Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1899-01-26
4 BATTLE OF ORATORS
Republicans Disagree on the Ques-
ton of Expansion.
JOHNSON PREDICTS DISASTER.

Meantime the Senate Has Agreed to
voteon the Peace Treaty on the sixth
ofFebruary, aud senator Davis Urges J
Ratification.
Washington. Jan. 26.-Not since the
stirring days before the declaration OF
war last spring has the house witness
ed such an exhibition of excitement
and such scenes of unbounded enthu
siasm as occurred yesterday when tive
Republicans, Mr.. Johnson the Indiana
member, and Mr. Deliver, of Iowa,
locked horns on the question of expan-
sion. The army BILL which was under
debate, was swallowed up in the broad
er question of our future national pol
icy. and the debate was lifted from the
dead level of medioerity into absolute
brilliancy.
Mr.. johnson secured time from the
Democratic side to attack the position
of the administration. 1t was not the
first time he has broken away from
his party on public questions. The
knowledge that he was to speak had at
tracted an enormous crowd in the gall
leries. and yesterday he added to his
reputation as an orator. With satire
irony and wit the keen thrusts of his
logic were driven home. His words
flowed from him in perfect torrent
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 a
policy that would end in the downfall
of the republic. He said the ratihca-
ton of the treaty by the senate would
sound the death knell of all the ef-
forts of those who were trying to pre-
vent the country from rushing on to
suicide, and declared if he was sena-
tor 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 continually
broke out on the Democratic side. Fol
almost two hours his words pourec
forth
When Mr. johnson had finished Mr..
Dolliver came to the defense of the ad-
ministration. One of the ablest de-
baters, and perhaps the most eloquent
of the house, his reply set the Repub-
licans wild with enthusiasm. He de-
scribed how the president had been
fairly driven into the war by those
who now sought to embarrass him be-
fore peace was definitely obtained. and
his eulogy of the president patiently
meeting all the perplexing 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 Dewey
and broke in renewed volume when he
declared that the course of some mem
bers at both ends of the capitol was
almost treason"
But the highest pitch of excitement
was reached when Mr.. Johnson and Mr..
Dolliver go. to close quarters towards
the end of the latter's speech Mr.
Johnson pressed the defender OF the
administration to disclose the presi-
dents ultimate purpose regarding the
Philippines, but Mr.. Dolliver for some
time adroitly evaded a direct response.
At last he contended himself by declar-
ing that this was not the point at is
sue: that the first thing was to end the
war by ratifying this treaty. The fu-
ture of the Philippines was question
for the future. 1t was in every respect
a remarkable debate. The other
speeches were completely overshadow-
ed by those of Mr.. Johnson and Mr..
Dolliver.