselves might
take possession of them. The unanimous
voice of the country was opposed TO tho
return OF the Islands 10 the tyrannical
government of Spain. In many OF the
State conventions declarations against
such course were adopted ana one OF
these was the convention of the senator
from Massachusetts.
II wrote 1t myself" answered Mr. Hoar.
Then I presume the senator is OPP
posed to that course" remarked Mr.. For
aker amid laughter.
THE return Of the islands TO spain,
resumed Mr. Foraker. was therefore no'
to be considered. Were they then TO DC
left to themselves? About the time this
question was confronting us | saw repeated
newspaper statements from Aguinaldo aud
his associates among the insurgents To Inc
effect that all the countries OF europe
would be on their backs before breaktast u
the United States deserted them NJ TINS
juncture We could not leave the islands
nj the mercy of these countries Such q
course would have been cruel We wisely
decided against both these courses we
decided to take possession ourselves--toI
tho present at least. until the people o'
those islands are ready and capapie 81
self government.
The assert ion Of the temporary character
of cur possession of the Philippines created
81 stir In the chamber Mr.. Foraker re-
iterated IT, We could not desert tho reo-
pie Of the islands and subject them TO inc
! risks OF DlSnTQeT. dudINH9. 'hio'oi' "h'
mob rule while they might he stu nnb'
for self government, But our occupation
was not 10 be permanent.
II do not understand that any one de-
es anything hut the ultimate indenend-
ence of the people Of the Philippines eaid
he empbatcally, either the president nor
any one in this chamber.
But what about our right " we choose
TO hold them permanently with no thought
OF their ultimate independence, inquired
Mr.. Hoar.
I'VE have an unuuestioned right TO do
so" replied Mr.. Foraker. II speak par
, tiouarly OF our legal right,
, MIR. Bacon (Ga) at this juncture asked
, what difference there was between our re-
lations to Cuba and our relations TO the
Philippines. why we could not deal with
the latter on the same basis as the former,
sjmply hold them now with the declared
purpose of giving them cif-goyernment
as soon as possiblcg
.'The case OF Cuba" replied Mr.. Foraker,
speaking with great elaboration, was a
, single one, Involving only our relations
: with Spain and the Cubans themselves,
!, I'm the case of the Philippines there
were other complications which can not
, be spoken of here but which senators heard
In executive session which JUSTIFIED the
presidents course in the most ample man
, ner and vipdjcntes most completely every
thing he has done. In fact no other course
|. sought to attain justice not only 10 our
selves but to the people OF those Islands.
| What of the statement about hauling
down the American llag?" intcriected Mr.
Hoar.
mo one desires to retain the Philippines
indefinitely" reiterated Mr.. Foraker again.
"Thc president Is as much a lover of lib
, crty truth and justice as Is the senator
from Massachusetts. and his love of liberty
goes out TO The people of tho Philippines
as unerringly as his.
Then we are 10 understand the state
men that the American flag is not TO bv
Z hauled down." said Mr.. Honr Does not
that mean that we are to hold perpetual
, domain? II the people OF the Philippines
? believe their happiness can best be Sc
cured by self-goyernment. they are 10 be-
: given an opportunity to govern Item
lselyes."
I with the determination OF the ultimate
2 policy respecting the Philippines replied
r MIR Foraker. their feelings VIII have
I much TO do No one. so far as am able
10 learn. Ia preparing by force and violence
TO take and hold them. ] am willing 70
0 trust the administration. j have no sym
patty with those who talk OF making war
J on Aguinaldo any more than J had with
4 those who talked OF making war ON Co