The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-12
PETTIGREW MAKES CHARGES.
PRESIDENTS PHILIPPINE POLICY
PURELY POLITICAL.


He Would Fight Untu He Was
Gray.
Washington Jan. IA spirited and. at
time sensational debate was precipitaed
in the Senate to-day on the Philippine
question over resolutions of inquiry.
Mr.. Pettigrew OF South Dakota attack
ed the administrators policy in the Phil
ippines and also made some startling
charges against those who were support
ing the administration. He declared that
a systematic effort was being made to pre-
vent accurate Information from reaching
the people of the United States, and that.
it was a political scheme to further the
candidacy of Mr.. Mckinley for renonina-
ton and reelection.
Before adjournment the Senate, after
prolonged debate passed the bill conferr.
ing additional powers upon the director CT
the census.
At the opening the Pettigrew resolution
and the Lodge substitute, both seeking
from the President all Information re-
garding the Philippine insurrection. were
laid before the Senate. MIR Lodge sus-
gested that both be withdrawn and the
Hoar resolution adopted as a substitute
The resolution offered by Mr.. Hoar was
sweeping in its call for information relat-
ing TO the Philippine insurrection, but
Mr. Lodge said his desire for all informa-
tion concerning the insurrection was so
great that he proposed to offer an amend
ment extending its provisions.
Mr.. Lodge said he wanted information
III .NF 4
agement the Filipinos received from the
United States.
Attacked Administration.
Mr.. Hoar agreed with Mr.. Lodge Mr.
Pettigrew objected. He wanted specific
Information, regardless of whether the
President wanted 1t known or not He
launched into q sensational attack on the
administration. He charged the govern
ment with Withholding information for po-
litical gain.
'~The trouble with the imperialsts." said
Mr.. Pettigrew, 'is that they have con-
founded the interests of the people of the
United States with the political desires
and ambitions Of their puny President
and regarded him and his success more
important than rightful trea tment of the
Fiipinos. The fact is, this whole busi-
ness is bound up in the Presidents desire
again to be a candidate of his party for
President"
Mr. Pettigrew discussed the censoring of
dispa tches from the Philippines. He de-
clared that important and significant facts
had been stricken from news dispatches
from Manpe t@..., :. .,@tls-,. ict,"rts
AS an instance of this work. said IL,
the Sulu treaty was mangled and partly
suppressed until after the election in Ohio.'
He declared the proclamation issued by
the President was, on the recommendation
of Gen. Otis, altered materially by the
President before it was published to the
Philippine natives. AS originally drawn, 1t
was, to his mind. a fiat declaration of war.
and when Aguinaldo and his leaders came
into possession of the original they so re-
garded it,
''The whole wretched business" declared
Mr.. Pettigrew, vehemently, was one OF
concealment and duphcity, intended to de-
ceive not only the people of the United
States, but also the islanders themselves"
Suppressing Information.
In substantation of his charge that the
dispatches from the Philippines were CEN
sored in the interests of the admnistra-
ton, Mr.. Pettigrew quoted from a letter
written by MIR. Robert NJ. Collins. Asso-
ciated Press representative at Manila. In
this letter, Mr.. Collins related the sub
stance of an interview upon the subject
of censoring dispa tches, which he had had
with Gen Otis. Mr.. Pettigrew read the
said il was the evident desire of the Of
fcials to prevent certain Information from
reaching the people of the United States.
When he collins had filed a dispatch
containing Information which he thought
was proper to send to the United States,
he had been informed by the censor that
ne had been instructed TO cut out any
thing that might hurt the administration.
Subsequently, when he had desired to send
A story relating to the use Of silver in the
Philippines, the censor had told him that
his instructions were to allow nothing TO
pass him which would be helpful to Will
liam Jennings Bryan in the United States.
Upon this point Mr.. Pettlgrew became
particularly sarcastic. and again adverted
TO what he termed the Presidents desire
to succeed himself as President, even
though essential Information had to be
suppressed TO accomplish that end
President Responsible.
Mr.. Pettigrew declared that the PreTi-
dent himself really began the war and was
responsible for it,
"if said he "the administration had
had a spark of honor in dealing with the
Filipinos 1t would have told Gen Merritt
to lay the whole truth Of the intentions
of the government before Aguinaldo and
his associates"
He believed this would have averted half
the trouble The shooting by United
states EentfleS OF tne 4 lnplnDs ludI DlRnt
of Feb 4. the opening OF hostilities, was,
he said. "a foul blow. and we were guilty
of dupHcity and treachery Ia killing those
men That we had fired the first shot
which had preciptated hostilities. nobody
denied"
Even after the fighting had begun, he
said, an effort was made by Aguinaldo TO
secure a suspension of hostilties, but I've
had been told by Gen. Otis that now the
fighting had begun il must continue to the
grim end.
"If." said Mr.. PettIgrew, 81 were a Fill
ipino / would fight until I was gray
against the unholy aggression OF the
United States. II this country Is wrong,
this country could take no grander posi-
ton before the nations Of the world than
10 admit that 1t, was wrong. We have
reached the turning point We must de-
eide whether we are 10 pursue a course
OF rapacity and aggression on the British
principle or to pursue course Of justice
and right. No nation long can pursue
such course as the imperialists have
marked out for us-a course Of wrong and
trcachery to friends-and hope to stand