The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-07
TASK is TOO GREAT
SENATOR CAFFERY OPPOSES THE
PROPOSED POLICY OF Elk
PANSION
ADVANCES NEW ARGUMENTS

Inherent Right of America to Ac-
qufre New TerrftOries-Even Did
1t Possess That Right 1t Could
Not BE Exercised In Sub-TrOpics
Without DespOtism.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 6-Immediate-
ly after the senate convened today
the resolution offered yesterday by Mr..
t1oar. of Massachusetts, calling for In
formation as to the instructions of the
commissioners who negotiated the
treaty OF Paris. together with all cor
respondence and reports relating to
their work. was laid before the senate
chairman Davis, one Of the commits
s1oners. desired that it be referred to
the foreign relations committee, but
Mr.. Hoar insisted that the senate had
as much right to such information as
the members of the foreign relations
committee. and that the president
should determine whether the senate
should have it. The resolution was
ADOPTED In secret session.
In support of the resolutions offered
some time ago by Mr.. Vest (Mo). in
opposition to expansion. Mr.. Caffery,
OF Louisiana. delivered an extended
speech. He pointed out that the gov
eminent Of the United States was
formulated by it's founders in order
that social and governmental fabric
OF their own might be crystallized into
form of law. Mr.. Gallery said that
the sword and counsels Of Washington
MADE him the savior Of his country;
that his supreme patriotism and wis
dom emfnently qualified him to estab-
i1sh this government. He referred then
to that sentence of Jefferson that gov
ernments can only acquire their just
powers from the consent of the govern
ed, and declared that the principle an
nounced in that sentence marked Jee-
ferson as greater than king, prince or
potentate.
I'VE have heard" said he, "some
startling doctrines as to the power of
the United States to establish govern
ments in foreign territory acquired by
the United States announced on this
floor"
He declared that these announced
doctrines were more arbitrary than
any which had ever before been heard
In the United States congress- They
conferred upon congress a supreme
poWer-a despotic power. unlimited and
unrestricted. He quoted from the
speech Of Mr.. Plat Comm, to which
his address was an answer, that part
OF the Connecticut senator's statement
that the powers of the United States,
In which he claimed the right to ac-
quite foreign territory, was inherent
and without limitation, and that the
power to establish government in sucn
acquired territory was inherent and a.
sovereign right.
THREATENED DESFOTISM.
Here" said Mr. Caftery, ''the bald
proposition is advanced that the right
to govern is broad and imperial and
without limitation by our constitution.
II the argument advanced by the sena-
tor from Connecticut be true and
sound then the Individual rights of man
are to be held by the United States
under congressional despotism. Our
constitution knows no despotism, it
sedulously provides against despotism,
but right here is a despotism of the
most fragrant possible character"
Mr.. Caffery said he proposed to argue
that the government of the United
states was inhibited from incorporat-
Ing the recently acquired territory into
the United States; that congress had
power to govern any acquired territory
only with the ultimate purpose Of erect
Ing 1t into states; that people of such
territory cannot be held despotistically
by congress, and that it would be UNI
wise and dangerous to incorporate into
the United States as citizens people
VINO differ widely in their habits, GUS
toms and religion from the people Of
this country
MI. Catfery then entered upon an Ella
Dorate argument to show that hereto
lore 1T had been the unWavering policy
OF this government to obtain from the
governed their consent before the reins
OF government were drawn over them
Mr.: Caffery said even if we had the
right to incorporate these distant ISL
ands, inhabited by a strange people,
into this country, freedom could not
exist in the tropics
History shows that God has set the
boundaries where the different peoples
of the earth shall abide When I look
at the cities Of the world am unalter-
ably convinced that no permanent
sway can be held over the black man
in the sub-tropics, except by a strong
military and cruel despotism"
Mr.. Caffery said that we were some
times told from the pulpit that we had
a mission to perform-that mission be-
iEg to spread among all peoples the
doctrine Of human rights. He doubted
whether this could be done by placing
uIon the people yoke and whether
the principles of Christianity could be
advanced by force
Mr.. Caffery concluded at 1925 D. m.
At the instance of Mr.. Hoar the
house bill to extend the powers and
duties Of the commissioner of fish
ard fisheries SO as to include game
birds and other wild birds useful to
man was passed, the senate bill pro-
tecting song birds being added as an
amendment.
Mr.. Morgan called up the Nicaragua
canal bill and explained the modi(ica-
lions agreed to by the committee on
the amendments offered by Mr.. Berry
before the holiday recess.
At the request of Mr.. Morgan, the bill
as modified and amended was ordered
to be printed.
Mr.. Allison said he hoped no vote
would be asked for today, as, if he
understood the amendments offered by
Mr.. Berry, they were substantially an
appropriation Of public money for the
construction of the canal and provision
should be made by bonds or otherwise
to raise the money.