The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-06-05
ARRA}GNED BY MR. TELLER
The Administrations Policy of I'm.
perialism Scored.
Mr.. Teller aDeslare. the President
Has More Power Over Porto Rico
Recent Republican Speeches i'm
the Senate Severely Criticized.

the Senate Severely Criticised
Mr.. Teller addressed the Senate on the
Spooner Philippine resolution yesterday
and in the course of his remarks scored
the Republican Administration for its
attitude of imperialism. He stated that
the President had more power over Porto
Rico, through the legislation passed by
the Republicans, than did the Gar over
Russia. and said that the Porto Rican
vide lot of political henchmon with
positions.
Mr.. Teller began by criticising recent
speeches in the Senate as showing a
strong political bias and more anxiety
about the political effect of certain poll
cies than about their justice and right.
The junior Senator from Indiana (Mr.
Beveridge), he said, had led off with a
very remarkable speech. containing
laudation of the Republican party. and
notably Of the President, coupled with a
severe criticism of the late (and to be
Presidency. He was inclined to attribute
that speech to the youth and enthusiasm
OF the Senator from Indiana. He sup
posed that when that Senator grew older
in the public service he would feel that
1t was not quite the duty OF a Senator
to stand in the Senate chamber and laud.
with sycophant phrase, the Executive of
hn ittn Cnnn
Massachusetts, (Mr. LodSe), he said, had
followed. in a speech which had at
tracted the attention not only of the
senate but OF the country at large.
That speech had also been marred, In
his opinion, by criticism and abuse of the
late Democratic candidate for the Presi-
,dency. Later had come the speech of the
senior Senator from Massachusetts tMr
Hoar). who praised the President, while
dinertng with him as to his policy. Then
had come the speech OF the Senator from
Wisconsin (Mr. Spooner)-a speech full
OF interest and full of examination CT the
subject And he. too. had felt 1t his duty
to bring before the Senate the late Demo-
cratic candidate for the Presidency, and
to eulogize the President, not quite equal
TO the senior Senator from Massachusetts,,
but In language unused to Senatorial ears.
IN language not befitting the Senate
chamber.
He saw no way to surrender the Philip
pine lslands-nO way to give up control
over them. The obligations of the United
states to the world required the mainten-
ance Of American sovereignty; and he be-
1ieved that the sovereignty could be main
tained, consistently with the traditions OF
the Government. He believed that the
United States could give to the Filipin1s
political self-goYernment and IN dependence
IN the proper sense OF the term. whils the
United States cnttinued to hold sovereign
powers. He did not know that anybody
had ever suggested that the United States
should abandon The Philippine Islands and
leave them 10 be the prey of other powers
Even the senior Senator from Massachu-
setts tMr. HoafI had declared that they
should not5=bes tarned over TO Spain. but
that the Unite1 States should stahd be-
tween them and the world until they were
able to take care OF themselves There
would be. he declared. no question of i'm
perialism in the next campaign. unless the
Republican party made it. The.s senior Sen
Gtor from Massachusetts, had predicted in
his speech not only the destruction of tina
Republic by the imperialistic policy. but
what seemed to hurt him much more. the
destruction Of the party to which he be-
longed.
When the Senator got through" NJ.
Teller continued 81 was unable to say
whether his anxiety on which he had es.
pended so much pathos and learning arose
because of his interest in the cause of
liberty and freedom ard in the people OF
those islands. or whether it arose simply
from the fear that the course being pu1
sued would bring the party to defeat"
II anything was striking in that speech.
he said, it was the Senator's appeal 70 lis
in left hut fO oh
their policy, which he declared to be i'm
periaiisyic. for fear of defeat That was
in keeping with the criticisms which had
ccme from Republicans everywhere.
Everywhere there has been infinitely |
mere concern about the salvation of the |
party in the coming campaign than about
justice and right should be meted |
out to these people who have fallen under |
our jurisdiction.
A controversy then arose between Mr. |
Teller and Mr.. Foraker. Mr. Teller said: |
81 do not blame the Senator for his restiye /
feeling. He has-been a Republican and he |
believes in the great fundamental truths |
Of free government. And | have thought |
that political and party necessities forced |
him to do things which his judgment could |
not have approved. l do not feel like cast
ing stones at him. but really like accord |
ing to him my sympathy In his distress"
"The Senator will allow me-" said Mr.. |
Foraker. "to thank him for his sympathy, |
which is not appreciated"
Reverting to the war in the Philippines |
Mr.. Teller said: There is not any trouble |
in any of those islands except whore we
have gone with. our troops. In every island !
where we haveslet them alone there has |
been peace and order and a government |
performing the functions which govern |
ments are intended to perform. shall |
not support the Republican party in the !
coming campaign. 1 would not support |
its financial policy. and i would not sup
port the policy foTeshadowed in ;his Phil |
ippine bill. | would not give up the islands |
either. They should be a source of great |
advantage to us. When We shall mete cut |
justice to this people and recognize the |
great fundamental principle that all men
are entitled to government, then we
shall find it profitable to held those
Islands. They stand in the great pathway |
Of the commerce OF the world, and they !
can be made of infinite value to US. II |
I'M charged with having made a political
speech / Will simply retort by saying that
no speech has been made on the other side
of the question that has not bsen extremely
partisan in its character"