The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-05
In Senate
Oh Expansion.
WOLCoTT'S APPEAL.
He Urges the Ratification
Of the Treaty.

Washington, Feb. 4-This was an
other day of expansion oratory in the
Senate. In the open session the speak
ers Were Mr.. Chiffon of Texas and Mr..
Wolcott of Colorado Mr.. Chiffon made
constitutional argument in support of
the Vest resolution, his principal OBJ
lection to the annexation of the Phil
lpplnes being that it would admit to
TINS country both the F'ilipinos and
their products to come in competition
with our own workingmen and their
products His proposed solution of the
pending problem was the establishment
OF a republic in the Philippines over
which the United States would exer-
else such care as it gives to the re-
public of Liberia. Mr.. Wolcott made
an eloquent-almost impassioned-aD
peal to the Senate for the ratification
OF the peace treaty. He is a gifted ora
tor, resourceful in argument and bril-
liant in the presentation of his ideas
HIS tribute to the administration for
the successful conduct of the war and
TO the peace commissioners for their
successful efforts in behalf Of their
country, was the feature of the speech.
AT the conclusion of his brief address
he was accorded the compliment of
hearty applause.
AT the beginning of the session of
the Senate, Mr.. Allen of Nebraska. of
lered the following resolution.
1haI the Senate of the United States
III ratllylng and confirming the treaty
VI = drls' does not commit itself or the
government to the doctrine that the is
lands acquired by virtue of war with
SPAN are to be annexed to or to be-
come part of the United States. and
that the difference in the LANGUAGE of
sald treaty, as respects the island of
CupS ana It's Inhabitants and the island
Vi FoIto Rlco and Philippine islands
atiu t1elf inhabitants, shall not be con-
stTued or be held to be a difference in
erect, but that it is the intention and
purpose or the Senate IN ratifying said
treaty 10 place the inhabitants of the
Phlllppme islands and Porto Rico in
eNactly the same position as respects
their relations to the United States as
are the inhabitants of Cuba"
MI; Chiffon of Texas then addressed
the Senate on the various anti-exnan-
sion resolutions. He asserted that he
was NOT an antl-anneXationiSt or anti
eXpansionist. Within proper bounds he
regarded it as the duty of this country
TO Widen its territories. He thought the
acquisition of Porto Rico and the Is
land OF Guam was well enough, but in
the acquisition of the Philippines a
grave public policy was involved He
renewed such acquisition involved Sc
flous perllS and that dangers to ON.
government and institutions would con-
stdhtly menace us. He did not regard
Ine annexation of the Philippines as at
all similar to that of Louisiana. Cali
~ oiI ~ ana other territory now part
of the United States.
His belief was that if we took tba
philippines and they became a part of
Inns country, our people would never
cease to regret it.
MI chiffon said if our operations were
confined to Porto Rico and Cuba we
would need no increase in the standing
army but if the Philippines were TAX
en-, we should require an army of 200
ooo men to subjugate the scattered and
turbulent elements in the islands and
pensions would be piled up on pensions.
ne ueciared MS belief that the supreme
court would hold that congress had no
power to prevent the Filipinos from
passing from one part of the country
10 another, but if the inhabitants were
smut out their products, would not and
could not be. '-N'
Mr.. Chiffon said he would do with the
Phlllppmes what the United States had
done with the republic of Liberia. ON
# fria
Independent position as a sort Of off
shoot from the United States, and had
Deen given moderate protection by the
united states by such an arrangement
no european government would dare to
interfere with the independent govern
ment of thePhilippines. Mr.. Chiffon
urged an amendment to the treaty de-
claring in effect that we did not pro-
pose to maintain permanent possession
Of the Philippines. That would secure
the treaty
Mr. Wolcott, Colorado, who had an
nounced a brief speech for TODAY. was
the recognized. He attempted no dis
cussion of the pending resolutions, but
urged the ratification OF the treaty on
purely moral and patriotic grounds.
1t was not" said he, until it be-
came patent that the resolutions pend
ing before the Senate We're being used
merely as cloak with which to defeat
the treaty of peace that 1 determined
to say a few Words
After reviewing briefly the results of
the war and the negotiations which
lead to the appointment of the peace
commission Mr.. Wolcott said: "The
commissioners appointed by the presi-
dent men We're eminent incharacter
and ability. We may judge something
of the commission by the members who
We're selected from this body. Not one
man here is there that would not trust
to any of them the most intricate and
delicate matter. They have brought
back here a treaty with Spain by which
we may deal with the Filipinos as Con-
gress hereafter may wisely determine.
Yet we day after day wrangle over
resolutions of no force and effect and
which serve only to embarass our own
people in the Philippine, and afford
comfort to our opponents on the is
lands. There is not one of these ques-
lions which may not properly be dealt
with after the treaty is ratified.
However much we may differ among
ourselves upon questions of interna-
tional policy, said he, we ought to
stand as one before a foreign foe. |,
for one, recognize great difference
between a treaty and the establishing
of commercial relations with another
nation and a treaty bringing to con-
cluson a successful war. 1t Is inn
portant that we should present an un-
broken front in meeting a question of
this kind We owe Il debt to our