Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-02-22
perity and give new Il ttreaas sssrpris,e

| for direct taxation without proving u
burden TO The people and the time wilt
not be far distant whe3 public im-
provemc,lts all over the Island will be
complete and school houses sstab-
lished in every community beneath the
folds of the American flag. G.
Nor will Tins bill injrre amy inter-
csts i'm the United States. At % per
cent of the present duties the beet
sugar industry will still grow and
prosper. Forty thousand tons Il year
ago and 100000 tons this year, it is
| destined i'm the near future to supply
the place of all we import. AS had
occasion TO say in closing the debate
on the conference report an, the Ding
ley. bill..a beet sugar factory IN every
congressional district will solve the
| question of the sugar trust.
Nor does he american tobacco
grower fear the Importation OF this
| islands l.o0o,o0o pounds of tobacco 1T
will furnish Il new market for the
wrapper he produces and VIII BRING
I him gain instead of loss. We believe
the best interest OF the people OF
I Puerto Rico and The best interest oil
The people of The United States are
/ both suhserved in This bill.
i. CONSTITUTIONAL Power.
But our constitutional power is
questioned. do not propose to go
into a discussion OF the dictum OF the
supreme court or any decision bearing
Oh his question find no case where
ille question is directly involved or
which is decisive.
III is universally conceded we have
power To acquire territory by con-
quest orby treaty.. i find no fi'hlit in
the constitution to this power.
I'm respect to Puerto ,Iic" we aye
not hampered by treaty stipulatlons
on by ACT oil congress. There has been
no law eNlen'ing the constitution
over the Islands. i'm this it differs
from the STATUS of every formerly ac-
Gtlircd tn,.ritorg We have absolute
power This WAS claimed i'm the de
bate ON The Louisiana case and this
contention prevailed. This principle
was affirmed by Webster. Story and
Benton and a long line OF statesmen
and .iurists.
Kat now the opposition say this is
imperiaism You are but rc-cchoing
the cry OF the opposition OF q hundred
Years ago. still tbs majority moved
ON and ihr Aint'riic:i-n People approved
their course. The territory of l.ouisi-
ana. under the plcnary powers given
the president. survived and i'ourished
until 1872. when part WAS organized
into the territory OF Missouri with a
legislature at that late day composed
of legislative council appointed by
the president and an assembly elected
bv the people. Here again we had inn
perialism but HE fathers wisely wait
"a until these people were fit For self
government before they extended the
Limitations OF the constitution to
them. The same is true of the terri
tory OF Florida.
Annexation of Hawaii.
"Only year and a half ago con-
srcss. by Il two-thircis vote i'm the sem
ate. annexed Hawaii by an act mod
e!ed after The Florida and Louisiana
acts. The debate was strdna'and lu-
rious. but, according 10 Doy rccollec-
ton. no gentlemen i'm the opposition
raised The cry OF Imperialism against
the manner in which congress asserted
the RIGHT to its absolute power TO pro-
vide amy sort oil government for this
ncw territory. Nor is there danger in
all this. Congress. representing the
american people, is ever swift to put
The power of government into the
hands oil amy people of territory be
longing to The United States. AS for
the people of Puerto Rico, ] would
move as fast as their own good Will
warrants. Pass this bill. which even
The gentleman from Massachusetts
(McCalD admits is Il we'll considered
measure from a fiscal standpoint, and
give them better markets and abun-
dal,d revenue. DO not tie down their
cesdinies To The whini OF the 90 per
cent of illiterafc or to the caprice of
The 10 per cent of educated Who have
known no government except Spanish
misrulc. Keep them all lin leading
strings until you have educated them
up to the full stature OF American
manhood and then crowd them with
The glory OF american citizenship. In
tho meantime give them all the rights
according to our own people under he
constitution consistent With their best
interests and happiness.
Philippines Problem
"What shall We do with the Philip
pinesno First. stamp out the insu,-
I1pction and restore law and order.
Then investigate ard legislate with
caution. always remembering their
Welfare and our own. II in the mean
time the supreme court should de-
clare Your interpretation of the con-
stitution is right. which | do not for
IL moment believe. then our task will
be frallght with the greatest difficulty.
But | believe that American states
manship will in that event work out
the problem 10 The elevation of the
Philippines and he Glory of our conn
try. If we prove 10 be right in our
contention our task will he far easier.
IT will be safe 10 trust tho Nlnercnu
people aud their representatives.
I'VE will teach them the principles
Of the American constitution. In the
meantime we will not ourselves forget
those principles in our dealings with
them. Our constant aim shall be to
elevate them. and whether we ncoIpo-
rate them finally into our system or
send them forth ;imon" the nations of
he world. we Nouehsate to them the
blessings of liberty. Wherever our
fac goes up it shall not come down
without first having guaranteed under
its folds the blessings of civilization,
liberty a:,d sovereign citizenship"
EDWIN MAYO DROPS DEAD.