The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-03-01
lNUR RUIN.
1akillg Philippines
IN May So Prove.
ITS LEGAL ASPECT.
Hon. F. P. Goulding Agrees
With Senator Hoar.

One cf the most Interesting lecture,
that have ever been delivered before
the current events class of the Wor.
cester Society of Antiquity, was that
Of Hon. Frank P. Goulding, last eve
ming 1t brought out a very large
number Of the class members, to-
gether with their friends and invited
guests, and Mr.. Goulding held the
closest attention of his auditors. He
had selected for his subject "The con-
+ stitutional phases of extension" or
"expansion," as it is more popularity
termed.
The United States" he declared,
finds itself confronted by one of the
most important questions it has ever
mad to meet since the formation of the
\ government, with the possible excep-
ton of the civil war period. I was
II opposed. as many of you undoubtedly
a rere, to the war with Spain, and be-
q lbye it could have been averted. But
b came with all its consequences, and
Is as unwise for us not to face these
a meequences Alright as it was for us
a y SO to war.
so far as Cuba and Porto Rico are
soncerned, they seem to be settling
heir problems for themselves. The
#pr1pcipal trouble seems to be invested
IN The Philippines. By the treaty that
I'VE have ratified, and that will I'M
doubtedly be ratified by Spain, the
government of the Philippines will be
invested in the United States. That
will be matter of the very greatest
and the very graVest Importance to
III e q f1,ot ie., o,,E
TO our institutions, and it is challenged
~ many of our brightest and broadcast
minds
1.-THE claim is first sci. up that the act
- unconstitutional. And, even if not
Po, the taking over of those islands is
fraught with conditions of the greatest
danger to our institutions. If it's peo-
pie become citizens of this country it
emalgamateS us with an alien element
that in the end may be the means of
overthrowing our republican institu-
tions
The great question is have we con-
stltutional right to acquire territory
outside Of the United States? The ques-
ton has been settled, politically, in the
afirmative. But Jefferson, in 1903, was
OF the opinion that we had no right
even to acquire the French possessions
IN Louisiana, although he overcame his
1StAPltS ldltT anu gave COunIelldl1ce TO
the acts of the congress that secured
II The acquisition was opposed by the
massachusetts legislature at the time
as Unconstitutional, and Josiah Quincy,
then its leader, declared that we ought
to withdraw. Then came the treaties
thai secured Florida, New Mexico, Cal
ifornia and Alaska. And yet only yes
terday Mr.. Bates of Tennessee stated
on the floor of the United States Sen
ate that we bad no constitutional right
to acquire foreign territory and that the
annexation of Hawaii was invalid
am not aware that the constitution
al lawyers of this country are question
ing the power or right of this country
to acquire foreign territory, but they
90 question whether we acquire it under
conditions or tenure. In the case of the
philippines do we acquire it under the
condition of admitting them at a suit
able time as states? And when the
Treaty is ratified do its people become
citizens of the United States? I under
stand that Senator Hoar declares that
hey do and If so that is the most in
Wrestling question for US to consider.
Now, if the United States has the
right to acquire, 1t also must have the
night to cede territory. In settling up
after the war, it may be necessary to
do so. Not, of course, as relates to
our own states, but this newly acquired