The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-03

| been displaced.
MIR. Tillman broke in again with an ex-
tract from the report of the United States
| consul at Manila as to the strength of the
Philippine insurgents at the time of the
sea fight in Manila Bay. He was reminded
by Mr.. Spooner that he was repeating what
had been brought out in executive session.
y es, said Mr.. Tillman. but l am read
& ing from an official document which has
been made public"
The fact remains" sair Mr. Spooner
''as shown by the Senior Senator from
South Carolina. that the leader of the
! Philippine revolt was not there
You mean the present leader" Mr.
| Tillman interposed.
Yes; the present. leader" Mr.. Spooner
asserted, "the great leader the man who
negotiated with the Spanish government;
the man who was intrusted with the fund,
the fruitage of that negotiation. He was
not there at the head of his troops. He
was not leading the revolt. He and his
chieftains had gone away from the archi-
pelago."
Unless the Senator withdraws his i'm
putation on the patriotism and good faith
OF Aguinaldo." said Mr. Tillman, 'I will
read what is here to disprove what he has
| charged indirectly
Mr.. Spooner-I have said that / ha,'
nothing to say against Aguinaldo.
Mr.. Tillman-Your mention of him was
| in belittling and sneering way
senator From AguinnIdo.
Mr.. Spooner-If the Senator from Aguin-
aldo [laushterl will permit me to go ON
and finish my remarks, l shall be obliged
TO him. / cannot stop to have an issue
made with me as to whether | referred
in terms of adequate respect to Aguinaldo.
The Senator win be at liberty to make
such reply as he chooses.
Mr.. Tiliman-Under the circums tancss, l
even endure the sneer of being a Senator
from Aguinaldo
Mr.. Spooner-I recall that. 1t is phrase
! which l should not have used
Mr.. Spooner went ON with his argument,
and supposed the case of conflict with
Great Britain after the Civil War the in
| vasion of Canada by the United States.
| and the making of n treaty of peace by
which Canada was ceded to the United
States, and asked whether that cess:on
could not have become effective against
the will of the people of Canada in dis
regard OF the doctrine of the Declaration
OF independence that governments owe
| their just authority to the consent of the
governed.
Mr.. caffery Tin allusin to Mr. Platt's
sugsestionl-Without the consent of some
of the governed?
Mr.. Spooner-Yes; without consent of
any Of the governed. If you cannot take
territory as indemnity at the end of
| war without getting the consent OF some
OF the governed you cannot take it at ali.
Mr.. Bacon-Suppose that, at the time we
invaded Canada, the Canadians had been
IN rebellion against the mother country,
had set up de facto government, had
been engaged in common war with US
! against Great Britain. and had, at the
nf he
world her desire to be free and independ-
ent, would the Senator from Wisconsin
| say that the annexation OF Canada would
| not be in contrayention of the principles
pronounced in the Declaration of Inde-
pendence?
Mr.. Spooner-No; would not say that.
Nations are selfish They must be selfish
| or they cannot live. There is no SINH
| larity between the two propositions.
Mr.. Spooner commented on the fact that
the doctrine of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence had not been urged against the
| cession OF Porto Rico. where it applied
| equally as much as it did in the Philip
pine Islands
Mr.. Hoar at this point protested that
there was no difference in his mind in
| the case OF Porto Rico and the Philippines,
but the latter had been chosen as the most
/ conspicuous example.
/
/ 10 eliminate from the Treaty the cession
| OF Porto Rico. Even the resolution offered
by the Senator from Massachusetts [Mr
| HoarI was silent as the grave in respect
| TO Porto Rico.
Mr. Bacon justified the acceptance Of
Porto Rico on the ground that the con-
tinued possession by Spain Of any West
| India islands was recognized as inimical
to the interests and peace of the United
! States.
Mr.. Spooner-I thank the Senator from
| Georgia. He has in a single sentence made
a most powerful argument in support of
! my contention. lie says that the doctrine
of the Declaration OF Independence is sus-
pended in the West Indies. Why Be
cause it is in the interests Of the United
States.
Mr. Bacon-No.
Mr.. Spooner-Yes.
Mr. Bacon-NOt in the interest but the
public. safety, which goes beyond the in
terest.
Mr.. Spooner-Spain occupied Porto
Rico one hundred and twenty years and
We were safe. The Senator from Georgia
has surrendered. ] accept his surrender
[Laughter.l
The Doctrine All Around.
Where do you find anything in the
Declaration OF independence TO warrant
|
Rico? We must apply the doctrine all
around or not at all
MIR. Hale suggested that there was a
wide distinction in the two cases. He
said: The cession of Porto Rico might bt
fairly considered as a war indemnity. II
was of some possible value. But the
Philippine Islands would be worse thar
yaIueless. They would bring :; far blight
ing curse and woe.
MIR SpOOlpr went on with his SDeech
He said: Il did not take kindly 10 The
notion that the United States would be
benefited by becoming a political factor
: | among the nations of the earth in world
, matters. Neither did | like the idea OF
bringing the Philippine Islands and their
people into constant competition with thc
United States and its working population
II l felt that the ratification of the Peac,
Treaty involved permanent dominion by
, the United States in the Philippine Islands
! / should not be willing to vote for it. Bu
| have not been able to see any resting
place or halfway house between our alb
, solute abandonment OF the Philippine
archipelago and an acceptance of the ces-
sion. The Commissioners could, and the
President could, have made the Treaty witt
! all reference to the Philippines omitted
: from ii. If the Treaty be rejected, anL
the war continued, we will be in honor
bound to march out of Manila, and allow
the fifteen thousand Spaniards. with theil
arms, to march back.
Mr.. Cockrell-They are all in prison, az,
they not?
shnH We 60 Away.
: Mr. Spooner-They would have to be re-
; leased. The President of the United
States-a humane man, man who love!
liberty, and who has fought for liberty
4.