The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-24
NO ESCAPE.
Senator Henry Cabot Lodge
Tells the Senate
That Rejection of the Treaty
Is Impossible.
PICTURES M'KINLEY,
-
PICTURES M'KINLEY.
Hat in Hand, Saying to Spain
Sc We Asked Too Much,
Take Back the Philippines,
and Let Us OFF,"

Washington, Jan. 24.-At the conclus-
ion of routine business in the senate to-
day Mr.. Lodge (Rep., Mass) was recog-
nized to deliver his announced speech
upon the policy of expansion. He spoke
in part as follows:
Mr.. President, in connection with
these resolutions and others which have
been introduced, two questions have
been raised: one of constitutional law
and one of public policy. 1t is not my
purpose to enter at any length into the
former discussion. The constitutional
questions are many and the hypotheti-
cal situations which have been imagined
with much ingenuity as tests OF the
constitution are almost countless.
Il believe that the United States has
the undoubted power, which it has fire.
quently exercised, to acquire territory
and to hold and govern it. 1 am ready
to admit, if necessary, that action IN
these directions must be taken for con-
Stitutional purposes but the conStltu-
tionality of the purposes which con-
gress is about to exercise, these or any
other powers, must be determined by
congress itself through its majority: |
believe that the power of the United
States in any territory or possession
outside the limits of the United States,
in any territory or possession outside
the limits of states themselves is abso-
lutte, with the exception of the l1m1ta-
ton placed upon such outside possess
sions by the thirteenth amendment.
STANDS BY WEBSTER.
ct am content to stand on the broad
proposition laid down by Webster in de-
bate in lS49, that the territories are not
part of the United States. but belong
to the United States as England's COL
Cnies belong to England.
constitutions do not make people,
people make constitutions. Our consti-
tuition is great and admirable, because
the men who made it were so ana the
people who ratified it and have lVed
under it were and are brave, intelligent
and lovers of liberty. There is a higher
sanction and a surer protection to life
and liberty, to the right of free speech
and trial by jury,to Justice ana humanity
in the traditions, the beliefs, the habits
of mind and the character of the Amer
lean people than any which can be al
forded by any constitution, no matter
how wisely drawn. If the American
people were disposed to tyranny, in
Justice and oppression constitution
would offer but a temporary barrier to
their ambitions and the reverence Tor
the constitution and for law and jus
tice grows out of the fact that the
American people believe in freedom and
humanity in equal justice to all men,
and in equal rights before the law and
While they so believe, the great doc
trines of the declaration of independ-
ence and of the constitution will never
be in peril.
stitutional powers, the great question
now before the American people
resolves itself in my mind to one of
policy purely. There is only one ques-
ton demanding actual and immediate
decision now before congress and the
people and that is whether the treaty
with Spain shall be ratified or not
I'm our war with Spain we conquered
the Philippine islands, or, to put it more
exactly we destroyed the power of
Spain in those islands and took posses
sion of their capital. The treaty cedes
the Philippines to us. 1t is wisely and
skiIfulIy drawn. 1t commits US to no
nolicv to no course of action whatever
in regard to the Philippines. When that
treaty is ratified we have full power and
are free to do with those Islands as we
please, and the opposition TO Its rat-
fcation may be summed up in single
sentence, that the American people and
the American congress are not to be
trusted with that power and with that
freedom of action in regard TO the an
habitants of those distant islands.
MUST RATIFY OR REJECT.
eve must either ratify the treaty or
reject it; for L can not suppose that
anyone would seriously advance the
proposition that we should amend the
treaty in such a way as to make pledges
to Spain, and to Spain alone, and to
for our good conduct in matter which
will be wholly our own to decide Let
us look, then, at the two alternatives
Suppose we ratify the treaty. The is
lands pass from the possession of Spain
into our possession without committing
us to any policy. I believe we can be
trusted as a people to deal honestly
with the islands and the inhabitants
thus given to our care.
what our precise policy shall be I
do not know because for one am not
sufficiently informed of the conditions
there to be able to say what will be best
to do. nor, I may add, do 1 think any
one is.
.HTake now the other alternative Sup
nose we reject the treaty or strike out
the clause relating to the Philippines.
That will hand the islands back to
Spain and I cannot conceive that any
American should be willing to do that
Suppose we reject that treaty, what
follows? Let US look at it practically.
We continue the state of war and ev-
cry sensible man in the country, every
business interest desires the re-estab-
lishment of peace in law as we'll as N
fact At the same time we repudiate
the president and his action before the