The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-31

cism His Knowledge OF Inv.
Mr.. Pettus addressed The Senate on the
constitutional phase of the Porto Rican
! question at the close Of Mr. Proctor S
| speech yesterday. and, like the Vermont
! Senator he argued in favor of the policy
of free trade between Porto Rico and the
! United States Mr. Pettus is the senior
! Senator in point Of years. and in his
| quantity grave style. without a smile upon
\ his serious counteuance. he coHyulssd his
| brother Senators and the large audience
in the galleries with laughter as ne dis
! charged shafts of ridicule at Mr.. CALM
| ger for his Ignorance Of law" and. at the
| Young Senator from Indiana (Mr Beyer-
| idge) for his oratOrical pretentioushess.
| His manner even more than his language
was irresistibly drOl. and his speech vas
| accompanied with continuous laughter.
Mr.. Gallinger, in few brief o5serva-
| tions. defended the legal position which
he had taken Thursday and which Mr.
Pettus had assaiIed: but Mr.. Beverage
had not the privilege Of hearing himself
mercilessly ridiculed. as he is absent from
the city
The Speech Well Received.
Coming as it did in the midst Of dis
cussions devoted mainly to constitutional
questions. the speech Of Mr.. Pettus met
with an enthusiastic reception on all sides,
and was the subject Of general comment
at the Senate end of the Capitol for the
remainder of the day.
Beginning with the question of the SOW
ereignty of this Government over Porto
Rico, Mr. Pettus said:
Il propose to show where the majority of
this Senate has quit the public rOad-has
quit the road pointed out by the law Of the
land, and also to show what will be the re-
suit. The great error contained in this bill
is its considering that the Government OF
the United States is a sovereign in the
sense Of the word as used in Europe.
1t is not q sovereign in that sense and
it never can be Some Of the supporters
OF that doctrine found it on the law OF
nations. Well. it is true that We are gov
erned by the law of the nations, 50 far as
il is applicable to our Government. Nattel
drew the distinction as plain as daylight;
and so does the Supreme Court of the
United States. The idea is that when a
cannot exercise. necessarily, all the powers
Of the former owner That nation must
exercise whatever powers it may have &C
cOrding to its own form Of government and
not otherwise.
Spain had a right Of absolute sover-
eighty over these Islands. unrestricted by
any of the constitutional legislation OF
Spain, but when we took those Islands we
took them according to and subject TO the
United States has a right 10 exercise over
Territories and not in any other way. It
is impossible TO conceive an idea that the
Government Of the United States can exer-
else powers over acquired territory which
the Constitution OF the United States does
not tolerate"
After charging some what upon this part
Of his argument Mr.. Pettus. in the course
OF a discussion with Mr.. Gallinger made
sarcastic and humorous allnsfons 10 the
statement made by the Senator from New
Hampshire that he was moi a lawyer, but
a physician.
1T was not necessary. he said. for the
Senator to tell us that he is not a lawyer
The statements that he makes daily in
this chamber in regard 10 legal questions
are proof enough that he knows nothing
Of that profession, and I only hope he is
better informed as to medicine.
This reminds me Of an old minister
whom | used TO know in the mountains of
Alabama who was as learned in the Bible
as my friend from New Hampshire is in
the law. He took his place in the pulpit
one Sunday before a good congregation .
and a very attentive one. Those people f.
up there have a profound reverence for I
the Master. The minister said. Brethren,
my text this morning viii be the follow
ing. Seven sons did Micah bear 10
Enon" Now IL YOU will look the com
mentary YOU may find various meanings
TO this text but taking a common sense .
view OF il ! will say this I expect old I
Enon was sick and the doctor told his /
seven sons tstrong. active fellows that /
il was absolutely necessary he should !
have milk. Therefore the seven sons went /
out to look for the cows and they could |
not find them anywhere in the whole I
neighborhOod But they came across a !
she bear and they MIXED her and carried .
the milk to Enon And so il is writ Seven .
sons did milk q bear unto Enou." That /
preacher had as accurate a conception OF 1
scripture as some Of our Senators have OF F
law"
Great Orator.
After this commentary on Mr.. Galltnger
the Senator from Alabama paid his re-
spects to Mr.. Beverldge, in these words:
We had wonderful defamation yes
terday from our great orator; wonderful
it was marvellous in all !ts parts. It was .
so marvellous that dare say such thing
has never been heard IN the Senate Of the .
United States before
But Mr. President, when you get a .
genuine orator he is absolutely lbsolyed .
from all rules Of logic or common sense. I
A Absolutely And when it is necessary
in the feryor of oratorical flourish .
to prove any proposition. true or false.
the rules of common sense and the rules .
of a decent observance OF what is due 10
Others must not stand in the way in main
tanning a reputation as a great orator. II /
Will not do. II IL is necessary he must .
draw upon Imagination for his facts and .
on his memory for his flights of fancy
He has q right to speak Of Republicans and
Democrats and POpulists here IN the fer
yor Of his oratory as enemies TO the Coy
He has a right to speak of them