The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-02-28

on the Republican sideJ Oh, but, says
somebody, Cannon, don't you know that
the people In the country don't understand
this? Don't you know that the President
recommended free trade and they said
amen?' Yes, and / said amen, and you
said amen. and now that you come and
propose. instead Of free trade, to go three
quarters of the way. don't you know that
the country has got the idea that you are
in conflict with the President? Well, II 1t
has that idea IL will get the other. All the
Democratic mugwumps and Populists
saying: My God, don't fracture the
Constitution! Stand by the President
We'll, am going to stand by the Pres
ident. / voted for him before, and he is
going to be our leader. and our great leader
in the coming campaign he was in the
last campaign. And, in my judgment, he
Is going to be elected and am going to be
battling for him, while EVERY man on that
side of the House is cussing and damning
him in his heart If he is not on the stump"
Applause and laughter on the Republican
side Mr.. Cannon was given great ova-
ton as he sat down.
1t was then arranged that the remaining
three hours of the general debate should
be divided equally between Mr.. Bailey and
Mr.. Dolliver. who were to close for their
respective sides.
Preliminary TO beginning his argument.
Mr.. Bailey. adverting to Mr.. Cannons
speech, said that only one portion of 1t
called for serious reply-the accusation
against the Democratic side voting the
$20,O00,OOO TO Spain. The vote, he said, COM
mitted the Democrats to nothing as to the
future policy of the Philippines. They
voted the money to discharge an obligation
of the government, incurred without their
consent.
Turning to the bill Mr.. Bailey declared
that there was involved in 1t question of
law and question of morals. He made
an exhaustive argument against the con-
stitutionality of the bill. arousing the law
yers on the other side, so that for a time
he was almost continually engaged in
crossing swords with one or the other of
his adversaries.
BAILEY'S CONCLUSION.
During the excitement of the Spanish
war, Mr.. Bailey said, he stood unmoved..
He warned his countrymen then, as he
warned them to-day, that the Constitution
could not be applied to the government of
the colonies. when emotional states
men," said he, in conclusion, "were asking
who would haul down the flag. 1 dared to
say that I would take ii down from any
place where the Constitution could not
follow it. Democratic applause.1 Do you
desire to present the anomaly of gov
eminent restrained by the Constitution in
one quarter of the globe. and possessed Of
despotic power in the rest of the world?
How long is the Constitution to shield us,
and our children, II its protection is with
me borrow the words of Lincoln. This
Republic cannot endure one-half free and
one-half slave We must be all citizens
or in time we will be all subjects. 1 did
not want to asSimilate these alien and in
ferior races and 1 pray God to deliver US
from the task But if you will take them
they must share our destiny with us"
The Democrats greeted Mr.. Bailey's con-
clusion with uproarious applause. and half
a hundred Of them crowded up the aisle
to congratulate him.
Mr.. Dolliver closed the debate for the
majority Every seat on the floor was oc-
cuped and the galleries were crowded to
suffocation. This BILL" said he. lis mere
ly a temporary measure to provide revenue
for Porto Rico. Yet it has been magnified
in this debate until 1t has been made to
include the whole problem of government
of ali territory acquired by us by the
treaty of Paris. The President recon-
mended that Congress abolish all duties
on Porto Rican goods that the inhabitants
of the stricken island might rebuild their
fallen fortunes and regenerate their shat
tered industries
Despite the abuse heaped by the press
upon this bill am prepared to show that
1t will do exactly what the President rec
commended should be done [applause]. 1t
was declared that this bill was in behalf
of the sugar trust, when the fact is de-
clared Mr.. Dolliver, that the sugar trust
wants free trade. The same was true of
the tobacco trust The syndicates had
piled up the wharves in San Juan awaiting
their rich harvest when free trade came,
and their representatives hung about the
halls of Congress, seeking TO advance a
free trade bill. He said there was little
to be feared from 'the scribes and phari-
sees of the Constitution in their delibera-
tions before "the Supreme Court of imag-
nation"
DOLLIvER NOT FRIGHTENED.
Mr.. Dolliver said that he was not fright
ened by the Democratic predictions of dis
aster or of the effect of an appeal to the
popular fear of free trade however small
even when presented by the managers OF
the Democratic politics of the United
States. [Laughter.] Free trade with Porto
Rico could introduce no element of alarm
| into the American market places. But this
cry had done the Republican party, al
least, a great service. for it had put
stop to the INSCRIPTIONS agitation that
was filing the United States with the feal
| that in taking possession of vast tropical
areas and territories, the United States
were found helpless to deal with them
| except on terms OF such political intimacy
| anu commercial equality as the Constitu
| ton prescribes for the people of the United
States; II said he, the CONSTITUTION o. o.
between Manila and San Francisco. as Il
undoubtedly does between Maryland and
Virginia. then the fact that We have gOt
into new competition is only the leas
II
| that case, disarmed at once on the mo-
| mentous demand which this Nation has
| made for equal rights on the commerce Of
| Asia.
Il violate no secret of this government
when l say that to-day there is pending IN
| the State Department the most elaborate
commercial negotiation ever attempted II
| the history of our diplomacy, based on 6
| pledge made by our commissioners at Pari:
| tnat whatever we did In the Pacific ocear
we would maintain open door for the
| commerce of the world. And i want Il
! ask Republicans. and those Democrat.
from the great cotton belt of the South
| who are looking forward to the opportuni
| ties that are wrapped up in our commerce,
| in the Pacific ocean. in time to come, will
what countenance can we stand before thu
4 occupation of the ports of China to tn,
prejudice of American trade, when We our
| selves from our headquarters on the Dor
| der. being carried away by our own Con
mercial deadline aDout the Philippin,
| islands for the permanent exclusion O.
| everybody else
| Proceeding. Mr.. Dolliver said the Demo
| cratic party had sought to turn everything
| good or bad, to political account; that 1
| had gone in partnership with the dis
eases of the camps, and had tried to picl
up votes at ever soldiers funeral; tina
| IL had magnified he quarrels of officers
I had magnified our scandals before TIL
| world. and had formed a treaty of peac
with the Tagal leader through the agenc,
| of the ''inimitable fortune teller from Mis-
\ souri, (Mr. Clark. who delighted the Hous
1 with his tales of fallen empire
PLAIN SPEAKING.
/ Mr.. Dolliver then said the time had COM
| for plain speaking. 1.-THE other day." h
| said, 81 rode through the city of Philadel
phia and bought an evening paper, and a
/ the head of the column in fvna IN incl