The Portland daily press., 1900-01-24

over the Islspd, not az her own. nor for
her benefit. nor for tas psopls Of the
United stAtee, hut Ter the inhabitant' cf
this Stand, for the specific snd particul lar
purposs of pacitioation OF the island. We
may say that pacincatlon means more
than absence OF q y state Of war; that 10
m eans until the Inhabitants have &C
qulred = reliable, stable government
Ihen she Announcement makes no rrovis-
ion for arg fttarn by such govern ment,
when sslailabi o, for tie exrene lures
and obligt tir ~ incurred In prosecuting
the war and admin itering sovereicpU.
Is the United States to receive suoh COM
pensationf"
He mairt,,nsd that the Cubans ult'-
mately would have the right 90 arrRlEn
this nation before the bar OF nations to
give an account of Its voluntarily az
sumed stow ardship, In which many DELI
cate questions would be In yolved.
"Yet," said MI. Hos, "thare are those
who earnestly urge that Congress snouiu
make o declaration that The nation holds
Porto Rico and the Philippine lslands
urder ths same undeilned, yet, In sense,
particular, duty. In my Judgment sucn
a course 10 beset with complications anu
difficulties. BY adoptipg IL the nation
would court there. and invite the In
habitants Of the islands 10 engender per-
picking questions and entsnglements.
"Ihs flag Of the nation has been planted
on those ISLANDS. That is the emblem OF
It's policy and ever has been. The nag
never did, and I hope never may. repre-
vidual manhood, the right to enjoy re-
ligous and OWL liberty the right 70
equally with every other man before
the law, In the enjoyment OF free
dom, Of personal rights and OF prep
erty. Let the dag as the representative
Of these principles, be planted and become
dominant on and over avery island and
every inhabitants. No other, no better.
policy can be proclaimed. In no other
| way CON this Congress and nation OILS.
charge its duty to the people OF the United
| States and to the people Of the ISLANDS,
Congress should proclaim this policy by
| its acts and make no attempt to do what
| it has no power to do-to pledge or limit
| the actions Of the future Congresses.
Sufficient unto the day IL the duty there
of. II these principles are enforced, SO
| far applicable to the government OF
these islands. the Inhabitants Will be
| blessed, whether they consent thereto In
advance or moi"
Mr. Ross argued that ths psopls OF the
islands manifestly were not prepared TO
enter upon thu administration OF such
government as the people OF this country
had. He urged, therefore, that the INST
step to be taken by Congress In the dis
charge OF its duty to the Islanders was to
create department of the govern ment
charged with the duty Of looking 70 the
|
accurate Information to Congress with
reference to them. They should not, as
now, be left In charge OF departments
overloaded and overworked.
! 1.-The second step. said he. us to -H-
move all civil appointments In the islands
from the realm Of politics. The nation
will utterly fail In ths discharge OF Its
duty II the islands are made political foot
balls. The administration of the sover-
eighty must be intelligent, .hcnsst and
unintei rupted. There are honest, capable
men In every political party. The So
should be sought out and given place In
| the administration OF this sovereignty.
Difficult ss Is the administration of this
sovereignty, II honestly and intelligently
undertaken, suoh administration will be
| beneficial both to the people OF this
nation and to the Inhabitants Of the Is
lands. Difficulties which have come. as
these have, unsought, honestly and faith
FULLY encountered, bring wisdom and
| strength.
''T6en let the nation take up the duty
which the Rulsr OF men and nations has
placed upon ID, go forward In an honest,
| unssliish, Intelligent and earnest en-
desvor to discharge 1t for the highest In
terest OF the nation and OF tbs islands, In
the fear and urdsr the direction OF tbs
Supreme Ruler. who guided the fathers
and founders. and the nation Will not,
| cannot, encounter failure
a
! the Senate disposed of some routine tusi-
ness and then Mr.. McEnsry OF Louisiana
IN ade an address OH the race question In
the South, In which he said:
"Ihere never has been any disposition
on the part of the people of Louisiana to
de prive the negro OF any OF his political
or civil rights. There mas been and Will
continue to be determination, fixed and
unaltera BILE, to deny him social privileges
on equality with the whites, to prohibit
him from aspiring to an equality In social
| life. which nature forbids. MIR. Moknsry
| said the suffrage article In the Louisiana
constitution was approved by all citizens
| OF the state.
While Mir. MoEnery was speaking he
Was Interrupted by Mr.. Butler of North
Carolina, who Inquired WHISTLER Mr.. Nc
Enery, when the amendment to the
| Louisiana constitution. similer to that
| now pending IN North Carolina. was I'M
| der con siderati1n, did not pronounce 10
unconstitutional. Mr.. McEnery replied
that he had pronounced IL unconstitu-
| tional but inasmuch rs 1t was adopted he
| had said that he would support it In the
Senate. be felt 1t his duty TO is con.
stituents to do so, and he would always
| be found supporting the laws and oon-
| stitution Of both mis- state and his country.
NJ. Butler then read copies OF letters
written by Mr.. McEnery in which he de-
olared the amendment to the Louisiana
constitution was grossly unconstltu-
tional," and that IL Was so regarded by
| the ablest constitutional lawyers In the
SonAte.
When NJ. MoEnery had concluded Mr..
Tillman of south Carolina called up
bill to revive and amend an act to pro.
vide for the collection of claims for
captured and abandoned property and the
prevention of frauds in insurrectionRry
districts within the United States.
1he bill was objected to and 1t went
over. The Senate then at 4 45p m, went
into executive session and at $50 O'Clock
adjourned.