The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-02

Teller and Hoar We're the speakers in
the executive session of the Senate to-
day. Mr.. Teller made set speech in
support of the treaty and Mr.. Hoar re-
piled. Both went over much ground
that had been covered before, but some
new points were brought out.
Mr.. Teller devoted special 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 inca
pacity demonstrated by their leader,
Aguinaldo. He read extracts from the
Philippine leaders proclamation, con-
tending that they demonstrated beyond
question that he was ignorant of the
first principles of popular government,
especially a democratic form of govern
ment He referred to the fact that the
Filipino leader had in some Of his pro-
nunciamentos spoken as dictator.
which the Colorado Senator said did
not accord with the professions OF de-
mocracy made for him. Mr.. Teller also
referred to the general situation in the
Orient, enlarging upon the necessity for
the United States to hold roofing
which had been secured through what
almost must be regarded as prOVlden-
tial means. He dwelt upon the reports
of vast coal deposits in the Philippines,
and said they were invaluable on TINS
account to any nation, for, in the fu-
ture, the country which controlled the
coal deposits of the world would doml-
nate the other nations, both from
commercial and military point OF view.
At the present time the United States,
Great Britain and Japan control the
principal coal supplies, and he predicted
that so LONG as they continued to con-
troll them and were friendly to one an
other they would hold the reins of
power Other European nations appre-
ciate the Importance of the coal supply,
and this fact, more than any other, ac-
counted for the desire of Russia and
Germany to get a foothold in the Phil
ippines. Russia was, he said, especially
grasping, and it behooved this country
to be on it's guard against the encroach-
mentS of that power.
In conclusion Mr.. Teller referred to
his antagonism to the administration,
saying that he expected to oppose the
party in power in the next campaign.
but strongly as he felt on the questions
which separated him from that party,
he was, nevertheless, willing to sink
party QueSIlOIS anu SuuoIuilldle pdi IL
san advantage to what he believed to
be a much broader view-a patriotic
rather than a partisan view.
Rising to reply, Mr.. Hoar said that
there could be no doubt of Mr.. Teller'S
attitude toward 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 further toward encompassing
ha dicnr cro nj zot n dafnnt
Republican party than to make certain
the ratification of the pending treaty.
Mr.. Hoar devoted the greater part of
his reply to defense of Aguinaldo,
whom he compared to Simon Bolivar,
the South American patriot. 1t would
be remembered, he said, that Bolivar
also had, upon occasion, taken
upon himself the title of dictator and
yet who, on this account, should ac-
cuse the Bolivian liberator of being
false to his people or to their aspira-
tions for freedom?
Aguinaldo had so far been a shrewd
and able leader, and he had not by
any act of his shown himself to be in
capable of the highest degree of lead
ership.
During the course of his remarks
Senator Hoar said the argument had
been advanced that the United States
should be near at hand to participate
in the predicted partition of China, and
proceeded to say that this argument
indicated a disposition to grasp even
more territory than had yet been taken.
Such a policy, he thought, should be
nipped in the bud, as he was very con-
f1dent the people of the United States
would not profit by joining the Euro
pean powers in their efforts to distrib-
ute among themselves the possessions
of this ancient empire.
This last remark brought Senator
Davis to his feet. While his name had
not been mentioned it was evident that
Mr.. Hoar alluded to a remark of the
Minnesota Senator. The latter said he
had not adverted to any participation
by the United States in the process of
ACKNOWLEDGMENT, but that he had only
alluded to it's probability and had said
merely that the United States should
be on hand to protect their own in
terestS.