The Indianapolis journal., 1899-02-08
DEBATE IN THE SENATE
GOVERNMENTS POLICY AS TO THE
PHILIPPINES DISCUSSED.
Speeches by "Pitchforlx'' TiIIman and
Henry Cabot LOdge-The Attack
ON Americans at Manila.

WA0f1lNOT1ONt M
or more the Senate to-day had the resolution
declaratory Of a policy of this government
in the Philippines under discussion. but no
vote was reached and the resolution went
finally to the calendar In accordance with
notice given last evening, Mr.. Tillman
Dem, S. c. addressed the Senate on the
resolution, making a characteristic and pic
turesque argument. He maintained that
clear, explicit and direct resolution ought to
be adopted, and not one that was meaning
less and incorsequential. He predicted that
dire results would follow the ratification of
the treaty, unless the United States treated
the Filipinos with absolute firmness and
gave them self-government. "The first thing
that strikes me- he said, 'in the reading of
this resolution is it's absolute uselessness and
its cold-blooded purpose-its simple declara-
ton of purpose to buy and sell those people
of the Philippines for our own interest and
steadfastly to ignore their interests. If 1
mistake not the trend of events. the ratiti-
cation of the treaty promises to bring dis
aster to the party responsible for it,
Mr. TIllman said that never in his
legislative experience, had he heard so
many speeches against a proposition fol-
lowed by so many votes in favor of the
proposition To his mind it indicated
that certain senators had yielded to pres
sure The ratification of the treaty
had determined the fact that in law the
Fdlipinos were rebels against the United
States. If they fired on our flag they would
be regarded as rebels. That was the way the
world saw it. However, the trouble in the
Philippines might terminate, the Fflfpinos
would be regarded as patriots who We're
fighting for their liberty just as much as
were the American revolutionsts. If any
resolution is passed here, we ought to pass
one bringing peace to the Philippines, not
disaster or worse than nothing The ques-
ton now is this: Are we to take the place
of Spain as taxmasters and tyrants? or
course" he continued we can send tens
of thousands of troops to the Philippines,
and as the senator from Montana (Carter)
said the other day, we can shoot those people
to death; but ought we to do it? Is it hon
orable for us to do it?'
Mr.. Tillman then read some verses from
Kipling's latest poem, 1.-The White Mans
Burden" which he regarded as exactly fit
ted to our case. Every man in this cham
ber but five said he, who has to do with
the colored race voted against the treaty.
We of the South have borne the white
mans burden 1t was handed down to US
by your father and mine, and it clings to us
like the shirt of Nessus." He maintained
that we did not want to incorporate into
our citizenship the mongrel population OF
the Philippines and inaugurate another race
struggle in the United States.
There are two cities in the Pacific" said
Mr.. Tillman, over which our nag breaks
to the breeze. over one it is q harbinger Of
peace good will, prosperity and liberty
over the other-Manila-it is cold-blooded
and determined to do what? To force upon
those people q government whether 1t be
satisfactory to them or not
MR.. LODGES SPEECH.
The debate for the day on the McEnery
resolution was concluded by Mr.. Lodge in
a brief speech. in the course of which he
stated some of the facts relating to the in
surrection IN the Philippines against Spain.
He explained that the insurrection was led
by Aguinaldo and other chiefs and had been
put down practically by the Spanish gov
ernment The Spanish officials entered into
an agreement with Aguinaldo by which he
was 10 withdraw from the revolution in con-
slderation of certain reforms and a large
sum of money. In a perfectly characteristic
manner the Spaniards, they did with the
Cubans, failed to keep their promises as to
the reforms and paid AgulnaldO only half
of the money promised him Aguinaldo re-
tired from the islands and Spanish authori-
ty over the islands was complete. On May
an American vessel On his first representa-
tions to the Fiipinos Aguinaldo accom-
plshed little. They did not agree with him
that the revolution could be revived. Finally
the Filfpinos again joined hands with
Aguinaldo and new life was breathed into
the insurrection
Mr.. Lodge explained that so long as the
Spanish fleet was in the harbor the in
surgents We're absolutely unable to make
any impression upon the Spanish forces in
the city of Manila, which was the seat of
Spanish power on the islands. Mr. Lodge ex-
planned that our forces were in Manila in
thorough accordance with the laws of war;
We had never by any act, sought to OPP
press the people of those islands. Their
oppression said he. has existed solely in
the speeches that have been delivered in
the Senate of the United States but like
all Orientals, they mistook kindness for
timidity."
Further along Mr. Lodge, speaking Of the
the Philippines said: Stringent orders have
gone from the President to General Otis
and Admiral Dewey TO exercise the greatest
care in their treatment OF the Filipinos and
not by word or deed TO provoke them. A
fortnight ago General Otis, in accordance
ton, officially informed Aguinaldo that he
had no intention of making an attack upon
the FilipinO troops. What encouraged them
to make the attack / do not know. / do
know that the representative of the Fdlipi-
nos here fled TO Canada before the attack
that the attack was TO be made and be-
lieved it desirable that he should fly The
attack was made and Il was met as Ameri
can soldiers and American sailors always
meet such attacks. While these people are
in arms against US II Is no time for us to