Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1900-10-18
"cAerrY" VS. CONSTITUTION

COPY OF that famous speech in Con
gress made by our beautiful member
from the Seventh district, on the
Porto R'Can bill. An examination OF
It shows II to have the merit Of con-
siderable length, and Of setting forth
"a uI,midjakabla ,c, ml the dlsposlJ To-
Of our new territories as proposed by
this administration Almost In the
beginning he says THE majority In
sists that the power to acquire terri
tory Is unlimited aud unrestricted.
We believe that this 10 sovereign Da
ton with the power to acquire terri
tory either by treaty, CONQUEST, or
discovery. The majority be-
lieyes that these islands are not a part
of, but belong to the United States
That in all honor we must
give good government to them that
will protect life and property ard that
they may continue to belong to the
United States without any hope or ex-
pectation of finally being admitted TO
the United States" Thus speaketh
the prophet. After making this declar-
alton he attempts 20 justify the course
Of his party BY citing the Constltu-
lional clause granting power to Con
gtess TO make all rules and regula-
tons respecting trritory and
other property Of the United States"
Under this clause he attempts to prove
that Congress may continue TO govern
| the island indefinitely and forever and
wholly without regard to the wishes OF
the people governed. The same sec
ton of the constitution In which
this clause occurs commences by say
ina that New States may be admitted
/ by Congress into this union" and no
one ut heart monarchist will believe
that Congress was given power over
the territories except for merely tenn
porary purposes, to establish govern
ment and maintain order while the
people we're too widely scattered to well
conduct a government themselves.
The first paragraph Of the next section
says that THAT the United States
shall guarantee to every State in this
union a republican form of govern
ment. Never before the comingo OF this
imperialist regime has it ever been pro-
posed that this great republic should
hold territory, thickly populated, by
arbitrary power from Washington, ia.
definitely and always.
Mr.. Long Ia this speech attempts ia
cite as presidents, the government SEES
tANlished In the Louisiana tract, IN
florida and in the Gadsdep porch's0
waen these territories we're annexed
TO the United States. But there The
answer to his argument has already
been given. Those governments were
merely temporary for apopulatlon toe
thin aud scattering to organize and
maintain government Of themselves
Olt of these territories have been
carved most Of the States Of the union,
enjoying republican governmental, and
sending tho representatives to Con-
gress who are now with Long attempt
ing to prove that Congress has the
power to govern territories always and
for aye without giving them any Of
the benefits Of the cohsti ution now or
hereafter.
The arst accession Of territory was
the Louisiana purchase, and in his
message concerning it President jeff
erson said: with the wisdom of
Congress 1t will rest TO take those III
terror measures which may be neces-
sary for the immediate occupation and
temporary government Of the country;
for It's Incorporation into our union;
for rendering the change Of govern
ment blessing to our newly adopted
brethren; for securing to them the
rights OF conscience and property:
for confirming to the Indian inhabi-
tants their occupancy aud self govern
ment establishing friendly and com.
mercial relations with them"
1t will be noticed that he here at the
very outset makes provision for and
announces the intention of making the
inhabitants citizens and calls them
brethren Under the present day re-
publican policy the inhabitants are
fifteen per cent brethren. Then it
will also be noticed that even the In
dian tribes are to be given self govern
ment, Il thing we have denied to the
intelligent and educated inhabitants
Of the Philippines and Porto Rico. If
this IS not imperialism, what name
should it be called?
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SOMETIMES 1t seems as IL Cy Leland
were really little queer. For in