The evening times., 1899-01-24
FREE NATIONS ADD
| SUBJECf PROVINCES
Senator Clay's Views on the
Philippine Question.
Thinks America Should Aid the Peo.
pie to Govern Themselves.
No European Power Should Possess
Them-Advocates Treating With
Them as Cubans.

Mr.. Clay of Georgia addressed the SEN
| ate today on the expansion question. The
| fact. that Senator Clay is one of the Demo-
| cratic Senator'S who expect to vote for the
| ratification of the Treaty of Peace lent es-
| pecial interest to his utterances on the gen.
eral question of territorial expansion.
While he could not properly, and did not,
discuss the Treaty, he argued that nothing
should be allowed to stand in the way OF
prompt ratification, but that this Gov
ernment should hold out to the Filipinos
the same promises of ultimate independ-
ence that are held out to the Cubans.
Senator Clay began by expressing the
opinion that had 1t been declared at the
beginning of the war that it was the pur-
pose of this country to conquer, acquire,
and annex the Philippines, the proposition
would not have had half dozen votes in
the Senate. He believed that the sugges-
tion of possible acquisition and annexa-
tion of the Philippine Islands as the natu-
raj result of the war would have prevented
the passage of the war resolution by Con-
, gress. Discussing further the purposes of
the war ne quoted President Mckinley S
message to Congress declaring il the duty
of this Government to assist the people of
Cuba TO build up government that is free
and Independent, and asked why should
not the same declarations be made with
regard to the people of the Philippines.
He contended that we have not the
right to acquire those islands or any other
territory, either mainland or islands in
the seas, and govern the people of such
territory without constitutional Iimita-
tions.
Senator Clay described the islands and
the inhabitants, contending that there can
be no hope of American communities be-
ing built up in that territory capable OF
statehood. About the only sure result of
an attempt TO maintain government in the
Philippines which he could see was that
il would involve us in future wars with
foreign governments. He thought every
evidence showed that the population of
the Philippines would be as unfriendly
toward US, if We attempted to force a
government on them against their wish
as they were toward Spanish government.
This is shown, he said, by the fact that
our troops are now actually engaged in
hostilities with the natives in order TO
maintain our supremacy.
IAN attempt TO fasten on those people
a government without plain and unmistak-
able assurances of ultimate independence
and without maintaining the same close re-
lationships with the Filipinos that are
maintained with the Cubans, must lead
to bloody, cruel, and expensive war. They
might easily raise an army of 160, 900 men,
who would have to be fought by ar army
almost, IL not quite equally, as large and
this army must be sent at least 1000 miles
from this country. History shows the
futility Of such efforts in the past. We
have a good example in our own war
for independence. and more recent one
in Spain's inability to keep the Cubans in
subjection."
Senator Clay contended that free ma
tions cannot govern subject provinces