The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-03
BITTER FRUITS OF WAR
Senator Spooner Discusses the
Philippine Question.
HE is AN EXPANSIONIST
But the Acquisition of Distant and Non
Assimilable People Is the Poorest Way
to Extend Trade-Sovereignty or
Anarchy the Alternatives

Washington, Feb. "A notable
speech was made in the senate to-day
| by Mr.. Spooner Of Wisconsin. He took
| for his text the anti-expansion resolu-
| ton offered by Mr.. Vest, but discussed
| the question of expansion in all of its
| phases and urged the ratification of the
| peace treaty as the best means of
bringing the burning question home to
| the people themselves, who, he said,
| could well be trusted in their sober
second thought ito do that which would
be fair just and generous toward the
| Inhabitants of the Philippine archi-
| pelago. Mr.. Spooner spoke for four
hours and held the careful attention OF
| an unusually large number of senators
| and large audience in the galleries.
Plat of New York laid before the SEN
| ate the resolution adopted by the legis-
lature of New York urging the imne-
| diate ratification of the peace treaty.
In this connection Chandler called the
| attention Of the senators to similar reso-
buttons adopted by the legislature of
New Hampshire.
| Hale Perkins and Faulkner We're
named as a committee on conference
| for the senate on the consular and diplo-
matte appropriation bill.
Tiliman offered the following resolu-
| lions, which was adopted:
THAT the president be requested, if
not incompatible with public interest, to
inform the senate whether any fran
| chises or concessions Of any character
are being. or have been, granted by any
! municipality in Cuba or Porto Rico
| since the military occupation thereof
by the United States: If SO, what they
are for, what length of time and the
| wit tab NOV
| granted"
| At the conclusion of the morning bust
| ness Spooner addressed the senate upon
| the Vest anti-eXpansion resolution. He
began:
Il find no objections. constitutional in
| nature, to the ratification Of the pend
ing treaty. The senators from Connecti-
| cut (PlapO and Colorado (Teller) have
| fully presented the views l entertain.
| IF l hold the view that the United
States could not within its constitutional
limitations acquire territory which was
| not to be erected into states l could
not give my consent to the acquisition
of the Philippine islands. This Philip
pine proposition is one of the fruits of
the War-to me one of the bitter fruits.
| ] can conceive of no circumstances I'M
der which 1 could give my consent TO
| the admission of that archipelago as a
| state or as more than one state of the
| American union ..
| Mr.. Spooner then presented an argu-
ment in contraventi0n of Chief Justice
Taney's decision in the bred Scott case,
which. he said, was the foundation of
all the opposition to the acquisition Of
territory by this government.
THAT decision" he said, ceased years
| ago to be referred to as a correct inter-
probation of the law upon this ques-
ton
Mr.. Spooner maintained that the
| United States undoubtedly had the
power, as had previously been shown
| in the senate, to acquire territory be-
yond our own domain, and with that
power is coupled of course the collateral
| authority to govern that territory.
| He knew, he said, of no reason why
territory and the people of a territory
should not be governed by congress, as
every right in life, liberty and property
and trial by jury would be fully safe
guarded. He pointed out that although
the territory of Alaska did not enjoy
self government, its rights and those
Of it's people We're amply safeguarded
by congress.
Mr.. Tillman, interrupting Mr.. Spoon
en- inquired: IF we accept the Philip
pines would the inhabitants of that ter
ritory have the right to come without
hindrance to this country?"
Mr.. Spooner-Yes; for the purpose of
my argument I am disposed to admit it.
Mr.. Plat of Connecticut-They have
| that right now.
Mr. Tillman inquired whether the in
| habitants of territory could be pre-
vented from entering the states.
Mr.. Spooner said the senator from
! Connecticut (Mr. PlatD was inclined
to believe that they could, but he him
self doubted it,
Mr.. Tillman further along pressed his
question as to the right of the Fill
ipinos to come here, and declared that
by admitting the islands by treaty
10 millions of people of that territory
could take the first ship for this coun-
try and upon arrival here could enter
into competition with American labor.
That was the reason why he would
vote against the treaty.
Mr. Spooner said he had no doubt
of the constitutionality of the cession
of the Philippines, or of our rights to
accept them, or of the presidents au-
thority to govern in these islands. I'M
less congress should provide proper
government of them.
Mr. Spooner said that no government
as had been contemplated on the floor
of the senate had been established the
Philippines. 1t could not be seriously
regarded as government, as it was
| nothing more than a tinhorn affair at
| best
Referring to the authority and power
of Aguinaldo, he said that what he
represented nobody knows: whom he
represents nobody knows and nobody
could say how far his authority ex-
| tended. Before the peace commission
| in Paris it had been stated that Aguin-
| aldo represented only l per cent. of
| the inhabitants of the islands. He then
pointed out that it was necessary fer a
government of any status to meet it's
International obligations.
Mr.. Spooner ridiculed the idea that
distance would effect our right to ac-
quire territory. Why was there no OBJ
lection to acquisition of Porto Rico if
there must be so much opposition to
taking the Philippines? The consent of
Porto Ricans had not been asked
Mr.. Bacon replied that circumstances
were different, because of the proxim-
ty of Porto Rico as the presence of
Spain in either of the West Indian
islands would be inimieal to the United
States.
Il thank the senator from Geogia for
tI1 I'D, ecip Tod