The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-15
DECLARATION OF POLICY
The McEnery Resolution Passed
by the Senate.
is VICIOUS IN PRINCIPLE
Roundly Denounced by Senator Hoar
Who Eulogised Aguinaldo.
Bacon's Amendment
Was Defeated.

Washington, Feb. 14.-The unanimous
consent agreement reached by the SEN
ate last Saturday to vote this after
noon on the resolution of Mr.. McEnery
of Louisiana declaring the policy of this
government in the Philippines was not
vacated. In accordance with that
agreement the vote was taken on the
resolution at 2:30 O'Clock to-day and it
was adopted 26 to %. 1t was noticea-
BILE that several democratic members
who were present and not paired re-
Trained from voting. An amendment
offered by Mr.. Bacon of Georgia sew
eral days ago was defeated. The vote
on the amendment was a tie-29 to 30
and Vice President Hobart cast the
deciding vote against the proposition.
The vote was preceded by three hours
and half of debate. Mr.. Stewart first
took the floor to speak in opposition.
He expressed the opinion that what
ever the United States would do it
would not follow the policy indicated
by the resolution. This country was
under no obligation to go to the expense
of establishing government for the
islands: the United States was not in
the business of capturing countries, ed
ucating their people and then selling
them. On the contrary. he thought, we
should hold the Philippines and thus
render the United States independent
of other countries in the production of
tropical products which must otherwise
be a source of great expense. Now it
"a lnc-. p,l at c
Why not. therefore, hold these islands
and produce our own fruits, sugars
ETC.?
MI Lindsay also expressed the opin-
ion that the time was inauspicious for
the adoption of any resolution bearing
upon the subject of the government of
the Philippines, but said that if any
expression was to be given it should
be clear and distir"t and unmistak-
substitute, reciting that the acquisition
of territory carried with it no consti-
utonal obligation to admit it to the
union as states.
Mr.. Lindsay gave notice that he
would ask the senate to vote upon his
resolution as soon as the senate had
voted on the McEnery resolution.
Mr. Bacon then addressed the sem
ate in opposition to the McEnery res
vicious and unfortunate declaration.
He maintained that the resolution
meant nothing favorable to the Flip
mos. 1t did not look to the future
freedom and self-government of the
Filipinos. He regarded it as simply a
declaration that while the Filipnos
We're subjects of this country they
would never become citizens of the
United States.
Mr.. Hoar of Massachusetts was op-
posed to the McEnery resolution be-
cause, he maintained, it gave no hope
of freedom or liberty or self-govern-
ment to the inhabitants of the Philip
pines, and because it provided that
they should never have a part in their
own government or become a part of
the United States. 1t was, he held,
an infamous declaration-a declara ton
simply that the Louisiana sugar plan
ers should never be afraid of the COM
petition of the Philippine islands, To
the Filipinos the McEnery resolution
would be message of tyranny. of
hate, of oppression and of slaughter.
Mr.. Hoar adverted to the references
in speeches to Aguiraldo as an "un-
principled adventurer,' and then en-
tered upon defense of the Filipino
leader. He spoke of Aguinaldos ap-
peal to the people of the United States
as so remarkable as capable of being
drafted by mo 10 men on this planet. y
"I do not see' said Mr.. Hoar, with
feeling, chow any American heart not
of stone could fail to recognize the force
of that appeal"
Mr.. Hoar said he was perfectly salts
fed with his course in the whole ques-
ton of the Philippines, believing con-
scientiously that he was right. Il am
satisfied said he. ito stand with the
fa v-bo
formed our constitution
Mr.. Hale of Maine said he had not
much hope that the senate would take
any course that would stop the desolat-
ing programme now being carried out
on the Philippines Hardly had the
treaty been ratified. however. before a
foreign war was precipitated. Il am
not disappointed" said he; L am not
inclined to say I told you So but
told senators when the treaty was rat
flied that it would be impossible to take
any steps TO alleviate the condition of
the FilipinoS Congress will adjourn
and the war will go on, and there is
not a man who will not realize in three
months that it is a war of conquest
and subjugation.'
He said Admiral Dewey and General
Merritt had said that in three months
not 5000 troops would be needed in the
Philippines. yet we now had 10000 men
there and 1000 more and the battle
ship Oregon on the way.
And yet" declared Mr.. Hale. 1--WE
are told that we are traitors and held
up in the newspapers because we want
to give those people a chance at least
to show that they are friendly and can
set up a government of their own. In
stead, we kill them, not by scores, not
by hundreds, but by thousands. More
Filipinos have been killed by the guns
of our army and navy than were pa
triots killed in any six battles of the
revolutionary war 1t has become gi
gantic event. The slaughter of people
in no one way equal to us. meeting us
with bows and arrows and era Wiling
into jungles by hundreds there to die
has stupefied the American mind. No
one has said that our mission of COM
merce and of the gospel was to be pre-
ceded by TIN slaughter of thousands of
persons.
Il am not enamored of the McEnery
resolution 1t contains little that is
good and a good deal that is bad
He regarded the Bacon resolution as
much the better. But" he said in
copc1ueior the car of Jnrgprnaut will