The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-03-02
CLAY SCORED HIS OPPONENTS.
NONE WHO VOTED FOR TREATY
SHOWED THEIR HANDS.

Nocate the HetenttOn of the Philip
pines-Their Speeches QuOted-No
Reason From II Commercial stand
point Why We Should Hold Them.
Supported the Bacon Resolution.
Washington, March Although sena-
tor Clay voted to ratify the peace treaty
he is a pronounced anti-expansionist and
his admirable speech to-day on the Phil
ippine question was the feature OF to-
days proceedings in the Senate.
In view of the criticisms made by some
Of the Republican orators Of the House
against those senator's who had voted to
ratify the treaty of peace and who are
at the same time opposed to the perma-
nent retention of the Philippines, there
was much interest manifested in Senator
Clays treatment Of the subject, as he was
one of the senators who voted for ratih4
cation.
AT the beginning of his speech, Senator
Clay paid especial attention to those crit
icisms and quoted at length from differ
ent Republican senators who at the time
disclaimed any purpose. not only on their
own part but on the part of the President
and of their party of retaining the Phil
ippine Islands permanently. The Repub-
licans squirmed visibly under this fire
which went home and several of them en-
deavored to break the force of the Geor-
CLANS argument by questioning him and
interjecting their own views, but he met
all of them with the skin of a seasoned
DICTATOR putting one after the other to
route.
This running fire of debate is what tries
the mettle of young senators more than
any other one thing. and it is not eXag
geration to say that in the way he met
his questioners and The splendid manner
in which he presented his clear-cut Demo
cratic views, Senator Clay added distinct.
dy TO his reputation as a senatorial deba-
ter.
Scored the Republicans.
Al the conclusion of routine business the
Senate, on request of Mr.. Aldrich for
unanimous consent, agreed to vote on the
financial bill at p. m. next Tuesday. Mr..
Clay then spoke. After adverting to the
absence. during the Paris treaty discus
sion in the Senate of any contention that
The archipelago was to be permanently
retained, Mr.. Clay said:
at is only of recent date that the secret
purpose of those who now declare that
our government shall change the policy
of lifetime and deprive the people of
their long-cherished hopes has been
known to have existed from the begin
ming. l cast my vote in favor of dec
laration of policy booking forward to the
Independence of these people, and subSe~
quent events have demonstrated that we
made a serious blunder when we failed
to pass such resolution.
'"Will not Americans endanger the free
institutions Of America and deprecate the
xra1n ~ nd
tons when we wrench from 100000 peo-
pie their country and arrogate to our
selves the right to appoint their public Of
ficers and make and execute their laws
against the will and consent of the in
habita ants?
81 believe at this very hour, If Con-
gress, with the approval of the President
viii declare that the United States will
assure the people of the Philippine Is
lands the full measure of individual rights
and liberties, which Is the heritage of a
free people, this wise, just and friendly
action will Immediately end the war and
secure to us the ties of gratitude and the
honorable friendship Of this people
ut cannot be contended that we are to
hod these islands for future
homes for the American citizen. careful
| study of the territory and its population
will show this to be impossible unless We
should exterminate the natives, or. by
]
| should abandon the islands,"
! Commercial Side of II.
Mr. Clay, adverting to the commercial
advantages of holding the Philippines,
! said:
There is quite a difference between
| commercial and territorial expansion. One
! does not necessarily follow the other. I
| favor commercial expansion, but oppose
the latter where applied to territory be-
| yond the Western Hemisphere. No SEN
| ator on this floor is more anxious to en-
| large our markets and to induce the vast
population of China 10 purchase our sur
| plus products of farm and factory so as
| to give employment to labor and enhance
| the value of perhaps the raw material
| and finished product of produce and man.
| ufacture than myself. Wars and domes-
| tic instruction are not the proper means
| to induce foreign customers to buy our
I goods and wares and become our Gus
| toners,
1--WE must study their markets and the
wants and demands of their people We
| must cheaper transportation by the COZ
struction of the Nicaragua canal; build
up our merchant marine; take every DOS
sible advantage of the laws of trade and
commerce TO meet promptly the keen
competition of England. Germany, France
or any other foreign country seeking to
extend its trade to the markets of China. ,"
In conclusion, Mr.. Clay presented an ar
gument in favor of the resolutions offered
by his colleague, Mr.. Bacon, declaratory
| OF the governments policy in the Philip
pines, because At would bear to the Fill
| pinos 1.-THE blessed message" that the FLU
| ture control and dominion Of the islands,
would be in the Filipino people
Folly 10 Attempt IL.
ut is absolute folly TO undertake to
! force and maintain a government for an
uncongenial race of people that occupy a
! territory that does not come within 1000
| miles of your coast and within 10000 miles
| of your capital. Let us take warning, and
remember that this new departure Is con-
| trary 10 the teachings OF Washington
| Jefferson, Monroe, Lincoln, Garfield
Blaine, Sherman Edmunds Reed, Car
| isle Cleveland. and Bryan.
1--WE have three resolutions pending be-
fore the Senate relating to the disposition
and government of the Philippine Islands
One by the senior Senator from WILSON,
| sin, which vests in the President the right
| to govern the islands until Congress- df-