The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1899-02-17
SENATOR MONEYS SPEECH ON THE TREATY.

CENATOR MONEY speech OF the ratification Of the treaty with
- Spain places him in the ranks of the ablest statesmen in the senate
1t will be a matter of qualification to Misissippians to know that the
speech ranks with those Of Uoar, Phtt Of Connecticut, spooner, Bacon and
the other able speeches for and against the ratification. Since the death OF
Senators George and WalthalI it has been the fashion in some quarters TO
lament that there was no one who could uphold the dignity ad reputation
Of the state in the senate. 1t will be impossible for any lover of justice TO
so assert Row. The speech WAS able aud stattsmanhke and only an able
man and - statesman could have delivered it. He treated the subject con-
stltutionaly, commercially and morally. He showed how impossible 1t
would be to annex the Philippine islands without the inhabitants thereof
bccomi ing citizens Of the United States and entitled TO all the rights and
privileges Of thai citizenship, lie showed concusvey how erroneous was
the claim that trade followed colonization, England with all her vast
colonial possessions, has seen her export trade decrease . per cent in TIT
last seven years, while the United States, without any colonies has seen
her export trade increase IS per cent in the sam time. france Is .ue
second power in the possession Of colonies. Senator Money tells IS that NJ
reIetan, one OF her ministers, recently attacked the colontzins system.
asserting that the chamber spent 100000 annually on her colonies in
order that she might derive a s4000,00O profit from trade with them.
Ensand,s trade with India, IA colony of 25o.ooo,ooo people. is only per
cent Of her entire trade. Her ministers have recently said that they dd
not want any more colonies: that they simply desired open ports for trade
Senator Money is willing to advance the commercial interest of his country
in any legitimate way, bat it has not been proven to him that the annexa'
ton Of the Philippine islands will do it. He believes that the increase in
our export trade hitherto has been due largely to the superior skill OF our
commercially. Admitting that it would increase our trade, it would be at
a very large cost. and this cost would have to come from him who tns the
ground and from HIM who takes the raw material to the shop, not from the
the boards of trade and the capitalist who are crying out Tor
expansion. In his treatment Of the moral aspect of the case he rises to
flights that are a revelation to US. We knew that he was profound, learned
and able. We thought him essentially practical. We did not know that
he could, as he did in the presentation OF this great moral question, rise to
the plane Of eoquence. Yet, he did, and to those who do not care for the
and commercial sides of it we most heartily commend it,
lie shows clearly the rights of the 10000 900 Filpinos; that whether they
were our allies and auxliarhes, that they thought they were; that Dewey
to 'send Agunaldo at oncc;" that all the records OF this mans
past life show him to be, as he has been called by some, a second Simon
Bolivar; THAT he is IA brave, honest sincere and able man, and with all his
he is poor" Senator Money prophesies that though the rati
icaton Of this treaty will give US peace with Spain, that it means war with
te Filipinos unless we disayow any intention Of holding them in subsection
dcpriying them of their liberty: that the blood OF thousands of the best
Americans will be shed upon the plains and in the iunges of Luzon; and
events seem to justify his Iropbesy. Space forbids our saying more
about this great and eloquent speech, but we will quote its closing para
for the benefit of our readers:
'Are we to be the great cwmplars OF human liberty, or are we to join
he ranks Of The monarchs of the world in the lust for territory. the greed
or conquest. for ACKNOWLEDGMENT and depart from that simplicity of liberty.
freedom. of the rights of man as set forth in 0Ur Declaration Of indie
)endence as guaranteed in our constitution? The fate of millions of people
II the Philippines OF untold millions in America, rests upon the decision Of
he senatph