The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1899-01-26
ORATORICAL CONTEST
Between Republicans in the Ma
tional House.
FOR AND AGAINST EXPANSION

Meantime the senate Has Agreed &C
ofFebruary, and senator Davis Urges
Ratification.
Washington, Jan. 26.-Not since the
stirring days before the declaration of
war last spring has the house witness.
ed such an exhibition Of excitement
and such scenes Of unbounded enthu-
siasm as occurred yesterday when tive
Republicans, Mr.. Johnson, the Indlana
member. and Sir. Dolliver. OF Iowa,
locked horns on the question OF eNpan.
sion. The army bill. which was under
debate. was swallowed up In the broad.
er question Of our future national pol
icy, and the debate was lifted from the
dead level OF mediocrity into absolute
brllliancy.
Mr.. Johnson secured time from the
Democratic side to attack the position
Of the administration. II was not the
first time ne has broken away from
his party on public questions. The
knowledge that he was to speak had at.
tracted an enormous crowd in the gal
leries, and yesterday he added to his
reputation as an orator. with satire,
irony and wit the keen thrusts OF his
logic were driven home. His words
flowed from him in a perfect torrent
He denounced the proposition 10 annex
the Philippines as subversive Of every
tradition dear to the American heart in
the past. and the Inauguration Of a
policy that would end in the downfall
of the republic He said the ratifica-
tion OF the treaty by the senate would
sound the death knell Of all the eff
forts Of those who were trying to pre-
vent the country from rushing on to
suicide and declared II he was a sena-
tor he would rot In his seat before It
should be ratified. He denounced the
president as the slavish follower OF
public opinion. but warned him that
the tide would recede and the voice Of
the people would in time rebuke him.
Members stood in the alsles ten deep
while he was speaking, but he tried
to stop the applause, which continually
broke out on the Democratic side. For
almost two hours his words poured
forth.
When MT. johnson had finished Mr.,
Dolliver came to the defense Of the ad'
ministration. One OF the ablest de-
baters, and perhaps the most eloquent
Of the house, his reply set the Repub-
licans wild with enthusiasm. He %
scribed how the president had been
fairly driven into the war by those
who now sought TO embarrass him be-
fore peace was definitely obtained, and
his eulogy of the president patiently
meeting all the perplexing problems
which beset him as the great events
OF the last year moved on aroused his
side and the galleries to cheers. These
rang out again and again when he paid
an eloquent tribute to Admiral Dewey
and broke in renewed volume when he
declared that the course of some mem
bers at both ends of the capitol vas
almost treason"
But the highest pitch Of excitement
was reached when Mr.. johnson and Mr.
Dolliver got TO close quarters towards
the end of the latter's speech. Mr.
johnson pressed the defender Of the
administration to disclose the presi-
dents ultimate purpose regarding the
Philippines, but Mr.. Dolliver for som'
| time adroitly evaded a direct response
| At last he contended himself by declar
| ing that this was not the point at is
sue; that the first thing was to end tn,
war by ratifying this treaty. The fu
ture of the Philippines was a question
for the future. 1t was in every respec
q remarkable debate. The othel
speeches were completely overshadow
ed by those of Mr.. Johnson and Mr.
Dolliver.