The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-19
Mr.. BACON
Makes a Speech on
Philippines.
NICARAGUA BILL.
Final Vote on the Question
Nearly Reached.

Washington, Jan. 1S.-The feature of
today's session of the Senate was a
speech delivered by Mr.. Bacon of Geor-
gia, in support of his resolution declar-
ing that the United States should not
assume sovereignty over the Philippine
islands. Mr.. Bacon is one of the orators
of the Senate and as he gave himself
free rein, not continuing himself to notes,
he spoke strongly and effectively. His
peroration, in which he pictured the
errors Of some of England's methods of
controlling her colonial subjects, was a
beautiful and forceful bit of word
painting
Following Mr.. Bacon's speech, the
Nicaragua canal bill was taken I'D and
remained under discussion until 6
o'clock Amendment after amendment
was voted down and until Emost the
last minute, it seemed likely mat a vote
on the measure would be reached this
evening, but just as a final vote was
about 10 be called for. Mr.. Allison of
Iowa exploded a bomb under the bill by
offering an amendment providing that
the secretary of the treasury should
issue bonds to raise money with which
TO construct the canal The friends of
the measure then consented to an ad-
jOurnment
Immediately after the opening of the
Senate, Mr. Bacon of Georgia delivered
his speech on his resolution. Mr.. Bacon
said in part:
OF all the great powers of the earth
the government Of the United States
IS the only one to stand for the rights
of all people to self government.
1t is not to be believed that the GOV
eminent of the United States will with
fun appreciation of the nature and the
consequences of the act. violate the
principle Of the right of self-govern-
ment
Mr.. Bacon quoted from the speech of
Senator Foraker the statement that If
was not the purpose to hold the PhiIin-
pines permanently, and said: l am es-
peclally glad To have the assurance of
the distinguished senator that in his
own knowledge the position thus stated
by him is the position of the president
of the United States If that Dosftion
can be assured as the one which this
government will take and adhere TO
there will be little difference or contain
resolutions
which l have introduced, and the adon-
ton Of which / am now advocating.
agree substantially with the position
announced by the senator from Ohio
What | desire, however is that there
shall be now an avowal of this position
py the laW-making power Of this gov
eminent IN d Joint resolution 4f con-
gress. approved by the president.
Mr.. Bacon declared there was no diff
ference in the rights of the Cubans and
Filipinos, and they should all be CON
sidered equal under the Cuban resolu-
ton adopted by congress, although the
Philippines were not in mind at the
time of the declaration of war He said
our obligations to the Philippines rested
upon the alliance of the Americans
with the Filipinos during the war, and
added:
But that alliance and cooperation did
put us under a strong moral obligation
not to make a peace with Spain which
did not include in its terms the sunder-
ing of the bonds which bound to her
the Philippine islands. That obligation
did not grow out of the fact alone that
the Philippines were in rebellion to
Spain, because we did not declare wal
to correct all the wrongs inflicted by
Spain on her colonies We declared
war only on account of Cuba. and our
obligations to the Philippines grew
solely out OF the accident of war which
threw us into cooperation and alliance
with these insurgents against the do
ninion of Spain
Again, we hear frequent and earnest
assertions that it is our duty to see tC
1t that European nations do not appro.
PIRATE the Philippine islands. Well. sir
do not wish to see these islands be-
come the prey Of landgrabbing nations
OF Europe ] wish and hope to see the
inhabitants of the Philippines a free
and independent nation. They have the
territory and the population sufficient
for nationality, and they have shown
their readiness to fight for their free.
dom. | hope that by negotiation OF
otherwise it may be arranged and
agreed among the leading nations that
they may remain a free nation l am
willing that the United States shall
through peaceful measures endeavor 10
accomplish this result. But I am not
J willing that the United States shall 20
to war to protect the Philippine islands