The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-22

doing ii we have incurred other respon-
sibilities that we should not shirk nor
endeavor to abandon because of the ex-
pense or the trouble that may ensue.
Within the short space of one hundred
and thirteen days the fleets of Spain on
the Atlantic and the Pacific were de-
stroyed. Dewey's victory at Manila and
the destruction of Cervera's fleet off the
coast of southern Cuba compelled Spain
to sue for peace. She consented to with
draw from the island of Cuba, to cede
Porto Rico to the United States, and the
peace commission at Paris, composed of
representatives from both countries, de-
termined that the Philippine islands
should pass under the control OF the
United States. The treaty has been rati-
fed and those islands at the present time
belong to Us as much as Porto Rico or
Alaska. And there occurs now some
thing unknown to history, something
never before dreamed of by any people
in the world-a disposition on the part
Of some persons on the victorious side
to kick because we got too much. They
want US to give it away. In my official
capacity 1 want to tell you just where
I stand and how 1 shall vote in congress.
I am in favor of keeping the Philip
r.neS."
This remark was greeted by wave
Of applause that fairly lifted the tent.
People waved their hats and handker-
chiefs and the applause was carried to
the clusters of people outside the tent.
Continuing, Mr. Long said:
gGFT~l-- ~
who believe the Tagals can do better
than live under our flag. 1 want to say
that if you know OF any better flag ttan
that under which to live pointing to the
banner) name it-and then go there and
live under it yourself. Great applause
and cries of that's so, well said" etc.
The Spanish power and authority in
Cuba, Porto Rico and the Philippines has
been destroyed but the duty of this ma
ton TO the people of those islands has
not yet ended. What advantage will it
be to the law-abfding people there, if,
after destroying the Spanish rule, we
/ leave them without protection to life and
! property? If our troops should be with
! drawn at this time. there would be an
absence of authority which would leave
them in a worse condition than they
! were under the Spanish rule. A condi-
| ton of anarchy and deplorable internal
| strife. We should keep them there until
! life and property are safe and until the
rule and authority of the United States
is acknowledged by all the people of
! those islands.
! THE CONSTITUTIONAL OBJECTIONS
TO EXPANSION.
But it is insisted by those who oppose
| the retention of the Philippines that IN
der our constitution this government has
no authority TO retain possession of for
/ eign lands and maintain control over
| people that live in remote parts of the
earth. We heard more of these constitu-
tional objections some months since than
we do now. For. in examining the his
| tory of our country we find that similar
| objections have been made at every
/ period that we have annexed foreign ter
ritory. We also find that little attention
has been paid to these objections in the
past. In 1853, when President Jefferson
made the Louisiana purchase the same
objection was raised and warning cries
were heard from different parts of the
original thirteen states. There were anti
expansionists then as we'll as now Sena
! tor White of Delaware declared it would
prove the greatest curse that could be
fall us. Representative Griswold of Con
necticut said: ut will prove the subver
sion of our nation" A voice from Mas
sachusetts was heard then as now. 10
siah Quincy, when it was proposed to ad
NIT Louisiana as "a state, speaking Of tn,
| purchase of the territory, said: eff thi
| bill passes the bonds of the Union arr
virtually dissolved. The constitution
! never was and never can be strained t.
lap over all the wilderness of the west
1t never was intended to form covering
for Missouri and the Red river country
Attempt to stretch it over these and
will be rent asunder. You have no au
thority to throw the rights and libertie
and prosperity of this country into hotch
pot with the wild men of the Missouri
nor with the race of Anglo-Gallo Ameri
cans who bask on the sands in TIL
mouth of the Mississippi. This bill, if i
passes, is a death blow to the constftu
ton
The objections, however, were over
ruled. Louisiana was purchased from
France, and this act of expansion mad
it possible for us to occupy this soil an
still be citizens of the United States
Kansas was not thought of then, bu
here We are in all the wealth and glor
| of the greatest state in the Union. An
the constitution still lives. (ApDlause).
In 1915. when the Republic of Texas ex
pressed a desire to abandon its indepen
dent position and place its lone star
the flag OF the United States, the sam
t objection was also raised. In 1913, whe
= the vast territory to the west of u.
reaching to the Pacific ocean, was annex
ed to the United States, there wer
r statesmen from the east who seriousl
e. objected to the policy. Dickerson of Me-
Jersey said: Oregon can never be on
e of the United States. The Union is a
! ready too extensive" Daniel Webste
depored the tendency to enlarge our tel
1 ritory and declared it was dangerous I
[ our institutions. But in spite of til
prophecies of evil we have expanded /
d the past. We have increased our origin
n al Se000O square miles TO 2.S0o,OO0, and II
T. constitution still survives. Our Union
e more powerful than ever before in i
l. history And last summer. when by joiI
5 resolution. the Hawaiian islands. far r
T mote and disconnected in every wa
e fro mthe United States. We're 3aneXs
II TO this country. it was evidence that a
C might understand that constitutional o'
n iections 10 the extension Of our teri
e tory are untenable and that it is not
e question OF the constitution but a que
e ton Of public policy as TO whether v
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