The record-union., 1899-11-06
SENATOR MORGAN TALKS.
Says Congress Should Take Action
in Regard to Philippines.

NEW YORK, Nov. "a special to
the Herald from Washington says:
Congress should at once take action
in relation to the Philippines" said
Senator Morgan tonight.
This action should be taken in the
discharge of the duty imposed by Sec
ton 4, Article 4 of the Constitution.
which provides that the United States
shall guarantee to every State in this
Union a republican form of govern
ment'
The Senator said that this imposed a
distinct duty upon Congress and the
discharge of that duty by action look
ing to the establishment of a republi-
can form of government in the Philip
pines would be the best answer possible
to the anti-imperialists. He explained
that what he meant by giving a repub-
lican form of government to the Phil,
ippines was that the best form of a re-
publican government known in the
world would be the best form to be
found among the ideal and that every
step toward establishing a government
in the Philippines should be an APP
proach to this high ideal.
No ottempt should be made he said,
to frame a detailed government fer the
Islands. as whole or for any part Of
the various peoples who inhabited
them without a thorough understand
ing in all the conditions and needs Of
the Inhabitants
Aske d whether he favored a Congres-
slcaal Commission to visi. the Philip
pines and study the conditions there,
before attempting to frame a system
of government, he replied:
Il think it would be wise to have
such commission visit the islands.
IT we had undertakent to frame a gov
eminent for Hawaii without the study
OF local conditions which our commits
sion made, I think it is probable that
we would have made some eggregious
plumbers. This study of conditions and
OF the peculiar characteristics and
needs of the people is even more nee
essary in the case of the Philippines
than in Hawaii, because we know less
of the Philippines
In the Senator's opinion the Govern
ment of the United States should have
charge of the external relations of the
Islands, OF collecting and expending the
revenues, and of all matters relating to
the islands as a group, while the To-
cal affairs should be confined as far
as possible to the people of the different
localities
In this connection he spoke of the
township system of the New England
States as the highest ideal of local self
government.
The question of who should have the
right to vote would have to be deter
mined by Congress, and in this con-
nection the Senator called attention to
the fact that in the first instance the
determination Of who shall have the
suffrage in the States and Territories
organized under the United States was
an arbitrary act, in some places men
only being allowed to vote, in others
men and women, and in others various
qualification being prescribed
Existing laws. the Senator thought,
should be continued in force as far as
they were good laws, because the peo-
pie understand them. One change that
would have to be made would be to
take away from the friars and religious
orders their power Of levying taxes on
the people.
Senator Morgan is of the opinion that
while the United States should under
take at once the solution of the prob
lem of governing the Philippines, the
development of that government into
it's ultimate form will have to be a
matter of growth.