Evening star., 1899-02-03


ton against Spanish rule in the islands.
rs not the senator making public re-
piled Mr.. Spooner smiling, "some informa-
ton concerning the executive sessions of
Yes, 1 am" replied Mr.. Tllman. But
the information l have" holding aloft a
printed document, lis contained in this
book, which has been made public, and 1
VIII, therefore, be excused from violating
faith with my brethren of the Senate
Mr.. Spooner said that no government, as
had been contended on the floor of the SEN
ate, had been established in the Philippine
Islands 1t could not be seriously regarded
as government, 1t was nothing more
than tin horn affair at best.
Tillman Defender of AGuinaldO.
Mr.. Tillmau again interrupting the Wis
consin senator and again holding aloft the
document which he held, said: Unless the
senator withdraws his imputations against
the good faith and honesty of Aguinaldo l
will read what 1 have here
Mr.. SDooner-"I have made no reference
to Aguinaldo."
Your remarks about Aguinaldo," retort-
ed Mr.. Tillman, were made in a sneering
and airy manner. Indicating no respect"
Mr.. SpOoner-"If the senator from Agui-
naldo will permit me to pursue my arsu-
ment in my own way / will be grateful. l
have said nothing about Aguinaldo, and do
not care TO have my speech anticipated
Mr.. Spooner then explained that he had
not been present on the previous day on
account of Illness, and was anxious on ac-
count of his physical condition to complete
his argument as soon as possible.
Mr.. Tillman-'In the circumstances, l
will not again interrupt the senator and
will even endure the sneer about my being
a senator from Aguinado."
Mr.. Spooner promptly withdrew his ref
erence to Mr.. Tllman and then proceeded
with his discussion of the so-caled Fill
pino republic. Referring to the authority
and power of Aguinaldo. he said that what
he represented nobody knows: whom he
represents nobody knows. and nobody could
say how far his authority extended. Be
fore the peace commission in Paris it had
been stated that Agunaldo represented
only l per cent Of the inhabitants Of the
islands. He then pointed out that it was
necessary for q government of any status
to meet its domestic requirements and dis
charge its international obligations.
People Governed Against Their Wish.
In the course of a discussion of the as
sertion that the consent of the governed
was necessary to the exercise of just pow
ers by the governing nation, Mr.. Spooner
held that the position assumed by Mr..
Platt that a government received its just
pc wers from some of the governed was
correct. Mr.. Spooner declared that much
of the territory acquired by the United
States had been gainsd against the will OF
the people whom we now govern.
Mr.. Spooner ridiculed the idea that dis
tanCe could affect right to acquire ter
ritory. Why was there no objection to the
acquisition of Porto Rico if there must lie
so much opposition to taking the Philip
plres? True, the army of the United States
was welcomed to Porto Rico with open
arms but that this should be SO after
hundred years of Spanish rule was not
strange. The consent of the Porto Ricans
had not been asked.
Mr.. Bacon replied that the circumstances
We're different because of the proximity of
rrtn i.n L.
either Of the West Indian Islands would be
inimical to the United States.
Il thank the senator from Georgia for
the admission" responded Mr. Spooner.
The declaration of Independence is to be
suspended in the West Indies because it is
in the interests of the United States"
NO; not our INTERESTS replied Mr. Pa
con Our public safety, which is greater
than our interests, is affected"
Our interests are included in our ma
tional safety" said Mr. Spooner The
senator practically admits that we want
Porto Rico because We need it in our bust
ness."
Mr.. Hale made the point that there was a
very sharp difference between the two
cases. The Island of Porto Rico could be
considered as an indemnity-a land of some
possible value to us and not a detriment-
an ever blighting curse and woe to us-as
would be the Philippines 1t was not a
constitutional question, but a question of
policy. Did not Mr. Spooner see the grave
danger?
Responding laconcally, Mr.. Spoonar said
he saw the danger.
Mr.. HOar Sees No Distinctions
Mr.. Hoar interrupted to say that be
made no distinction in the two cases. He
took the broad ground that we are not JUS
titled in attempting to govern any people
without their consent.
Resuming, Mr.. spooner said that there
was no way out of 1t, that If at the end of
the war an indemnity is to be taken, it
must be taken without the consent of the
pecple.
Mr.. Spooner announced his apprehension
of the policy of expansion. Some people
waltz up to this proposition of national
expansion as gaily as the troubadour
touches his guitar said he Proceeding,
he said he was an axpansionist to the eX-
tent of wanting to do everything possible
to extend our trade, but he thought that to
acquire distant and non-assimilable people
was the poorest possible means of getting
He shrank, he said from the policy of
making a part of our land tropical islands
thousands of miles from our shores, a land
whose people were alien, not of our blood,
who were foreign to our institutions. Of a
tropical climate in which the white man
cannot work. He, therefore, considered as
superficial, sentimental and fantastic much
of the talk concerning the permanent an
neXation of these far away islands.
81 not he said, thrilled by the
Jingle about not hauling down our flag when
1t has once been raised 1t has been hauled
down in former times. 1t will be hauled
down again. We will not keep It af1oat in
Cuba, but will take it down there, leav-
ing behind it liberty and an independent
government. hope this also may be soon
true in the Philippines, and in saying this
1 do not consider l am inconsistent"
Opposed to Permanent Dominion
If the ratification of the treaty involved
permanent dominion, he said, he would not
vote for it. But he had not been able to
find any halfway resting place between ac-
cepting the cession and abandoning the is
lands to their fate, and this was not per-
missible. The President, kind and gener-
Gus as he is. would not have to make a
treaty leaving the Philippine archipelago
to the lust, the savagery and the brutality
of Spanish rule. To have attempted this
course would have been to inaugurate a
rule of anarchy with all its horrors. and
while war was cruel and bitter anarchy
hall LOT tnac nrth