The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-21

submitted a general argument against
their annexation. He declared that he
was not superstitious. He did not be-
leve in balderdash. What had those
who asked loudly who would pull
down the American flag, to say of the
! nag that floated over the ramparts of
Monterey and the cathedral of Mexico?
1t was hauled down because it was
patriotic and sensible to haul it down.
The flag was mere piece of bunting
aside from what it represented, and a
man who would appeal to the .prejudices
of the people with senseless cry about
hauling down the flag, said something
unworthy of himself, no matter how
high his station might be- The Ameri-
can people should haul down the flag
in the Philippines he argued, and
leave the islands where they were the
day after the glorious victory at
Manila.
As the House was considering the
agricultural bill he said it might be
well to bear in mind who would in the
end have to pay the increased taxes.
Taxes could be shifted and shifted I'M
til they reached the farmer. He ar
gued that citizenship could not be de-
MED the natives of the islands if they
were annexed 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 be able to do
so in the Philippines. The difference
was that the people of Mississippi I'M
derstood the problem with which they
had to deal. 1T came home to them by
actual contact
IL white supremacy We're not guarded
in Hawaii, he declared that 30 per cent
of the Caucasians would not remain
there. While he opposed the anneXa-
ton, he said he would not return the
Philippines to Spain. II should leave
the islands where they were the day
after Dewey's glorious victory at Ma
Mia. l should haul down the American
flag. ] am for the flag for what it
means, not for itself. 1t is nothing but
a piece of bunting, and when some one
announces that it 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. We
would not let any other country do it."
prolonged applause on democratic
side)
Mr.. Williams argued hat if the Phil
ippines could not take care of them
selves, they would fall under the in
fiuence of England or France or Ger
many. Our interest in them was the
commercial interest. We had in the
east generally an 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 q mere drop in the bucket and if
we retained possession of them we
would have to sacrifice the "Open door"
policy in the orient or go back on the
constitution.
He argued that our tariff laws must
extend over the islands, and if they did
it would be absurd Tor us to exercise
one policy in the Philippines and con-
tend for another in China. Mr.. Will
liamS said if we did not want to give
the islands their ind ependence or let
them fall under the sway of another
country, we could sell them as a war
indemnity to England. 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 perpetual foreign
policy.
Mr.. Williams remarks were listened
to with careful attention, and his col
leagues gave him a hearty round Of ap-
plause when he concluded.
The bill was then read for amend
ment under the fiVe-minute rule. The
provision inserted in the bill to be used
as means of retaEating against Ger
many and other countries was passed
with q slight amendment, which gives
the secretary of The treasury discre-
ton in refusing the delivery of goods
adulterated or deleterous to health in
stead of making refusal to deliver such
goods mandatory
Resolutions We're adopted. directing
the secretary of war to furnish a sur
Vey and estimate Of the cost of enlarg-