The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-01-11

3AOSAAs
WASHINGTON, Jan. Ex-senator
Mason Of Illinois occupied the attention
of the Senate for nearly an hour and
half to-day with q speech in support
of his resolution declaring that the
United States would never attempt to
govern the people of any country with
out their consent In many respects
the speech was one of the most notable
utterances in the Senate thus far this
session. Rugged in language, pointed
and effective in illustration, Mr.. Ma
son commanded the attention. Of the
Senate and galleries from the. first
sentence of his speech to the apOstrophe
to liberty which formed his peroration.
Several times spontaneous applause
swept the galleries, but under the strin-
gent rules of the Senate it was Quelled
Immediately.
At the beginning of to-day's session
of the Senate, Mr.. Chandler introduced
a Senate resolution for the distribu-
ton of Senate bills, and indicated that
he would precipitate this fight soon.
The Senate passed bills authorizing
the construction of a bridge across the
Missouri River at Chamberlain, S. D.,
and authorizing the Secretary Of Agri-
culture to prepare a report showing
the average huctuation from year to
year of farm products.
Mason of Illinois took the floor for
his announced speech upon his resolu-
ton declaring that all just powers CT
the government are derived from the
consent of the governed, and that the
United States will make no attempt to
govern any people against their will.
Mr.. Mason spoke from manuscript, and
confined himself closely to his notes.
1T is easy to drift with the tide" be-
gan Mr.. Mason, but it is not always
safe. The simple resolution l have in
troduced has nothing necessarily to do
with any treaty, nor do / intend to
speak of any proposed treaty. The re-
solution does not involve a question of
law, but is a question as to the future
policy of this republic. I am willing
to trust the people, and want the
people to hear both sides n the case
before the verdict is rendered.
do you say 1 am speaking for the
Philippines? Yes. one word for them,
beginning to treat with us as to his
own land He acknowledges our gal
liant services; there is no honest COM
mercial treaty that an honest nation
could claim that they are not willing
to consent to. They want liberty as
we did, and when seventy million pco-
pie have heard their cry for mercy and
independence, the father in New Eng
Co. fof IN mil
the mother in Illinois will pray for the
poor mother in the islands of the sea.
'"rhat we have so far assisted thu
Philippines, and are entitled to fair
treatment from them is true; that by
taking possession in stress of war of a
part of the islands and driving the
Spaniards out has placed certain re-
sponsibilities upon us, cannot be de-
MED. But I contend that there is no
more right or necessity of governing
the Philippines than there Is of our
governing Venezuela, Brazil. Nicara-
qua or any other South American
State, without the consent of the peo-
pie"
Referring to the statement that the
Americans intended to give the Phil
ippines liberty, Senator Mason said:
How is liberty to be established? Is
it to be done hypodermically with a
thirteen-inch gun? Are not our men
and ships lying off Iloilo? Did not the
natives who have been our ally drive
the Spaniards out? Are they not in
possession of their own land, their own
homes? Having worn the Spanish yoke
so long. do you wonder at their fear
of ours? Shall we shoot them and
burn their homes, because God AL
mighty has planted in their hearts and
to their lips the sweet song of liberty
Forbid it, Almighty God.
Gentlemen, you may say 1 belittle
our own institutions. Oh, no, / SIM
ply call attention to the beam in our
own eye to prevent, if possible, our
breaking our neck trying to find the
mote in the eye of the Philippines 1O,-
600 miles away"
Mason occupied the attention of the
Senate for an hour and twenty min
utes. His keen sallies and unconven-
tional but forceful style of Oratory held
the attention of his hearers throughout.
At the conclusion of MaSon's speech
he was accorded the usual compliment
in the Senate of cordial congratulations
from many of his colleagues and mem
bers of the House of Representatives
who had heard the speech.
Kyle of South Dakota secured the
passage of bill for the construction
of bridge across the Missouri River
at Oacoma, S. D.
At the request of Morgan the Senate
unanimously agreed to the limitation
of the debate on the Nicaraguan Canal
bill to fifteen minute speeches after 8
O'Clock next Tuesday.
Turpy was then recognized to speak
on the Nicaragua Canal bill. He an
nounced himself as an advocate of
canal. but said that he was opposed
to the pending bin. He based his OBJ
jections largely upon the fact that the
Clayton-Bulwer treaty is in full force
at the present time.
At the conclusion of Turpy's speech
bill was passed directing the Presi-
dent to appoint Paymaster General H.
T. Stanton Major General. and retire
him at that grade.
The Senate then. at 4 o'clock, on mo-