Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1900-06-28
OUR TITLE THE STRONGEST.

OUR TITLE THE STRONGEST.
Extract from a recent speech in the
house of representatives by Congress
man Marsh of Illinois:
l hold, Mr.. Chairman, that our title
to the Philippine Islands is as COM
plete as is our title to the state of
Florida. We acquired each OF them
from Spain; we acquired each of them
by treaty with Spain, and the duty of
the national government to maintain
its authority in the Philippine Islands
and suppress insurrection and armed
rebellion against the United States is
just as strong and just as powerful as
it would be to suppress rebellion in
the state OF Florida. 1t rests upon the
fact that the sovereignty Of the Unit
ed States extends over the Philippine
Islands as well as it extends over the
State of Florida.
Our title to the Philippine Islands
and to Puerto Rico is as complete
and as ~indefeasible as our title to the
Louisiana purchase. Weacquired n by
a treaty which has no more sanCtity
and binding efficacy than the other;
and while Florida contains n state
and the Louisiana purchase contains
fourteen states and territories, the
aegis and sovereignty of the United
States is there, no more there and no
more right to be there than it is in
the Philippine islands.
l say here that If the President Of
the United States should of his OwD
motion abandon the Philippine ISL
ands, withdraw the army and navy
therefrom and allow them to go scot
free, he would be Liable and subject
to impeachment by the House of Rep
resentatives and conviction by the
Senate. And in the prosecution of this
armed force In the Philippine islands
the administration is doing nothing
more uor less than what is it's bound
! en- duty to do. aye, more! the on
gretss of the United States, men on
both sides of this House, / am glad to
say-men on both sides of this House
in the last days Of the last Congress
passed a bill, with a very few dissent
ing votes, authorizing the President
to raise an army Of 100 900 men. For
what? To be sent to the Philippine
islands to maintain our sovereignty in
the Philippine islands, to maintain II
in Puerto Rico If necessary, and to
carry out the purpose of the govern
ment with reference to Cuba The
Democratic side of this House bear a
part OF the responsibility of this eX-
listing army, as we'll as this side that
I am on. What did you expect the
President to do with these troops
when you voted authority to him to
raise 100. 900 of them? The war with
Spain was over; peace had been de-
clared.
The treaty had been ratified by the
Senate of the United States and, | be-
lieve. by the Spanish government, al
though the interchange had not taken
place between the executives or the
two governments; yet we were abso-
lutly at peace with Spain; no wal with
Spain: no war with any country on
earth: vet our Democratic friends, in
the closing days of the last Congress,
stood I'D here, with few exceptions,
and voted authority to the President
IN raise 100, 900 troops. Why did you
do il il il was not for the purpose OF
asserting and maintaining the author
inv of the United States government In
those islands? Why, then, this com
nlaining of the President for doing the
very thing that Congress, on 9th
sides of the House, authorized him and
clothed him with 100, 900 men to do?
Did you give him that 100000 men
in order that the secretary OF state
might write some diplomatic letters on
the subject? No; you gave it in order
to clothe him with the necessary mil
itary power to do just exactly what
he has been doing ia h Phlllppine
Glands And | say that it ONE with
bod grace from gentlemen who voted
for that bill to attack the administra-
tion for using these very soldiers In
the very way and name that you
rnew he was to use and expected that
he would use them when you voted
him 100. 900 men a little over a year
ago.