The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-18
the pledge of the resolution OF Congress
and the declaration OF the President
PrHise for the President.


that Mr.. Mckinley holds a place in the
affection Of the people at large which none
Of his predecessors ever attained in his
lifetime He said that the country has
done its best to redeem its promises with
regard 10 Cuba. and he hoped to see the
Government fulfill its promises TO the East
as well. Mr.. Hoar referred to the down
fan Of the old Whig party when in the
flush of anticipated triumph, and compared
its position just prior to its fail with that
Of the Republican party now. He then
told OF the condition Of affairs that, in his
opinion. would now exist if the FIiiplnos
had been declared independent at the close
of the war with Spain. dwelling on bow
American orators and poets would nave
delighted to contrast America llberatlns
and raising up the Republic Of Asia with
England subduing and tramping under
foot the Republic Of Africa
AIr. Hoar discussed the candidacy oil MI,
R-van for election to the Presidency and
said that he did not believe anything
was TO be hoped for from him as an anti
imperialist.
NO. Mr.. President" said the Senator.
If We subjugate the Filipinos we are, II
YOU have your way. to govern 1O,OOO,OO
people in the East and nearly another
million in the West Indies without any
constitutional restraint. There VIII De
under the flag 20 O0G. 600 of other races,
black men at home and brown men abroad,
for whom it bears no star OF hope. do
not see my way clear to hand them over
to Mr. Bryan in the Executive chair, and
the Senator's from Alabama and south
Carolina in the Senate, or to the party
OF which. beyond all question, they are to
be most powerful and conspicuous leaders.
I believe that. if not today or tomorrow,
yet at an early day. better knowledge oil
the facts. the light Of experience. the love
Of liberty and Justice which still burns IN
the hearts Of the Republican masses in
this country will bring that party back to
the principles and policq upon which 1t
planted itself in the beginning.
We are presented with an issue that
can be clearly and sharply stated as
question Of constitutional power. ques-
ton of International law a question OF
Justice and righteousness. or question OF
public expediency. This can be stated
clearly and sharply in the abstract. and 1t
can be put clearly and sharply by an illus
tration growing out of existing facts.
The constitutional question is: Has
I Congress the power. under our Constitu-
i ton. to hold in subsection unwilling vas
4 sal States?
The question Of international law Is:
Can any nation rightfully convey to an
other sovereignty over an unwilling people
who have thrown OF its dominion, assert
ed their independence. established a gov
ernment Of their own; over whom it has at
the time no practical control from whose
territory it has been disseized. and when
il is beyond its power TO deliver?
The question Of justice and righteous
ness is- Have we the right to crush and
hold under our feet an unwilling and sub
fect people whom We have treated as allies.
whose Independence we are bound in good
faith TO respect. who had established
their own free government and who mad
trusted us?
The question of public expediency is: Is
il for our advantage 20 promote OFT trade
at the cannon S mouth and at the point O.
the hayonet?
"Au these questions can be put IN
way OF practical Illustration by enquir-
ing whether We ought to do what We have
done are doing. and mean to do IN the
. case Of Cuba. or what we have done. are
doing and some Of you mean to do in
J the case Of the Philippine Islands
Mr.. .Hosr said he admitted that the United
States may acquire and hold property and
may make rules for its disposition. Con-
tinuing be said.
Il admit that. like other property, the
United states may acquire and hold land
+ II may acquire ii by purchase. 1t may ac-
quire it by treaty. i may acquire it by
4 conquest. And ID may make rules a-d
( regulations for its disposition and govern
meut. however il be acquired.
Acquisition of Territory.
/ When there are inhabitants upon the
( land so acquired it may make laws for
/ their government But the question be-
I tween me and the gentlemen on the other
/ side is this. l. this acquisition Of terli-
i tory. Of land or other property, whether
/ gained by purchase. conquest, or treaty.
a constitutional end or only a means to 4
/ constitutional end? May you acquire, no
! and govern territory or other property as
an end for which our Constitution was
] framed. or is it only means toward some
I other and further eud2 May you acquire,
hold and govern property by conqut ST.
+ treaty or purchase for the sole object OF 50
/ holding and governing il, without the
consideration Of any further constitutional
/ purpose Or must you hold it for a con
I stituti0nal purpose only. such as the max
I ing Of new States. the national defence and
| security. the establishment Of a seat q
I government or the construction OF fCrts
| harbors and like works which. Of course
are themselves for the national cefea-
and security
The Right Of Sovereignty.
"I affirm that you cannot get by con
quest. and you cannot get by purchase. ac-
cording 90 the modern law OF nations. ac.
cordinE to thc Jaw Of nations as accepted
and exuounded by the United States SOW
ereigaty over people or title 10 a terri
I tory. Of which the power that undertake.
! TO sell it or the power from whom you uu-
| dertake to wrg-J .t has nor The actual pos
se.siau and dominion. Under municipa
law you cannot buy @ horse Of which IN,
! seller is dIspo-sessed. You cannot buy Z
foot Of land Of which De is disseizcd. YoJ
cannot purchase q lawsuit. Under inter
natioral Jaw you cannot buy a people from
power that has no actual dominion Owe
them You cannot buy a war. More THAI
I this. YOU cannot buy q tyrauts claim L
| subject again an oppressed people "ho haY,
achieved thcir freedom.
Gentlemen tell us that The bill Of tn,
Senator from Wisconsin is copied from tina
I introduced iu jefferson time for the pur
chase OF Louisiana. 10 YOU claim that y0i
propose 90 deal with these people as JEFF
farsou meant 90 deal with Louisiana? Go
talk Of Alaska of Florida of California, q
v9u mean 10 deaf with The Philippines a
[ we mean TO deal with Alaska and deal
with Florida OF California
Il repeat Iu every acquisition Of terri
tory we ever made We meant to MAX
States of De- jefferson expressly says so IL
his louisiana message. There was mo- na
uoH owning and dwelling on the Territory
no people iu the sense of Tho declaration
30 organized DID. iorai .e. and certaInIs
90 every case bur Isaisa ana We had reaso
10 believe iha. the few scattered dwellcr
in the territory approved -hs transaction.
Later on in his speech Mr.. Hoar In dis
f -rf.zfrfr fr4 claim. of Ile TfIrinD- 10 in