Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-28
DA11Y kENNEBEC JOURNAL. SATURDAY JANUARY q. 1899

islands, the unwillingness Of the armed
natives to accept American domination
does not constitute In the mind tht
4 slightest ground on which to base vote
| against the Paris agreement. IN the con-
trary ii affords q new reason why our
nation should be the more prompt ana
| unanimous.
| "All this talk about forcing our gov
eminent upon unwilling people. al th,f
| eloquent invocation of the spirit OF deeia'
ration of independence, is far ana away
| from any real point that concerns inc
Senate fin this discussion. No senator can
| suppose that there exists an American
statesman who approaches the considefa
| ton of the Philippine problem, with any
other than the most benevolent ihtentiohS
concerning the Filpinos ana their future.
| There are reasons why the natives OF
| those islands should misunderstand the
presence at Manila of an American army,
| but there is no reason why an American
| senator should misunderstood 1t and NJ
| justification of his course in misrepre-
| sentYny IT, He knows that close in the
wake of American rule there would come
| to the Filipinos a liberty that they have
|
| than they could ever have under the AFRO
CANT rule of a native dictator. He knows.
| moreover. that it would be self-rule, The
| rule of the islanders to the extent of their
| canacitv in that direction, and that each
successive American President would
welcome the time when he could recon-
| mend new leases of sef-2overnment TO
an advancing and improving people.
| THE F'ilipinos may not know those
| things yet, but every American sena-
| tor knows them. and puts himself and
his country in a false position. when
| by attributing the spirit of conquest
| and aggression to those whose policy
has rescued the Filpinos from Spain
| and would now rescue them from ma
| tive tyrants. he encourages them 10
| doubt the generous sentiment of our
| people. l do not say that these cond
/ tons are absolutely conclusive of our
| right and duty ITO assume the direct
| and exclusive government of the Philip
pines for We have our own interests to
thing about. but certainly they forbid
| the use on this floor of any argument
which tends to imperil the safety Of
| our troops at Manila, or which adds
. one Will ~ VIZ NiiIDdii oSSiiiStit va
| administration in the trying situation
| by which 1t is confronted.
| Mr.. President: | do not know. and I
| do not think any one else can know.
| just what ought to be done with the
Philippine Islands beyond this-that we
ought. as instantly as possible. TO com
| plete the withdrawal of the soldiery Of
| Spain. and that we ought to ourselves
| assume is obligations and prudently
| to discharge them until we have had
| full opportunity in our own council
| to determine their best disposition.
! This is all that the treaty of Paris pro-
poses or imposes. 1t is all that the ad-
| ministration has at any time suggested.
! Your army. your navy and your flag
| are at Manila. You can add to thei~
| dangers if you will. But their duty
| abdes and the will of the nation must
| be done.
| At the conclusion Of Platts speech
| notices of speeches on the expansion
| question We're given by Money. Miss.
| for next Friday. and Chiffon. Texas, for
Saturday, Feb. 4.
| Fairbanks, Ind. precpitated discussion
| by statement which he submitted with
! respect to the anti-eXpanSionst propI-
ganda. He said that, Thursday. clipping :
| from agricultural newspapers from var
Gus parts of the country. were inserted
| in the Record.
| There Is 4 very systematic and subtle
attempt TO misicad the people of the
country with respect TO the question al
| expansion said Fairbanks. land the az
| ricultural papers are being used a mt
| dunn for this Information
| Fairbanks said he had been credIbly in
formed that Herbert Myrick. the editor
| Of an agricultural newspaper at Spring :
| field. Mass, had sent to agricultural
| newspapers throughout the country the
| letter of Andrew Carnegie to See. Wilson
! in opposition To expansion and had urged
| them TO print it and comment favorably
| upon ii, the space i'll their papers TO b.
| paid for at the uSual rate He then had
| read some of the communications sent
! out by those who We're opposed 70 til
| policy of expansion. remarking that he
| desired simply TO put the Senate in pos
session of the Information contained
| therein.
Chandler. n. H., inquired whether FAIR
| banks could tell who paid for the publ 70
| cation of this literature and whether h
| objected to the payment for it by any
body who was able to do 50.
The matter-some Of it, ! may say.
caiIy published and sent to senators N
| this chamber at the expense of somebody.
| do not know who pays thc bills.
Hoar said that the matter which had
appeared in the agricultural papers win
| reference to the question of expansion
| was simply being supplied to the Senatr
| for its Information and as a guide. so Far
| AS it might be considered to be such u
| senators as to the views Of the great as
| ricultural class of this country. If Their
! could be, he said. more absoluteiy
! harmless method of communicating pup
| lie opinion he did not know what it was
| He indicated that the expansionist press
was being employed to the same end ami
said he Gid not enter any objection to II
| Then Chandler inquired of Hoar if he
| knew of any man with more or less
| money who was paying for the expansion
! propaganda. Hoar replied that he was
merely stating facts and had no desire
impusn the motives of anybody.
! Consideration of the pension appropra-
lion bill was resumed.
| German called attention to the large
amount carried by the measure. abou,
$4,000 600. and said that notwithstandin.
the fact that II per cent. of our soldiers
| who had been and were still engaged N
the war with Spain in tropical countries
| were suffering from illness that woulJ
| make them proper applicants for pen
sions. no provision had been made in the
pending measure for this increase in the
| pension roll
Hale said that he had been Informed by
| our troops We're not recalled from Cuba
before June or July at latest. the entir,
army the island would be down with
| illness
Continuing. Hoar said that the war with
Spain would swell the pension roll by al
| least $500 names, If the troops were NOT
ll1 4,