Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-10
DEBATE on THE TREATY.

The confidence the Imperialsts express
that the DEBATE In the Senate on the rau-
lncation of Mr.. McKinley's treaty OF peace
| with Spain will be short. and TO all IN
tents and purposes merely formal ana
that the treaty will be ratified without
trouble as II stands. is by no means JUS
tilted by the present outlook. Already the
preliminary debate is under way. and irri-
spective OF all other considerations, por-
tends anything but hasty action on the
main issue. BY the preliminary debate,
we mean the debate on Senator vests
anti-expansion resolution, which reads:
RESOLVED by the Senate and House OF
| Representatives of the United states Oh
America i'm Congress Assembled. That uii-
der the Constitution of the United STATES
no power is given to the Federal Govern
ment 10 acquire territory to be heid ana
governed pefmanently as colonies.
'oTbe Colonial system of European ma
tions cannot be established under our
present Constitution, but all territory ac-
oured by the government, except such
small amount as may DO necessary for
coaling stations, correction of boundaries,
and similar governmental purposes, must
be acquired and governed with the pur-
pose of ultimately organizing such terri
tory into States suitable for admission
into the Union,
Within the last few days both Senator
Caffery and Senator Hoar have made
powerful arguments in support Of the
resolution, and as we understand 1t,
others are TO follow in the same line.
Yet be that as II may. and whatever the
fate of the resolution, the two senator's
named. and Senator Vest himself, have
raised grave constitutional questions.
which must reassert themselves in some
form or other when debate proper on
the treaty commences. They have raised
questions which, aside from any new
problem that may then arise, VIII, we
believe, give the Senate serious pause.
But when the full proceedings of the
Peace Commission shall have been laid
before the Senate-when the time LOT
consideration of the main question ar
rives-new constitutional problems VIII
present themselves, and the complication
Of these with the issues brought to the
fore bv the debate on the Vest resolution
gives promise of a battle Of the giants.
Moreover. the Senate is exceedingly
Jealous of its prerogatives, and we shall
be greatly surprised II 1t passes by in ST.
lence the arrogance, assumption, and
usurpation of which the President was
guilty in his proclamation to the Fill
pinos. Indeed, whether the finality Is TO
be ratification of the treaty or not, we
cannce conceive how tho senators who
stand upon the Constitution can fail to
seize the occasion to let Mr.. Mckinley
know in no uncertain manner that he
is not the master, as his proclamation
implies. but the servant Of the Constitu-
ton, the States, and the people. 1t is the
duty of all senators who believe in safe
guarding our republican institutions to
unite in teaching Mr.. Mckinley that les
son. and we would fain believe that that
duty will not be lost sight of.
Nor is that all. We would fain believe
that when the significance of the Presi-
dents act comes to be discussed, the dis
cussion may have an important bearing
upon the disposition of the treaty, seeing
that it will be calculated to bring out
prominently the danger Of placing at the
command of a President the military
power ratification would necessitate.
President Mckinley has shown the Will
TO be a dictator; ratification of the treaty
would carry with it the danger Of
affording him the way. So, we repeat,
the confidence expressed by the Imperi-
alists is by no means justified. The pros
pect is that many wheels must be made
TO revolve in unison ere the end Is
reached.