The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-01-25

/ TINS Government SHOULD nOId OUT TO the
| F'ilipinos the same promises of ultimate
| independence that are held out to the
| CuhanS
| Mr.. Clay began by expressing the opin-
| ion that had it been declared at the be-
| ginning of the war that it was the pur-
| pose of this country to conquer, acquire
and annex the Philippines, the PROPOSE
ton would not have had half a dozen
votes i'll the Senate. He believed that
| the suggestion Of possible acquisition
| and annexation of the Philippine Islands
as natural result of the war would
have prevented the passage of the war
resolution by Congress Discussing
! further the purposes of the war he
| quoted President McKinley's message
| to Congress declaring it the duty of this
| Government to assist the people of Gu
ba to build UP 4 Government that is
| free and independent and asked why
! should not the same declarations be made
| with regard to the people of the Philip
| pines.
''The responsibility is in our hands ans
we must meet it in a practical. common
| sense way"
He admitted the right of the Govern
ment to acquire the Philippines and to
| govern them as any other territory be-
longing to the United States. but he con
| tended that such a policy would be un-
wise and against the best interests of
the people of the United States.
| He contended that we have not the
| right to acquire those islands or any
other territory. either mainland or is
lands in the sea, and govern the people
| of such territory without constitutional
| limitations. He said:
IF we acquire this foreign territory,
we must deal with the population in the
| same manner and in the same conStitu-
| tional way we have dealt with territor-
| ial forms of government heretofore.
We cannot have and maintain one
| form of government for citizens of the
| United States and another for that of
| the government of a subjugated race"
! Mr.. Clay described the islands and
! their inhabitants, eontending that there
! can be no hope for American communi-
| ties being built up in that territory
| capable of statehood About the only
| sure result of an attempt to maintain
| Government in the Philippines which
he could see was that it would involve
us in future wars with foreign Gov
| ernments.
! Mr.. Clay maintained that free nations
cannot govern provinces. The inevi-
| table result of our entering upon such
| a policy must be Il large increase in the
standing army.
''The war is over" said Mr.. Clay,
"and we find these iSiands on our hands.
| We cannot escape the responsibility of
some equitable, just and right disposition
of them. The American people would
never consent either to give the islands
| back to Spain, sell them to some Euro
| pean Government. or force Il govern
ment upon them against their will and
| without their consent The only thing
left 70 do is to aid and direct the peo-
| pie of those islands to form a Govern
ment for themselves
| Mr. Clay concluded as follows:
in my judgment the acquisition and
retention of the Philippine Islands means
| an army of 10000 soldiers. 1t means
the annual expenses of the army will in
crease from 20 TO 200 million dollars.
| A large standing army means that the
| pension list will increase from five to
| ten millions annually.
| At 2:3J D. m. the Senate, on motion
| of Mr.. Davis, chairman of the Commit
! tee on Foreign Relations, went into eX-
| ecutive session and at 5:32 y. m. adj
| journed.
| ARMY REORGANIZATION BILL
| Washington. Jan, 24-The debate on
! the army reorganization bill opened in
| the House to-day under an agreement
| by which the general debate is to run
| j. hours, exclusive of three night ses-
sions; the final vote to be taken not later
| than 3 O'Clock next Tuesday Practi-
lcaly three propositions are before the
| House, the House Bill providing for a
! standing army of 100000 men, the min
ority substitute increasing the standing
| army to 10000 men and lodging with
| the President discretionary power to call
out 10000 volunteers for emergency ser
| vice. and proposition to continue tenn
porarily the regular army at its present
war strength-62000 men. 1t is also
understood that Mr.. Marsh Rep. Ills),
| VIII champion the Miles Bill. Among
| the supporters of the majority bill there
are those, like Mr. Mcclellan. Oem.
| New York;. a son of General George B.
| Mcclellan, who favor Il provision for Il
( general staff made up of officers of the
| line so as to make the army organiza-
ton responsible to a single head. The
| fate of the measure is still considered
doubtful though Chairman Hull and his
friends profess great confidence in its
| passage. The debate to-day was not
exciting. Mr. Hull and Mr.. Mcclellan
in support of the measure, and Mr.. Hay,
of Virginia, in opposition, divided the
honors to-day. The other speakers were
Messrs. Parker, rep. New Jersey, and
Brown. 0sep Ohio. an favor, and
Messrs. Cox, Dem. Tenn, Bell, Pop.
ColoD. and Lanham, (Dem. Texas,
against it.
At $50 o'clock p. m., the House re-
cessed until s o'clock.
THE NIGHT SESSION.
There were only 16 members present
| at the night session, but the galleries
were thronged. The evening was de-
voted to set speeches. The principal one
was made by Mr.. Simpson, Pop. Kan),
in opposition to the bill. Mr. Lawrence,
(Rep. Mass), spoke in support of the
bill. and Mr.. Green Pop. Neb.), in op-
| position to it.
| At Hos o'clock p. m, the House adj
| iourned until tomorrow.
AT Pittsburg last night there was a
| settlement of a wage difference between
| onerotors and miners affecting the min