President. some gentlemen waltz up to this proposition of territorial expansion as gaily as "the troubadour touched his guitar." I can not do it. I have not been able to persuade myself that the best interests of this country in the long runand we ought to study its interests for the long runare to be subserved by a policy of territorial expansion. permanent dominion over far distant lands and peoples. Then later in the same speech he said: But I think I can see a valid distinction between the acquisition of territory contiguous to our own country. in our own climate. land to which we can march ou troops. land into which we can build our railroads. land into which we can send our newspapers. land to which our peeple can emigrate and in which they can live and thrive. land easily reachd by our public opinion. and territory and peoples of another race. alien to our associations and our blood. living under a tropical sky. and laboring under different conditions. I can not say. in view of the history of the country. that time may notchange my views. but I must say that. as I now feel. if the ratification of this treaty involved permanent dominion bythe United States over the archipelago and its people as a Territory of the United States. irrevocably committed us to the policy of territorial expansion. I could not give it my vote.
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Peoples of another race are alien to our associations and our blood.