The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-01-10
Vigorously Attacked in the SEN
ate by Hoar.
SARCASTIC AND WITTY
He Took Strong Grounds Against I'M
perialism-HisS Speech Reply to
Platts-He Spoke Two
Hours.

|
ing the constitutional right of the Unit
ed States to carry into effect the policy
of expansion. The leading speaker was
Mr.. Hoar, rep, of Massachusetts,, who
delivered a speech in support of the
| resolution introduced by Mr.. Vest,
dem, of Missouri, declaring it to be in
| opposition to the constitution for this
| country to acquire foreign territory to
| be governed permanently as colonies.
Although Mr.. Hoar occupied the time
| of the senate for more than two hours,
| he was accorded the usual compliment
Of close and undivided attention by his
| colleagues on the floor, and a large
| audience in the galleries. He confined
himself closely to his manuscript, but
his address was delivered with all the
fire, earnestness and animation of the
orator that he is Mr.. Hoar is a mas
ter of the subtleties of the English
language, and a rhetorician of ability,
and his keen sarcasm and wit were
thoroughly enjoyed by his auditors.
His speech was in answer to that re-
Gently delivered by Mr.. Platt., rep, of
Connecticut, and had been most care
fully prepared. He took strong grounds
against the position assumed by the
Connecticut senator, maintaining that it
was in contradiction of the constitu-
ton and the declaration of indepen-
dence, that great eXpounder of the
constitution" for this country to ac-
quire foreign territory to be held and
governed as colonies. Mr.. Platt. at the
close, replied to some points of the
speech which had been directed espec-
tally at him. He reiterated his former
statement that the United States had
power to acquire and govern foreign
territory and declared that had this
country embraced the doctrine OF Mr..
Hoar the Mayf1ower would have been
turned back from Plymouth Rock, and
the country would never have expand
ed to the Pacific coast.
Mr.. Caffery concluded his speech in
opposition to the Nicaragua canal bill.
but an effort to fix a time for a vote
upon it failed.
Mitchell reported from the military
affairs commission a bill providing all
honorably discharged soldiers and sail
ors who served in the war of the rebel
lion and volunteer soldiers and sailors
of the war of 1912, and of the Mexican
war, and of the war with Spain. who
may be disabled in any way shall be
admitted into the home of disabled vol
unteer soldiers. Passed.
The bill to authorize the revival of
suits and actions commenced lawfully
against officers of the United States as
such on the termination of the terms OF
such officers Nas passed.
Hoar then. called up the resolution
introduced by Vest, and addressed the
senate.
Without averting to the proposed pol
icy of the United States entering upon
an expansion of it's territory, except in
a general and indirect manner, Mr..
Hoar entered upon discussion of the
constitutional phases of the question
involved in the resolution under consid-
Grafton, prefacing his argument with
statement of his personal position on
the subject He said:
II am one of those menWho believe that
little that is great or good or perman-
ent for free people can be accomplish
ed without the instrumentality of party.
, And 1 have believed religiously and
from my soul for half a century in the
doctrines and principles of the republi-
can party. I stood in a humble capac-
ity by its cradle. I do not mean, If I
can help it to follow it's hearse. l am
sure to render it a service. l am sure
l can help to protect and to prolong the
life of that great organization if | can
say or do anything to keep it from for
saking the great principles and doc
trines in which alone it must live or
bear no life. 1t is not my purpose, of
course, to discuss the general consider
ations which affect any acquisition of
sovereignty by the American people
over the Philippine islands which has
been or may be proposed. I am speak
ing to-dayonly on the theory of the con-
stitutional Interpretation propounded by
the senator from Connecticut, Mr..
Plat. If at any time hereafter the
senator shond seek to put his theory
into practice by reducing to subsection
a distant people dwelling in the tropics,
aliens in blood, most of them moslems
fatt h In of ri
pretending our language or to read or
to write any language, to whom the
traditions or the doctrines of civil lib
erty are unknown, 1t will be time to
point out what terrible results and PEN
alties this departure from our constitu-
tional principles will bring upon u.s."
Mr.. Hoar said that our fathers who
framed the constitution had studied an
cient history and had learned that
while there is little else that a demo-
cracy cannot accomplish, it cannot rule
over Vassal states or subject peoples
without bringing the elements of death
into its own constitution. He quoted
Professor Creary as saying. in his Eff
teen Decisive Battles of the World:
There has never been a republic yet
in history that acquired dominion over
another nation that did not rule it sell
fshly and oppressively. There is no sim
gle exception to this rule, either in an
clent or modern times.
Mr. HOar believed, he said. this coun-
try to be a sovereign nation. He be-
lieved congress possessed all the powers
necessary to accomplish the great OBJ
| jects the trainers of the constitution
intended should be accomplished. But
he denied that it possessed the aston
ishing and "extravagant" powers under
the constitution which the senator from
Connecticut (Mr Plato attributed to it,
Mr. HOar affirmed that every princi-
pal power is limited to the one SUI
preme and controlling power declared
in the constitution itself. In order to
form a more perfect union, establish
justice. insure domestic tranquility, pro-
vide for the common defense promote
the general welfare of the people and
secure the blessings of liberty to our
selves and to our posterity. When the
senator from Connecticut undertakes to
declare that we may do such things,
not for the perfect union, the common
defense, the general welfare of the peo-
pie or the securing of liberty to our
selves and our children, but for any
! fanCied or real obligation, to take care