The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-07
Discussed From Opposite Standpoints by
Senators Chiffon and Wolcott.
PHILIPPINES AND PORTO RICANS
A Resolution in the Senate Declaring it the Intention of the United
States to Place These People in the Same Position as Those of
Cuba-Senator Chiffon, While Favoring the Treaty, OPP
poses Permanent Annexation of the Philippines.
Senator wolcot Urges Ratification OF Moral
and Patriotic Grounds.

it necessary TO seek to dishonor this
government and the administration
which has guided us so wisely through
the troubled sea It International COM
plications and brought US to the thresh-
hold of an honorable peace, that they
should dishonor us in the face Of the
nations of the world and should seek
to bring about some fancied political
advantage by an attempt to defeat the
ratification of a treaty which, if unrat-
flied must bring back a condition Of
was as it evisited before the report of
be, but Gull of uncertainty and full Of
disaster to the interests and the well
fare of our country.
Il do not believe such tactics can
win. There are men enough on both
sides of this chamber who will stand
by the government, not because it is a
republica&goVernment, but becaust it
is an American government. The re-
suits Of the war have left US charged
with a duty to eleven millions of peo-
pie. We found them under the domin-
ion Of Spain. Nobody wants to urn
them back to that nation.
IF we should abandon those islands
as a derelect, it is certain that they
would become a prey to Europe. For
one, I am certain that the ratification
of the treaty would ameliorate the CON
dltlOnS there and advance the interests
of the Philippines We shall not put
our hands on these people except to
bless them, and our efforts will be to
lift them up to the of civil
/ iZation and Christianity.
our relations with the Inhabitants
Of those islands," continued Senator
WOlcott, ARE certain to be fair. honest
and just. We may make mistakes.
We have made mistakes in the past.
But with our protecting hand over
| them those npnn1o will fn1 tha,oro1roo
more secure in their lives, property and
happiness than they have ever before
been"
! At 2:15 o'clock, p. m, the senate went
| INTO executive session and at 5:25
! o'clock, p. m., adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The house today passed the military
| about $500, 900.
1t. served as a ext for a speech by
Mr.. Griggs, of Georgia, on the presi-
dents suggestion hat the
care for the graves of the confeder-
ate dead. He referred to the devotion
or the southern men to the country, from
the days of Appomattox to those of
Santiago. Let there be an end, there
fore, he urged, to the constant reit-
Grafton of reconciliation between the
sections. That reconciliation had long
been accomplished, and with the
NV" SCAlCI LII OI the SOuCn-th9
younger men-there was no need of
reconciliation, as there a been no
separation. W. accept the words of
the president in good faith" said Mr..
Gr1ggs, but we insist that this shall
De the last reconciliation of the sec
t!ons. Let this be the final ratifca-
tlon OF the treaty of peace between the
north and SOUTH"
MIR. Grlggs' speech was warmly an
claude and he received many congrat-
ulatiOns.
After 3 o'clock the house devoted its
~attenetion to the %eulogistic speeches of
Inomas Benton and Frank P. Blair.
whose statues nave been presented by
Missouri for erection in statuarv hail
The resolution accepting the statues
was agreed to and at 4:45 o'clock. n
M, the house adjourned. -