Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-01-17
Senator Beveridge Speech.

uhh
long expected speech on the Philip
pines question of Mr.. Beveridge, the
youthful senator from Indiana, was
made to listening senators and crowd
ed galleries on Tuesday. 1t can not
be denied that from literary view
point the effort was well put togeth-
er, and there seems general agree
ment that Mr.. Bevridge's delivery
was very fine.
The keynote of the speech was
1.-The PHILIPPINES are ours forever"
and the variations were illusions to
glory and the flag, charges that the
anti-expansionists were responsible
for the war, and assurances that the
bower that ruled the Philippines
archipelago would rule the world.
Mr.. Beverage drew an alluring pic
ture of our trade possibilities with
China as the result of holding on to
the PHILIPPINES, enunciated passing
strange theory in respect of the Con-
stitution, and in order to fit it to his
argument put a most ingenious con-
struction upon the Declaration of
Independence. He placed the sign
ers of that great charter of liberty in
the position of being a close corpor-
alton, and sought to rob that charter
of the essential principle that has
commended it to the apostles Of free
dom the world over.
But against Mr.. Beveridge's asper-
sions of the anti-Imperialists, appeals
to commercial cupidity, and efforts
to stimulate lust for power, the ven
cradle senator from Massachusetts,.
Mr. Hoar, set some cold, hard facts,
and made plea for the honor of the
country that, with the thinking
masses, should utterly dissipate the
effect of the young Indianian's elo-
quence.
1t had been accepted that Mr..
Beveridge would speak for the ad-
ministration, and admitting that he
did so speak, Mr.. Hoar, in his reply
brief as it was, conyicted Mr.. Nc
kinley Of criminal aggression. 3"
The administration plunged this
country into the Philippines war on
its own responsibility. When we
consider the regnant object of that
step it is clear that Mr.. Hoar convict
ed the administration of tramping
into the mire of political selfshness,
duty, right, justice, and the solemn
pledge we made to the nations of the
earth In the Cuban resolutions. No
one can read Mr.. McKinley's speech
IN which he declared that "forcible
annexation" was criminal aggres-
sion" and then follow Mr.. Hoar,
without being convinced that the
President with his eyes thoroughly
open, shamelessly and lagrantly, and
III order to the attainment of his own
political ambition, set to work to
consummate criminal aggression and
nullify the doctrines of the fathers.
In the light of the facts presented
and the structures made by Mr.. Hoar,
and in the face of the witnesses the
Massachusetts Senator proposes to
introduce, Nr. Bevendge's great eff
fort-eloquent, of good literary style,
and well delivered, though it was
becomes a shameless confession of
nsurpation on the part of the admin
istratlon, and declaration of def.
ant reputation of every obligation
imposed upon US in the spirit of our
institutions. AT the same time, Mr..
Beveridge would disarm opposition
to that usurpation and defiance by
distracting our attention to the com
mercial aesh-pots of the far east.
But will he succeed? Mr.. Hoar
has promised to discuss the question
further, and has also called for papers
bearing on the responsibility for the
Philippines war, our relations with,
and pledges to, Aquinaldo, etc. If
other anti-expansionest in the Senate
shall take advantage of Mr.. Hoar's
prosecution of the matter, and join
with him in enlightening the public
as to the issue, it may prove that Mr..
Beveridge's food of eloquence was
worse than wasted. 1t may be rolled
back, to the confusion and undoing
of those who hope to ride to triumph
on its crest. Heaven grant that this
may be Unconstitutional Dispatch.