Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1899-02-02

HIMSELF TO A CRITICISM OF
THE FILIPINOS AS SUBJECTS
FOR SELF GOVERNMENT, AND
OF AGUINALDO AS A LEADER.
SENATOR HOAR DEFENDED
AGUINALDO AND COMPARED
HIM TO BOLIVAR, WHO ONCE
ASSUMED DICTATORSHIP FOR
ULTIMATE GOOD OF HIS PEG
PIE.
Washington, February For a few
minutes in the Senate this afternoon it
| seemed likely that a vote might be
taken on one or more of the resolutions
relating to expansion that are pending
before that body. An unusually large
attendance of Republican Senators was
in attendance, all of them having been
| notified to be present in the event OF
a critical vote on the pending question.
Mr.. Bacon, (Georgia), had called up his
| resolutions, and Mr.. Chandler, New
Hampshire), had withdrawn his mo-
ton to refer them to the committee on
foreign relations. Mr.. Sullivan, Miss
| issippD, had entered a motion to sub
stitute his resolution for those of Mr..
Bacon, while Mr.. Davis, chairman of
the foreign relations committee, had
announced that he was willing that a
vote on the resolutions and amend
ments could not be taken before two
oclock-the hour fixed by unanimous
consent for the Senate to go into eXecu-
tive session-Mr Bacon asked for
unanimous consent that a vote be
taken at 1890 tomorrow. To this re-
quest Mr. Carter, (Montana), objected,
and the whole question was left sus-
pended. Mr.. Rawlins, (Utah), address
ed the Senate upon the Vest anti-ex-
| pansion resolution, devoting the great
| er part of his time to defense of his
| position that the constitution applies
as well to people of our Territories as
those of the States.
The Sullivan resolution is as fol-
| lows: THAT the ratification of the
| pending treaty of peace with Spain
| shall in no wise determine the policy
| to be pursued by the United States in
! regard to the Philippines, nor shall it
| commit this government to colonial
| policy; nor is it intended to embarrasS
| the establishment of a stable, indie
| pendent government by the people OF
| those islands whenever conditions
make such proceeding hopeful of sue
| cessful and desirable results
Senators Hoar and Teller were the
| speakers in the executive session of the
| Senate to-day. Mr.. Teller made a set
speech in support of the treaty and Mr..
| Hoar replied. Both went over much
| ground that had been covered before,
but some new points were brought out.
Mr.. Teller devoted especial 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
| based much of his argument upon the
| incapacity demonstrated by their lead
| er, Aguinaldo. He read extracts from
| the Philippine leaders proclamation,
| contending that they demonstrated be-
| yond question that he was ignorant Of
| the first principle of regular govern
ment, especially a democratic form of
| government. He referred to the fact
| that the Filipino leader had in some
| of his pronunciomentos spoken as a
| dictator, which the Colorado Senator
| said did not accord with the profess
sIons of democracy made for him.
| Mr. Teller also referred to the gen.
| eral situation in the Orient on the
necessity for the United States to hold
| the footing which had been secured
| through what might also be regarded
as providential means. He dwelt upon
| the reports of vast coal deposits in the
| Philippines, and said they were in
| valuable on this account to any nation,
| for in the future the country which
| controlled the coal deposits Of the
| world would dominate the other ma
| lions, both from a commercial and
military point of view. At present the
| United States, Great Britain and Japan
| control the principal coal supplies, and
| he predicted that so long as they con-
! tinued to control them and were friend
| ly with one another, they would hold
| the reins Of power. Other European
| nations appreciated the Importance of
| the coal supply, he said, and this fact
| more than any other accounted for the
| anxiety Of Russia and Germany to get
\ a foothoid in the Philippines. Russia
was, he said. especially grasping, and
it behooved this country to be on its
| guard against the encroachment Of that
| great power.
| In conclusion Mr.. Teller referred to his
antagoniSm to the administra ton, saying
that he expected to oppose the party in
power in the next campaign, but strongly
as he felt in questions which separated
! him from that party, he was nevertheless
willing to sink party questions and su-
/ coordinate advantage to what he believed
/ to be a much broader view-a patriotic
rather than a partisan view.
! Rising to reply, Mr.. Hoar said there
| could be no doubt of Mr.. Tellers attitude
| towards the Republican party after his
anxiety TO have the treaty ratified had
| been made so evident, for he could not
possibly DO anything that would go far
Their toward encompassing the disorgani-
eaton and defeat of the Republican party
than to make certain the ratification of
! the pending treaty.
| Mr. Hoar devoted the greater part of
his reply TO a defence of Aguinaldo. whom
| he compared to Simon Bolivar, the South
American patriot 1t should be remem-