The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-01-21
PLANTATION OF
TWO SENATORS
White Will Not Obey the
Legislature.
TO VOTE AGAINST THE TREATY
PERKINS SAYS HE WILL HEED
INSTRUCTIONS.
TO VOTE AGAINST THE TREATY
However, After Voting He Will
Enter a Protest Against Hold
ing the Philippine
Islands.
Special Dispatch to The Call.


WASHINGTON, jan 2O.-The Senate
was in session for five hours and half
to-day, but the session was practically
barren of results. Two notable speeches
were delivered, one by Nelson Of Min
nesota, in opposition to Vests anti
expansion resolution, and the other by
White CD of California, in personal
explanation of his position with respect
to the instructions given the California
Senators by the Legislature in that
State as to voting on the pending peace
treaty.
White arose to a question of personal
privilege, relating to the action of the
Legislature of California in instructing
the Senators from that State to vote
for the ratification of the peace treaty.
He read the legislative resolutions and
also the letter Of his Republican col
league, Perkins, asking for an instruc-
ton, calling attention to the fact that
the Legislature was Republican as was
Perkins. The question was, he said,
whether as a Senator he was to vote
his own convictions, or to comply with
this request and vote in accordance
with the opinion of others.
White went on to say that he had
not joined with Perkins in his request
for instructions from the Legislature,
and therefore did not consider himself
bound by the instructions given to him
self as we'll as his colleague. His coll
league, in his letter, had given strong
and cogent reasons for refusing to
ratify the treaty, and he was sorry that
Perkins was not at liberty to join with
him in voting the sentiment so well ex-
pressed by him. He did not mean to
minimize the Importance of public SEN
timent, and confessed that he always
took it into consideration in deciding
upon course of action, but he was not
in the habit of actually voting upon it
until he had weighed all questions in
his own mind.
United States Senators were, in
certain sense, agents of the State they
represented, but this did not mean that
they were to shift in position with every
turn of the tide. The State Legislature
had no right to instruct him in matters
involving the exercise of his conscience
or his convictions, If so, a Senator
elected as a Republican would naturally
be expected to become a Democrat if
the next Legislature should chance to
be on that side.
In conclusion White said: II would
be glad to meet the desire of the Legis-
lature of California if it were possible
for me to do so without loss of self
respect and a sacrifice of all my
opinions"
AS soon as White had concluded his
Republican colleague, Perkins. adj
dressed the Senate. He paid a high trib-
ute to the honesty, energy and ability
of White, but Notwithstanding his able
argument he believed this to be a truly
representative Government. So be-
lipVi0pr hf. felt that his Oblioa tjOn
to the people of his State and that
when he had ascertained what their
desires were he would be false to him
self and to them If he did not heed
their wishes.
L am opposed" said he, "to the pol
icy Of acquiring the Philippine Islands,
believing such a policy to be a menace
to our Government and it's institutions,
but nine-tenths of the people of my
through Legislature recently elected,
think otherwise. While l shall vote
for the pending treaty, it will be under
protest. l shall do so because l regard
such action to be my duty. I shall vote
for the treaty, however, Mr.. President,
fully believing it does not represent
good policy, but after we have taken in
those islands I will join with my col
league and my friend from Massa-
chusetts (Mr. Hoar) to give them the
best possible care and government"
At the conclusion of the speeches the
Senate resumed consideration of the
Nicaragua canal bill. It's completion
was prevented probably by the f1libus-
tering tactics adopted by Tillman CD
of South Carolina, who frantically an
nounced the bill could not pass to-day
as he and other Senators, if necessary,
would remain in the chamber until
midnight TO prevent final vote.