The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-21
FLAG SHOULD COME DOWN.
WE DO NOT WANT THE PHILIP
PINES, MR.. WILLIAMS SAYS.


eminent for the IsIands-The Ag-
ricuIturaI hin Passed--River ana
Harbor Resolutions.
Washington, Dec 20-The House to-day
listened to the first speech in that body
on the subject of the annexation of the
Philippines.
Mr.. williams of Mississippi a Demo-
cratic member of the foreign affairs com
mttee, in an hours speech, stated his
opposition to a policy which would bring
the islands under the sphere Of the United
States influence.
Physically, he said, the islands would
prove a great disappointment. They We're
thickly populated with people of heterog-
eneous races. They could never afford
home or opportunity for American citi-
zens. In the annexation of territory in
the past the area annexed had been al
ways coterminious except in the case of
Alaska and we had in each case increased
our population and our power of national
defense. These had been the tests an the
past. The Philippines fulfilled none of
these tests.
In the case of Cuba, if Cuba should
be willing in the future to throw in her
lot with us, the case would be different
Sixty-six per cent. of Cubas population
was Caucasian, fact not generally
known. Her people could be easily as
simulated. Cuba was practically contigu-
Gus. She lay directly within the sphere
of American influence.
Want No Unwilling Subjects.
1--WE want no unwilling subjects" Mr..
Williams said eve want no opportunity
for the exercise of tyranny. The South
is especially hostile to the absorption of a
great population, alien in race. blood, color
and customs
He summed up the objections to the an
nexation of the Philippines. They lay 1000
miles from our coast Not single geo
graphical defensive or racial test could De
orniied Annexation would project us 600
miles into the melee of the Orient. We
would have TO hold in subsection 100000
Ff;ipinos at a cost of $140000,000 annually
And as the House was considering an
AGRICULTURAL bin, he, said it might be well
to bear in mind who would in the end
have to nav the increased taxes. Taxes
could be shifted and shifted until they
reached the farmer. Then they We're shift
able no longer.
He argued that citizenship could not be
denied the natives of the Islands II they
were annexed. They came within the pur-
view of the fifteenth constitutional amend
rlent. They became citizens ipso facto as
soon as the islands were annexed He had
been asked why, if Mississippi had been
able to deal with the race question, the
people of the United States would not De
able to do so in the Philippines. The diff
ference was that the people of Mississippi
understood the problem with which they
had to deal. It came home to them by
actual contact. The people of the United
States who would have to solve it would
do SO theoretically and they would fail.
There must be white supremacy. II
white supremacy were not guaranteed in
Hawaii he declared that 80 per cent. of
the Caucasans would not remain there.
While he opposed the annexation, he said
he would not favor the return of the Phil
lippine Islands to Spain.
Would Haul Down the Flag.
Il should leave the islands where they
were the day after Dewey's glorious vic
tory at Manila. I should haul down the
American flag I am for the flag for what
ii means, not for itself. 1t is nothing but
a piece of bunting, and when some one
announces that il must not come down, L
care not how high his station, he says
something unworthy of himself and his
country. The flag should come down if
it is right that it should do so, and the
American people must pull it down. I
would not let any other country do il"
prolonged applause on the Democratic
side)
Proceeding, Mr. Williams argued thar
if the Philippines could not take care Of
themselves, they would fall under the in
fluence of England, or France, or Ger
many. Our interest in them was the COM
mercial interest. We had in the East gen
orally interest in an "open-doOr" policy.
If any other country got possession Of the
Philippines, it would not do worse than
Spain did. In any event, our trade with
the Philippines was a mere drop i'm the
bucket, and if we retained possession OF
them, we would have to sacrifice the
"open-door" policy in the Orient or 60
go back on the constitution.
Could Sell Them TO England.
He argued that our tariff laws must ex-
tend over the Islands, and if they did. it
would be absurd for us TO exercise one
policy in the Philippines and contend for
another in China.
There was still another solution Of the
DIODISIH. MI. w iIHdilS SdEO, IT we dl0
not want to give the islands their indie
pendence or let them fall under the sway
of another country, we could sell them as
a war indemnity to England She would
bring TO them civilization. The islands
would get freedom of religion and free
dom of trade, and we would get rid Of a
naval military, political, racial. and
social problem and an everlasting per-
petual foreign policy
Mr.. Williams remarks were listened to
with careful attention, and his colleagues
gave him a hearty round of applause
when he concluded.
Commercial Relations.
The agricultural bill was then passed.
The provisions inserted in the bill to be
used as a means Of retaliaung against
Germany and other countries were pass
ed with a slight amendment which gives
the Secretary of the Treasury discretion
IN refusing the delivery OF goods. adul-
terated or deleterious 10 health, instead or
making refusal 10 deliver such goods
mandatory. The bill carries $3G9G.322, or
sls7. l20 more than the current law
Several resolutions from the river and
harbor committee calling upon the gecre-