The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-14
RESTRICT The SUFFRAGE
NEEDED HERE AS MUCH AS IN
THE PHILIPPINES.
lMPERIALISTS JUSTIFY THE SOUTH
Government by Force a Despo'ism NecessItatlng
an Enormously Expensive Army and
Navy. Dangers Threatening
Labor and Liberty.
Labor and Liberty.

Washington, Jan. 13.-In the senate
to-day Mr.. McLaurin Dem, 5. CD, took
strong ground in a carefully prepared
speech against policy of expansion by
this country.
.'The manifold and serious questions
growing out of the war with Spain are
now absorbing the attention of the
American people," began Mr.. McLaurin.
II am satisfied that our action in the
next month will settle the question of
expansion. There are at this time IN
the Senate and natien at large two we'll
1efined and distinct views, one policy
of expansion, involving new definition
of our Government, and the lnauguara-
ton of colonial system. with all the
perplexing problems incident to it. Ihe
other view opposes policy of imperial
ism. anu is based upon the government
al policy of the past century, and in my
Judgment is the only position that is III
harmony with the Constitution and the
spirit and genius of Republican insti-
tutions."
Mr. McLaurin felt that as a represen-
tative of South Carolina, he was pecu-
liarly qualified to speak on the incorpo-
ration of mongrel and semi-barbarous
population into our body polite. The
experience of the South for the past
thirty years with the negro race" said
he. ..is pregnant with lessons of Wis
dom for our guidance in the Philippines.
1t is passing strange that Senators who
favored universal suffrage should now
advocate Imperialism There is a glar-
ing inconsistency in these positions. If
they are sincere in their views as to
the Philippines. they should propose an
amendment to the Constitution which
will put the inferior races in this count
nv and the inhabitants of the Philippines
upon an equality as to their civil and po-
ltical rights, and thus forever settle
the vexed race and suffrage questions in
this country as well as in the outlying
territories
How can they consistently, justly, and
/ might add, constitutionally advocate a
policy for outlying territories, embrac-
ing races so nearly akin to the negro,
which differs so radically from th
policy adopted as to that race in the
South? There can be but one answer to
that question, and that is that they
substantially admit, in the light of a
third of century's experience, that uni
versal suffrage is a monumental failure,
and that the time has come for the
correction of this stupendous govern
mental error
Universal suffrage in the South long
since degenerated into race question,
continued Mr.. McLaurin, "and a1 such
led to the practical elimination of the
negro from politics-a policy that is to
day wisely advocated by the great lead
crs of the race like Prof. Miller and
Booker Washington,% and which in time,
without outside interference, under the
guidance of the best thought of both
races, will lead to just and mutually
satisfactory settlement of the gravest
problems that have ever confronted any
people in modern times.
'It is indeed comforting to hear some
of those who in the past criticised us,
now that the question is brought home
completely justify our methods in provid
ing a scheme of colonial government.
1.-The Senator from Connecticut has
most amply vindicated the South. per-
hans unintentionally, but we thank him
the more heartily for his complete an
nouncement of the divine right of the
Caucasian to govern inferior races"
Mr.. McLaurin then entered upon a
constitutional discussion of the question.
maintaining that all of the rights and
powers of the Federal Government are
enumerated specifically in the Constltu-
ton. and such as were not thus speci-
fically defined did not exist.
1.-THE nation, as a nation" he con-
tinued, ''has no sovereign rights except
those conferred by the Constitution. >"
He further contended that if the sover-
eighty of the nation is vested in the
Constitution, as admitted by Mr.. Platt
Comm, it could be exercised only in the
manner pointed ont by the Constitution.
He maintained that there was essentia
differences between the sovereignty ex-
ercised by the United States and that ex-
ercised by Great Britain, for instance,
as there is wide difference between the
forms of Government of the two nations.
Il deny, therefore" said he, ''that the
United States as a nation has sover-
eign inherent right and control outside
of the grant of such power in the Con
stitution. This is not an essential ele
ment of nationality as far as our ma
ton is concerned. although it may be
in England or Russia where the nation
ality and sovereignty incident to it are
not created and limited by a written
constitution.
II do not however. c0ntrovert the prop
osition that the United States has the
power to aquire territory nv connuast