The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-12
WE HAVE THE RIGHT
To Do As We Please With the Phil
ippine Islands.
NOT INDEFINITE SOVEREIGNTY,
The Wishes of the Natives VIII Have
Great Weight in Shaping Our Pol
icy-The Speech was "A KunninS
Debate. the Speaker Beng
Under a Cross Fire of
Questioning.


WASHINGTON, Jan. ia climax was
reached to-day on the question OF eX-
mansion which has been I'm progress In
the senate. Heretofore an the speeches
with the exception OF that Mr. Piatt'
CconnecucuO. have been in opposition 10
what is presumed to be the policy q the
administration with regard to the phil
inpinos. To-day Mr.. Foraker (Ohi)), ed
dressed the senate in opposition to tie
statement of Senator Vest, that the
United States has not the power 10 &C.
ouire foreign territory TO be maintained
as foreign colonies. while most Of his
speech was a constitutional argument in
opposition to this statement, he gave
particular attention TO the utterances that
have been made IN contrayention of that
position and especially those OF MT vest
and Mr. HOar.
HIS ARGUMENT.
Mr.. Foraker laid down the broad pro-
position that TO adopt the Vest resolu-
ton was 20 declare that our fathers had
brought forth a nation that was inferior
10 all nations regardless Of the generally
accepted idea that one nation was the
equal of another and all equally restrict
ed.
Among the powers Of nationality are
the powers 10 make war and 10 make
treaties This is a constitutional right
of nations and the government or the
United States has the same power that
all other governments have.
1t being true that we have the power
10 make war ani TO enter into treaty
agreements, logically wa have the power
10 acquire territory by conquest or other
wise and to inherit all the consequences
that may accrue through war.
Mr.. Foraker quoted Chief Justice
Marshall 10 sustain his position, con-
tending that the Chief Justice had said
that the United States had not only the
right 20 acquire but also the right 10
govern the territory so acquired.
Mr. Bacon called attention 90 the TACT
that the territory under consideration
bv the Chief Justice was Florida. which
was contiguous and having a population
homogeneous Sith our own.
Mr. Foraker aid that while this state
rnent as to the location Of the territory
was true as matter Of fact Justice
Marshall had not found it necessary to
polnt out this fact His utterance had
been clear cut and without qualification
and # was evident from this quotation
that the fathers or the American re-
public had not meant 20 create a nation
inferior to other nations In power
AN ABsURD1TY.
Mr. Foraker also quoted Justice Brad
lev. i'm a Utah case involving the question
or polvgamy. in which the Justice SAID
"it would be absurd that nation has
mower 10 acquire territory and not the
power to govern IT,
This was a late decision on the same
lines as that of Chief Justice Marshali
I'm the early days Of the republic such
being the authorities. what grouhu, ne
asked have the supporters OF liie lo9o'u-
ton TO stand upon? ~, ..,.,
lion ~ article V. OF the treaty OF France
Win the United States, Withdrawn oy
peniamin Franklin, which provided that
a. Canada should be obtained by the
I-nlted states it shOull be depedent upon
this country. ,..,.t,o
yes" said Mr.. Foraker, "and nothihs
G., satd ahout the consent Of the Cana
dians, either"
HE EVADED TILLN1AN
Dr. ,rnlrnan OF South Carolina, in
,,,sred or NIr Foraker, whether any OF
tbe states could discriminate against
territorv on account OF the color or pre-
vious condition OF its Inhabitants
..T,ta+ question is not before US now
Ill NJ Foraker. "When II arises we
shall meet II. / wish some or the leS S'a,eS
80 40 discriminate were outside ana
-. bad a trial Of the question now
(Great laughter a.. -,ooo,
In beginning a discussion OF VIC ~ ,,
of Mr. Hoar, Mr.. Foraker salu'
te,ed as | always do listen, 10 the
sneocb of the Senator from Massacnu-
satts II was a speech OF great ablllty
and power, such as he always ueHFei',
but when IL is reduced II amounts o"ly
IN this. The Government CT the ohl,eu
states has only the power 10 acquire
territory for constitutional PURPOSE % a'.u
as 10 what those constitutional purposes
ara the senator from Massachusetts shall
be the sole and exclusive judge.
MR.. HOAR EXPLAINS.
Mr.. Foraker's remarks brought SIR,
Hoar out for a further explanation OF
his nosition. Rising and interuptlng the
Ohio senator he said; IL We thought IL
necessary for our national detence 10
annex an outlying territory, and II the
neonle OF that territory objected TO our
accusation Of 1t ! should consider the
subiugation Of it as a great natonai
crime to be repudiated and condemned.
and | should say the United states would
better go down beneath the waters OF
the Pacific I'm honor rather than diss ace
itself by such action
Mr.. Foraker maintained that the Gov
ernment OF the United States hac ample
power TO acquire territory bN treaty.
WHAT SOLUTION IS OFFERED:
'The trouble Mr. President" continued
the Senator sis that senators ate taxi
ing about a theory instead Of practical
condition. What have the senators who
have discussed these theories proposed?
Nothing. You all know the precedents
OF the condition we face. We had made
war and its fortunes had carried us 10
the philippines. When the end came
those islands were I'm our possession.
What was to be done? -Four possibilities
existed.
We might return the islands 10 Spain,
allow some other country TO seize or gob-
HE them up. the people OF the islands
might be left TO themselves. and the
anarchy that existed there or We our