The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1900-02-28
he CnItel s.ate. lowards the PhIIIp.

the United states towards the Philip
pines
Mr. Depew declared that most of the
questions regarding the American oc
cnpancy Of the Philippines which are
now being discussed are purely aca-
demic He SAID:
We are In the Philippines: We are
there 10 stay by conquest anil by trea-
~ rights. All which precedes the rati-
hcation Of the treaty By the senate
Of the United states is an academic
question"
No one denied. he said. thai the ma
tlves Of the Philippine islands had Deen
used 10 help conquer the Spanish. but
he denied that my treaty iad been
made with there. Said he:
Only the president OF the United
States could bind the country and he
only with the subsequent assent Of the
senate. Only when war is progressing
can the commander-in-chlef Of the ar
my or the admiral Of the navy make
a committal which the president would
be bound in any form TO consider or
respect. Admiral Dewey alone had
that power and he most emphatlcally
denies any comuittal whatever to
Aguinaldo for the independence OF his
so-called government. President schur-
man also emphatically denies any com
initial on the subject on the part Of the
Philippine commission. The various
generals Of the army made no commit
tails on their part. All the consuIs CON
cerned positively denied having made
any such suggestions"
Senator Depew reviewed at some
length the various eras OF expansion
by which the United States has grown
from the original thirteen colonies to
the present vast empire, saying.
Whether our territories have come
by conquest or treaty. by purchase.
annexation or discovery. the people,
congress and the country are unani-
nous in the affirmation OF our title.
The time win be brief until By unani-
nifty Puerto Rico and Hawaii. Guam
and the Philippines are held to be
equally and sacredIy territory Of the
United States"
Regarding the plea. that the con-
sent Of the governed" is necessary,
he said:
The government which We organized
for the territory Of Louisiana had
every element which has been de-
nounced as despotism in the Philip
pines.
The act of October 81, 1905. passed
by congress and signed by Jefferson.
vested:
IAN military. civil and judicial
powers in such person or persons and
to be exercised in such manner as the
president of the United States should
direct
There was no consultation with tine
inhabitants. no participation in their
government accorded them, ard no
rights assured to them, except the free
eujoyments of their liberty. property
and religion. 1t is no answer to this
precedent 10 say that because there
Were only $4,000 white people in the ter
ritory II was unnecessary to gain their
consent. The constitutional rights of
'e.@O are as precious and as sacred as
The rights of SO,oOO,O00
1T has been repeatedly said here
that government By the United States
in these islands will be despotism.
Such belief shows singular ignor-
ance or misapprehension Of the eonsti-
tutional limitations upon our powers
ard the spirit of our institutions.
While the constitution does not ex-
teni over the territories OF its own
force and without legislation its FRO
positions are binding on congress. On
these prohibitions, which are also priv
ileges enjoyed by the people whereve,
our jurisdiction extends. is complete
charter of rights which congress can
neither limit or impair. All personal
privileges and immunities, such as re-
ligious freedom, property rights, free
dom of speech and the press, ard
equality before the laws prevail wher-
ever our flag floats. But outside of the
constitution and laws is an unwritten
law created by the genius of the insti-
tuition of the paramount power and
controlling its acts and officials in all
colonial governments"