The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-21
THE DAY In THE SENATE |
Mr.. Kenney Speaks on the Bacon
Philippine Resolution.
His Views on the Disposition of the
IsInndy-The Bill TO Provide n Cow
crnmcnt for Hawaii Taken Jp-A
Long Debate on Proposed Amcnd-
men.s Much Routine BuAincss.

The Senate convened at noon yesterday
| and about half an hour was spent in dis
| posing of the morning routine business.
When this had been concluded Mr.. Kenney
of Delaware was recognized for a speech,
| of which he had previously gwen notice,
on the Bacon resolution declaring the rur-
pose OF the United States in regard to the
Philippines. Mr.. Kenney said he had been
one of those who voted for the ratification OF
I he Treaty of Paris, believing that rati-
fication meant the end of tie war that had
been commenced for humanity's sake. and
! that the $4,000 600 awarded Spain was
the act. not only of a magnanimous victor,
but as well a tribute placed on liberty S
| altar by people who knew the value OF
! freedom.
Are there" he asked, "any who knew
The history OF the last two years who will
contend that if at the time the vote on
| on the floor of this Senate that war in
the Philippines was to go on, and that the
millions awarded to Spain was the pur-
chase price for people TO be held n per-
petual yassalage, that instrument would
have been ratiied?" He said he did not
think there were any such.
Policy of the Administration.
Referring to the policy of the Admins
tration toward the Philippines as outlined
recently in the spec ch of Senator Beveridge,
Mr.. Kenney said that there are Senators
supporting that policy today who at the
time they voted for the Peace Treaty had
not dreamed that they would be advo-
eating territorial and foreign policies of
the United States which were as strange
to It's institutions and traditions as they
were unjust and iniquitous- But under
tue lash and spur of party policy and ex-
pediency they had wheeled into line and
now stood ready. not merely as passive
agents, but as active workers, to consum-
mate that which must then have been the
hidden purposes of persons who dared not
let the light of public discussion shine on
their nefarious schemes.
As to relations of the Philippine Islands
to the United States. he declared there
could be no doubt that they were territory
Of the United States. and that their in
habitants were citizens of this Govern
ment. Beyond doubt, too, was the fact
thar the title and possession OF the islands
had passed TO the United States and with
title and possession the Constitution had
gone TO them. The Constitution, he con-
tended. applied TO the islands the same
moment that title and possession applied
and there could be no part of the domain
of the United States an exception wherein
different or limited citizenship exists
from that OF other portions Of the country.
ha har x.-h
tion should be made of them. and to his
mind there was left but one of two courses
First, their retention as a Territory, with
the ultimate purpose of admission into the
Union as State or States: second, the
erection of Filipino republic, under the
guidance and protection of the United
States
That the F=st course Is impossible" he
declared, there can be little doubt, when
We take into consideration the character of
the people and understand the great diff
ferences which exist between them and the
people of the United States Imagination
cannot be invoked so Wild as to contemplate
an addition to our present statehood of the
State of the Philippines. So. we have in
honor left us but the latter course. TO give
the islands back into the hands of their
own people. and in doing this we must
be satisfied that there is in them and their
leader. Aguinaldo. fitness and ability for
self government. The proofs of this are
overwhelming"
In conclusion Mr. Kenney said:
We should now and at once say to
those brave men OF the Pacific, our war
with you is not for conquest, but that
peace in the islands may be restored; and
so soon as peace does come, American
duty and homer will be the American
policy and the freedom and independence
of the Philippine Islands guaranteed, IL
need be, for all time by American arms"
The Senate then took up the private PEN
sion bills on the calendar
Fifty-two of them were passed. leaving
a large number of other private pension
bills still Enacted on.
House Bills Passed.
The Senate also passed House bills to
authorize the Natchitoches Railway and
Construction Company TO build and main
tain a railway and traffic bridge across
Red River, at Grand Ecore in the parish
OF Natchitoohes, Louisiana, and authoriz-
ing the construction by the Texarkana.
Shreveport and Natche= Railway Com
pany. OF bridge across Twelve Mile Bay
OIL, near Shreveport. La, also the follow
ing Senate bills:
To amend the act of June 2S, 1879, for
the appointment OF a Mississippi River
Commission. The amendment is pro-
vision requiring the headquarters of the
commission to be some city or town on
the Mississippi River:
Granting 10 the State of Wyoming sc, 900
acres of land to aid in the continuation,
enlargement, and maintenance of the Wy
oming State Soldiers and Sailors Home:
To amend an act entitled "an act grant
ing pensions to the survivors of the In
dian wars of 1882 to 1912. inclusive. known
as the Black Hawk War, Creek War.
Cherokee disturbances. and the Seminole
War"
To amend an act entitled IAN act TO
authorize the Grand Rapids Water Pow
er and Boom Company. of Grand Rapids.
Mimi, to construct dam and bridge
across the Mississippi River" approved
February "a 1899.
To grant 25. 900 acres of land to the
State of Alabama for the use of an agri-
cultural and mechanical college Of Ala
bama for negroes, and OF the State Nor
NAL College at Florence. Ala.
The Hawaiian Bill.
At . o'clock the bill to provide gov
ernment for the Territory of Hawaii was
taken up, and various committee amend
ments were agreed to.
An ame ldment offered by Mr.. Nelson.
was added excepting labor contracts. en-
tered into since annexation. from the con-