Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-01-27
A REMARKABLE DEBATE,
The President Assailed by Rep
resentative Johnson.

DOlIIver OF Iowa Defended the Course
ofthe AdmInistrRtIO n---Both Speeches
Greeted with Great Applause.
Not since the stirring days before the
declaration of war last spring has the
House of Representatives witnessed such
an exhibition of excitement and such
scenes of unbounded enthusiasm as oc-
Cured Wednesday when two Republicans.
Mr.. johnson of Indiana and Mr.. Dolliver
Of Iowa, locked horns on the question of
expansion. The army bill, which was
under debate, was swallowed up In the
broader question of our future national
policy, and the debate was lifted from the
dead level of mediocrity into absolute bril-
liancy. Mr.. johnson secuced time from
the Democratic side to attack the position
OF the administration.
On past occasions he had won a reputa.
tion as master of invective, and the
knowledge that he was TO speak had at
tracted an enormous crowd in the CALLER
les. With satire, irony and wit, the keen
thrusts of his logic we're driven home
Words flowed from him in a perfect tor
rent. He denounced the proposition to
annex the Philippines as subversive of
every tradition dear to the American
heart in the past and the Inauguration of
policy that would end in the downfall of
the republic He said that the ratification
of the treaty by the Senate would sound
the death knell of all the efforts of those
who were trying to prevent the country
from rushing on to suicide, and declared
that If he were Senator 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 aisles ten
deep while he was speaking, but he tried
to stop the applause which continuously
broke out from the Democratic side. For
almost two hours his words poured forth.
When he had finished Mr.. Deliver came
to the defence of the administration. One
of the ablest debaters, and perhaps the
most eloquent of the House, his reply set
the Republicans wild with enthusiasm. He
described how the President had been fair
ly driven into war by those who now
sought to embarrass him before peace was
definitely obtained, and his eulogy of the
President, patiently meeting all the per
picking 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 Dew
ey, and broke out in renewed volume when
he declared that the course of some mem
bers at both ends of the Capitol was "al-
most treason
But the highest pitch of excitement was
reached when Mr.. johnson and Mr.. Dolli-
yer got to close quarters toward the end of
the latter's speech. Mr.. johnson pressed
the defender of the administration to dis
close the Presidents ultimate purpose re-
garding the Philippines. but Mr.. Dolllver
for some time adroitly evaded a direct re-
Spouse. AT last he contented himself with
declaring that this was not the point at is
sue; that the thing was to end the war by
ratifying this treaty. The future of the
Philippines was question for the future.
1t was in every respect remarkable de-
bate.