The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-01-30
SENATOR EA5ON'S VIEWS
He Argues Against the Retention Of
the Philippines.
Permanent Occupancy of the Islands
by the United States Declared 10
BE Contrary TO All Precedent
Claims That They Are Necessary
for Commercial Purposes IA Snare.

ton introduced by Mr. McEnery in the last
Congress and the amendment offered by
r mself. The McEnery resolution was as
follows:
Resolved by the Senate and House Of Representa-
tives Of the United States Of America. in Congress
assembled. That by the ratification OF the Treaty
Of Peace with Spain it IS not intended 20 ineor-
porate the inhabitants Of the Philippine Islands
into citizenship Of the United States, nor is Il
intended 20 permanently annex said Islands as an
integral part Of the terri tory Of the United Sates
but il Is the intention Of the United States TO
establish on said islands government suitable
90 the wants and conditions Of the inhabitants of
said Islands TO prepare them for local self govern
Inent, and in due time 60 make such disposition
Of said Islands viii best promote the interests
Of the citizens q the United States and the in
habltants OF said Islands.
To this Mr.. Bacon offered the following
amendment:
Resolved, further, That tie United States here
by dsClaim any disposition or intention 70 eN-
ercise permanent sovereignty. jurisdiction or con
troll over said islands. and assert their deterni-
nation, when stable and independent govern
ment shall have been erected therein, entitled
in the Judgment Of the Government OF the United
States TO recognition as such, to transfer TO said
government. upon terms which shall Be reason
able and Just, all rights secured under the ces-
sion by spain, and 20 thereupOn leave the gov
eminent and control OF the islands their people.
Mr.. Bacon argued that at the time this
resolution was introduced the FilipinOs
had a President. Congress. an army. a
court and the other accessories Of a gov
eminent. and that the occupation OF the
Philippines By the United States was a
possibility rather than q probability. He
referred TO the manner in which our Gov
eminent WAS forced into temporary Occn-
pancy. and the necessity that forced Us
TO take charge OF the government Of the
islands under circumstances which were
not contemplated Une year ago.
Mr.. Bacon argued against the perma-
nent occupancy OF the Philippines, and
stated that such a course OF action would
be contrary 10 all precedent upon our part.
He stated that in his opinion colonial pos
sessions so far from the mother country
would be a continual menace in case Of
war with a foreign power, and following
out this line OF reasoning stated his belief
that our country would be the loser ty the
permanent occupancy os the islands, Con-
tinuing his address, Mr.. Bacon spoke, In
pat, as follows:
- great standing army and he wars
which viii result from he imperial policy
are only some OF its evils. Another Of no
unusual Importance is the immense money
cost to the people. In addition TO the
Of the Philippines has already been not less
than $50. coo 09o. while In the opinion OF
many who have examined into It, IL Is
nearer 5000 coo. 009. But taking il at $780,
TOO. 600 this is a supend0us sum OF money.
Every dollar OF il has been paid By the
American people and every man in the
country has contributed 10 IL his share
under the l6cF.
To permanently retain the Islands will
annually cost the United States more than
500. 900 900. The large increase in the
standing army will alone annually cost
that. and thai will by no means be all OF
the expense. On the contrary II will
probably be as much more
The Cost to the People
let no man deceive himself. Nj Presi-
dent, with the thought that somebody else
pays this and that he does not. Every
man pays his part and unfortunately the
man of small means pays almost. il not
quite. as much as man OF large wealth:
for the tax is paic on what a man and his
family consume and not upon the value Of
his property. II this vast sum Of money
we're collected directly out OF the people
for the purpose Of holding the Philippines
e would make a revolution-but in the
end the result is the same. II one has
dollar flched from him every day. each
days loss may not be seriously felt. but
at the end Of the year he is 1866 out Of
pocket.
so there must be added another in
evitable certain expense OF great magni-
tude. We have already sent nearly 100,-
900 soldiers TO the Philippines. OF those
who survive nine-tenths Of them will in a
few years be on the pension roll on &C
count of permanent injuries 10 health due
to service in that climate. Our pension
roll. now calling fOE-Rearly $50. 000. OOO
Will soon be 5000. 600. geo. Every year that
our army is kept in the Philippines viii
add to the amount for pensions. This
means not a yearly expense for a few
years. but for fifty years. We are today
Sill paying pensions TO Revolutionary
pensioners a lis years after the close OF
the war.
Mr.. President, this is no fanciful pic
ture. They are plain facts. which cannot
! be successfully contToyerted. This large
aggregate expense must be met by the
| people OF the United tSates. 1t cannot be
met by the revenues from the Islands
| We csNnot collect a tribute from them, and
| the rIN,nUes from the islands win never
pay more than enough to defray the ex-
pense Of administering their government
| Their entire imports have heretofore
amounted to only about S19.eO00 900. The
! imports are now being stimulated by the
! large American army stationed there but
even If largely increased under American
| Government. It is impossible that within
a great many years the increase could be
sufficient 10 yield any large revenue from
! imports.
"Mr. President, there are in addition the
! inevitable evils attending distant subject
eolonies-the corruptions of officials, their
tyrannies. and their cruelties-the insur-
reCtiOns and uprisings OF an unwilling
people and their bloody suppressions. such
as contribute the dark page in the history
Of every country which has by force domi-
mated and controlled q subject race.
China's Open Door.
But, Mr.. President, it is said that all
Of these evils will be compensated for in
the fact that the possession of the Philip
pines viii open and secure for us the trade
Of the Orient. II there ever was a propo-
sitiOn absolutely without argument to sus-
| tain it, il is this one If there could have
ever been any argument upon which it
could rest, il has been entirely removed
by the agreement which has been made by
all of the European governments that for
us the open door shall remain in China
and that we shall have equal privileges
with all other nations for our commerce
there. What more than this could we get
IL we owned every Pacific island and har-
Dor on the Asiatic coast2
mo, Mr. President the claim that the
! Philippines are necessary to our trade In
the Orient. is q deIusion and a snare set
to catch the feet Of the hasty and the un-
wary. And those who set the snare. like
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