The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-11-18
JOHN 7, MORGANS RETIREMENT FROM
SENATE WOULD Be PUBLIC CALAMITY

and added his signature to it. This act
may have made it Illegal if pressed before
the courts. When the governor saw that
he would not be able ITO control the consti-
tutfonal convention he straghtway sought
means to prevent 1t. He did call the legisla-
ture together and effected the repeal of
the law which authorized the vote to be
taken on the holding of the convention.
Trouble for Somebody
'I have always sought not to interfere in
state politics. said the senator, "but to
Gevote my time to national questions and
to look to the interest of my state here in
Washington. I was astonished to learn of
the act proposed by Governor Johnston
How he secured the votes to repeal the
resolution or not I am not prepared to dis
cuss. The fact remains that there is enough
behind that repeal to make some trouble
for somebody.
"Of course I will be fought on the ground
that I am an expansionist. They might
just as well fight me for being an Ameri-
can. We have expanded The only work
left for us to do is to say how the Philip
pines should be governed. I would be as
unwilling to turn over the government of
the Philippines to the Filipinos as I would
be willing to turn over the government of
Porto Rico to the Porto Ricans. I suppose
there are few adventurers in Porto Rico
who would like to take that island In their
hands and under their management, but l
for one would never be willing to release
1t to them. No more am I willing to hand
over the Philippine islands to the few who
would like to subvert its freedom and make
1t disgrace to this country.
Republican Government
1--WE stand pledged to give to the Philip
pines, to Porto Rico and to Hawaii just s
we stand pledged to give to every state In
the union a republican form of government,
and I am willing to go this far but no farth-
er. I will give the Philippines all that is
guaranteed to them under the republican
constitution, no more and no less. Alaska
is under a republican form of government,
and so are the states in this union Where
ever the American flag floats, there is re-
public I believe that we have the best
form of government in the world. l be-
lieye that England herself would be i'm
proved If she could adopt the methods of
government established here. So, believing
this, why should I have pity for the Fill
pinos, because they will have equal rights
and Justice with us. The question Is one
that has been SETTLED. The moment we
ratified that treaty of peace that moment
we expanded. To reject 1t would have been
to give to Spain the Philippines or to have
renewed the war. I think to have renewed
the wa and gone to the Peninsula to fight
n ouf would have been preferable than to
have given over the Philippines again to
Spain.
az shall not retreat from my position In
voting for the treaty I followed the advice
of both leaders of both parties.
Acvo ated by bryan
.Nrr Rrvan himself advocated its ratifica-
tion. and so did the president. There was
very little difference in my attitude NOW
want to give to the Filipinos a republican
form of government and see to 1t that 1t Is
republican and administered according to
the constitution. We could not claim
greater blessing for ourselves.
at think the spectacle of seeing a country
trvinp to devise ways and means to keep
,,,t an,spra tion is one of the grandest in the
world This is the only country where
other people have a constant and contlhu-
ous desire to come. While other nations
and countries about us are offering prizes
and rewards for emigrants here we stand
with our ports guarded to keep emigrants
off our coasts The eyes of the weary or
the world are turned to us with the nope
that sooner or later they or their children
NAV sometime reach America. With this
snectacle before us we would deny to the
philippines the right of free government
and see that country turned over to ad-
venturers and spoismen. No, l shall not
retreat.
The Senator's Age
.Mv age is a question about which we
NAV all differ. 1t is being urged that am
ton old to be of service to my state. am
willing to be judged by results. If Alabama
thinks I am no longer able to life my voice
for her. If the democratic party thinks
can no longer lift my voice for 1t and Its
everlas sting principles, I am willing to be
retired. but l will present front to the
enemv which is not too weak to stand the
attack. shall fight for my seat on the line
have been walking these last tw9Aty-
wears. and it is too late in the day Tor me
70 talk of retreating or of lowering my
colors before an enemy.