The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-02-02
TELLER FOR THE TREATY
Filipinos Not Yet Capable of
Self-Government.
MUST KEEP A FOOTHOLD
Hoar Says Ratification Would Mean the
Disorgan1zation Of the Republican
Party-A Splendid Defense
OF Aguinaldo.

! Washington, Feb. 1.--Senators Teller
and Hoar were the speakers in the eX-
ecutive session of the senate to-day.
Mr.. Teller made a set speech in sup
port of the treaty, and Mr.. Hoar re-
piled, Both went over much ground
that had been covered before, but some
new points were brought out. Mr.. Tel
Ter devoted special attention to the
capabilities of the Filipinos for self
government. He contended that they
had not yet reached the stage where
they could be considered capable of
taking care of themselves, and he bas-
ed much of his argument upon the in
capacity demonstrated by their leader,
Aguinaldo. He read extracts from the
Philippine leaders, proclamation, con-
tending that they demonstrated be-
yond question that he was ignorant of
the first principles of popular govern
ment, and especially democratic
form of government. He referred to
the fact that the Filipino leader had in
some of his pronunciamentos spoken as
a dictator, which the Colorado senator
said did not accord with the professions
of democracy made for him. Mr.. Tel
der referred to the general situation
in the Orient, charging upon the nec-
essity for the United States to retain
the footing that had been secured by
what must be regarded as almost PROV
dental means. He said the coal de-
posts in the Philippines We're invalua-
BILE, for in the future the country
which controlled the coal deposits of
the world would dominate the other
nations, both from a commercial and
military point of view. The United
States, Great Britain and Japan con-
troll the principal coal supplies and he
predicted that so long as they contin-
ued to control them and were friendly
to one another they would hold the
reins of power Other European ma
tfons appreciate the Importance of the
coal supplies, and this fact, more than
others, accounted for the desire of Rus
STA and Germany to get a foothold in
the Philippines. Russia was, he said.
especially grasping, and it behooved
this country to be on it's guard against
the encroachments of that power.
In conclusion. Mr.. Teller referred to
his antagonism to the administration,
saying that he expected to oppose the
party in power in the next campaign,
but strongly as he felt on the ques-
lions which separated him from that
party, he was nevertheless willing to
sink party questions and subordinate
partisan advantages to what he be-
lieved to be much broader view-a
patriotic rather than a partisan view
Rising to reply, Mr.. Hoar said that
. there could be no doubt of Mr. Tellers
attitude toward the republican party
after his anxiety to have the treaty
ratified had been made evident. for he
could not possibly do anything that
would go farther toward encompassing
Inc dlsorganization and defeat of the
republicans than to make certain the
ratification of the pending treaty Mr..
Hoar devoted the greater part of his
reply to a defense of Aguinaldo, whom
he compared to Simon Bolivar, the
south American patriot. 1t would be
remembered, he said, that Bolivar also
hau, upon occasion, taken upon himself
the title Of dictator, and yet who, on
this account, should accuse the Bolivian
liberator Of being false to his people
or to their aspirations for freedom?
Aguinaldo had SO far shown himself
to be a shrewd leader and he had not
by any act of his shown himself to be
inca pable OF the highest degree of lead
ership. During the course of his re-
marks Senator Hoar said that the argu-
ment had been advanced that the Unit
ed States should be near at hand to
participate in the predicted partition of
China, and proceeded to say that this
argument indicated a disposition to
grasp even more territory than had
been taken. Such policy, he thought
should be nipped in the bud, as he was
very confident that the people of the
United States would not profit by join
ing the European powers in their eff
fort to distribute among themselves the
possessions of this ancient empire.
The last remark brought Senator Da-
Wis to his feet. While his name had
not been mentioned, it was evident that
Mr. Hoar alluded to a remark of the
Minnesota senator. The latter said he
had not advocated any participation by
the United States in the process of
Acknowledgement, but that he had only
alluded to its probability and had said
merely that the United States should
he on hand to protect their own inter-
at