El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-10-25
DEBATE ON
IMPERIALISM
Under the Auspices Of the
Mckinley Club.
GOOD SIZED AUDlSNCt
Heard the Addresses, and Evlnced
Great Interest In the Proceed
inQs

in0s
The audience that gathered at the
district court room last night to hear
the joint debate between representa-
tives of the Mckinley and Bryan clubs
on the subject. Resolved. That the
present policy of the administration
as regards the Philippines is just and
right" numbered about 225 people.
| The orators selected for the occa-
sion were: John ID. Bryan and Hugh
Mckay. republicans. for the affirmative
and J. r. Harper and NJ. w. Stanton
democrats, for the negative.
A G.. Foster presided over the gath
ering and next to him sat J. F. Mitchell
| of the Bryan club.
| J. ID. Bryan opened the debate with
a strong argument for expansion. He
| dug up the expansion policy of the
earlier presidents of the republic and
showed conclusively that Mckinley
was not departing from time honored
| custom in planting the flag in far dis
tant chimes.
Just as the speaker was getting
warmed up the fire alarm sounded and
MANY volunteers among the audience
hastily left the hall.
Judge Bryan continued to speak
without needing the interruption and
demonstrated that democratic doctrine
at the time of the Louisiana purchase
distinctly declared that the constitu-
ton did not follow the flag. but that
the new territory was to be governed
as an acquisition or as the admins
tration saw fit.
Chairman Foster called time on the
speaker and Judge Harper succeeded
him on the floor. He said il gave him
great pleasure to reply to gentleman
who said he was once a democrat. but
now a republican.
Harper was applauded loudly from
the beginning. showing conclusively
that he was addressing a sympathetic
audience There was considerable
spread eagleism about his speech
He urged that imperialism is the
paramount Issue of the campaign and
would continue TO be until the republic
went down to ruin.
The speaker cited the case of the
Cubans fighting for liberty and the
United States saying to the Cuban
people that they were and by right
ought to be free. Then he compared
the Filipinos to the Cubans. The Gu
bans. he said. had no constitution and
their seat of government was in the
saddle; the Filipinos had a perfect
government. schools and churches
and controlled nearly all territory out
side of Manila. Yet the American gov
them under foot. destroy their govern
ment and make subjects of them.
He condemned the acquisition of ter
ritory from Mexico. although he was
born in Texas. and insinuated that
Polk and Taylor had done wrong when
thew wrested territory from Mexico.
The speaker repeated the false state
ments. so often refuted. as to alleged
promises made to the Filipinos that
the Americans were coming to help
them set up an independent govern
ment. and said every man in the Uni
ted States was morally and legally
bound by the alleged promises of their
agent"
Judge Harper's time being up. Hugh
Mckay for the affirmative took the
floor. He had lived in the Philippines
and described the conditions there He
said he first visited the Islands on
board man of war with Raphael
Semme.s afterwards the admiral of
the southern confederacy. A pilot with
a half dozen knives in his belt was
taken aboard TO steer the ship through
the unknown waters. He was typi--
cal Filipino. a cannibal. a brigand
The height of the Filipinos ambition
he said. was to get hold of an old
priest. He then discussed imperialism
saying that to exist it required an en-
peror. which Mckinley was not.
. He said If the Filipinos were given
independence they would be gobbled
up by foreign nations and their only
salvation was to submit to the author
ity of the United States for their
ideas of independence We're at vari-
ance with the ideas of civilized peo-
pie and they would not know how to
conduct themselves or their govern
mont if freed.
The speaker created considerable
merriment and applause when he stat
ed that Jefferson acquired very in
ferior title with the Louisiana pur-
chase and had never yet received a
quit claim deed. Citing the past he
showed the justification of the pres
ent course of the United States in the
Philippines.
NJ. w. Stanton was presented by the
chair as a man who needed no intro
duction to an FL Paso audience.
Unlike my adversary. Mr. McKay.'
ne said. Il was born in a country that
| never was ruled by crown and if anv
ruler OF this country ever wears a
crown it will not he by my doing" He
said he was born a democrat and i'm
bibed the principles of Jeffersoniau
democracy at his mothers knee.
| While he was speaking of crowns -
continued the speaker. referring to Mr..
Mckay. he did not mention the sui
tan OF Sulu nor his seraglio, (applause)
| Can the congress of the United
| states acquire powers not given il by
the constitution? Can a stream rise
higher than its source?
| We must abide by the constitution
The supreme court has said so. 1t has
said that the constitution goes where
1 tho HnnS'''