The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-01-26
MR.. JoHNsoN's ATTACK.
Terrific Arrangement Of Adninistrs
ton By a Republican.

Terrific Arrangement Of Adninistra-
ton By a Republican.
Washington. Jan. 25.-The house to-
day resumed the debate on the army
reorganization bill. Mr. Gibson ReD.,
Tenn) was the first speaker today. He
advocated the passage Of the Hull Dill.
In the course Of his remarks he argued
that it was too soon for US to decide
upon permanent policy regarding the
Philippines. Our present policy should
be delayed until we had thoroughly IN
Vestigated the situation.
Mr. Johnson (Rep., Ind then took
the floor in opposition TO the bill. As he
arose the Democrats aDDlauded and
squared themselves around in anucipa-
ton of some sensational utteranceS.
While the president, in the presence
of what he may conceive to be a pOpu-
lar demand" he began. is hurrying
the army and navy across the seas TO
infiict upon an alien people a govern
ment against their viii, 1 propose fear
lessly, without regard to its effect upon
my personal fortunes, to make plea
for liberty and an argument against
the perpetuation of injustice
We were on the verge of a crisis, said
Mr.. Johnson. Those who failed to rush
forward in support of the schemes of
the imperialists were being denounced
here and in the public press as span
iards," and as men who failed TO do
their duty. His answer was that if
the chief executive would break his 81
lence and openly state that we did not
propose to enslaye the people of the
Philippines. his word for it. the present
strained relations in the islands would
cease, those who were but yesterday
our allies would return to their homes.
and there would be no necessity for
this proposed increase in the standing
army. No; this would not be done.
What meant this hasty disavOwal of
Senator FOraker's statement that the
administration had no intention of
holding the islands permanently? If
the administration did not mean to
hold the Philippines, what meant this
Glamour of the administration preSS2
Why had the presidents commission
ers demanded the absolute cesslon OF
the islands, instead of simply demand
ing their evacuation, as he did in the
case of Cuba? Why did not Senator
Davis who was in charge of the
treaty in the senate, agree to allow the
passage of a resolution disavOwinS the
governments purpose to hold the is
lands permanently? These were patent
facts, which could not be lodged. They
must be faced sqUarely. Everything
pointed in one direction-the purpose
to annex the Philippine islands.
AN UNsPEAKABLE CRIME.
Continuing, he drew a parallel be-
tween our revolutionary struggle and
the struggle of the F'ilipinos for inde-
pendence. He argued that today they
had a stable government, republican in
form-a president, a vice president and
cOngress-the whole founded upon the
free consent of the governed. To at
tempt to subvert that government, he
said, would be ''an unspeakable crime
that should bring the blush Of shame
to the cheek of every fTee-bOrn Ameri-
can.
They had not waged war for a change
of masters. They had rejected with
scorn the Understanding manifesto of
the president of the United States.
They preferred to be free, and they
now stood, with arms in their hands,
undaunted, standing against the United
States for independence and liberty as
they had stood against Spain.
A people with such stamina were
worthy of their freedom. Could it be
criminal aggression" to annex Cuba
and not criminal aggression to an
mex the Philippines? It was true, the
natives were alien in race, language
and habits of thought, and. therefore,
the whole scheme was to hold them as
Spain had held her colonies in times
past, as England holds hers now, ruled
over by military straps. They might
not be as capable az W." Hf self-gOy-
ernmenr, sald MIR. Johnson, with biting
sarcasm. They might not be able to
corrupt legislators in order TO hold dis
honored seats in the senate, as we