The National tribune., 1900-02-22
WAsHNGtoNg THURSDAY

|
said Mr.: SteHarh fthat the Filipinos are
now fit for Statehood but | repudiate th'
suggestion that they are not fit for JUS
such government as Jefferson extended t
the LOUISIANA pufthase or Monroe tt
| Florida"
Mr.. Stewart denied that there was any
intention of governing the Philippines as
a dependent colony or through the strong
arm of military force. Heinveighed very
strongly, against tie proposed tariff fol
Porto Rico. and said it would furnish su b
stantial groundwork for the charge oi
| Imperialism.
Senator Stewart stated that he thought
the people OF Rorto Rico ought to be treated
as Louisiana, Florida, and California were
treated, and that they would then learn to
love the American flag. He thought the
discussion of the constitutionality of the
| question was Improbable.
senator McEnery, of Louisiana, who
delivered speech on the Philippine ques-
ton, deprecated the acquisition of lands
whose productions in the very nature of
| things We're similar to many articles pro
orlced in parts of the United States. He
called especial attention to the cotton
grown in the Island of Ltizon. He eX-
pressed himself in favor of putting down
the lnSurrection in the Philippines, rs
| opposed TO expansion. and as believing
| that God1lnmself vail solve the problem
by destroying theAisIfarior races. -
am not wiling, said he, "that the
Philippines, or any part Of them. should
bacome thc property of the United States,
and ! am unaltera!'lv opposed to Their in
habit2ntS becoming citizens of this country.
we should get away from there as soon
as our honor, dignity, and interests will
permit"
The House on Friday indulged in its an
1ual Joke by striking from the Legislative
appropriation bill all provisions for the
Ciyil Service Commission. This action is
taken almost every year in Committee of
the Whole, whore the members do not 90
on record. and the provision is then in
varl2Dly restored when the bill gets back
III t1e hoii5e, where members have to re-
spohd TO Their names upon roll-call. The
vote to strike ont was 10 to 81.
MOST OF the tine of the House beyond
that occupied in the discussion of the Civil
Service law was devoted to attacks upon
the speech made by Representative Sims.
OF ic'lnGjS,a, on Wednesday, in which
ne furmSief some figures of the Pension
Office Showing the number of applicants
Tor pensions filed by soldiers of the volun-
teer regiments engaged i'll the Spanish
war to Sho| that the Northern soldiers
were much more clamorous in that regard
tnan tle SouthrOnS. and attributing this
10 the debauching of public sentiment in
tile Nortn on the pension question.
Representative PGarre, of Maryland
raised the storm by a reference to those
hgureS. and the statement that hundreds
OF Massachusetts soldiers who never
Smeiled powder had applied for PENSIONS
IhiS brought out an indignant reply from
representative Fitzgerald, Democrat. Of
MASSACHUSETTS,, who detailed the record of
the Massachusetts, volunteers i'm the late
war. He was followed by others, VINO
defended the records Of tn, soldiers from
tGcir respective States. Representative
Hepburn, of Iowa. denounced Mr. Sim;
h.. tod IL. ~
dld not furnish proper comparisons. The
Iatter insisted that even if that We're true
ms main contention was established The
matter was discussed for several hours
and conslderabiStenp was manifested.
Representative Norton, of Ohio. recur-
ring TO Mr. SImt5 rttnarks. declared that
II the commissioner of Pensions prepared
the tables incluced ia the latter's remarks
ne should be rcpoved. Mr. Sims had said
earlier in the day that maybe it made
the Northern soldiers sicker to face bull
let's and Mr.. Sortoh took up this state
meht. which he made the basis of a force
iul statement about the valor of Northern
mel, in the war df tlIarebellon.
>, Representative TaFbert. of South Caro-
ma, eXto!led the courage of Mr.. Sims.
i am glad he has placed the facts before
US, SAID he. He has opened the eyes Of
the House and the country"
he House on Saturday reversed the
action of the Committee of the Whole and
reinstated in the legislative appropria-
ton bill the paragraph making appropri-
tons for the Civil Service Commission. 1t
was on Mr. Mudfs motion that the ap-
propriation on Friday was stricken from
the bill. On standing vote of almost
two TO one the House reversed the Com
mittee Of the Whole and placed the an
propriation in the bill.
On Monday the House took I'D the
Porto Rican tariff bill. and the Senate the
Hawaiian bill. The debate will be given
in full next week.