The National tribune., 1900-05-31
IN CONGRESS.
Synopsis of the More Important
Proceedings of Both Houses.

pIlt was paSSeQ giving 10 IOSt 80, SA.n.
OF Lawrence, Mass, four three-inch guns
now in possession of Massachusetts,
battery.
Mr.. Allen offered n resolution requesting
The President to transmit to the Senate
translations, Of the Constitutions of the
South African Republic and Orange Free
State. The resolution was adopted
The resolution introduced by Mr.. Ken
ney Oel) calling upon the Secretary OF
War for certain information regarding
the situation of our affairs in the Philip
pines and the military operations in those
islands was laid before the Senate.
Mr.. kenney argued in favor of its adop-
ton.
Mr.. Lodge Mass.) did not object to the
resolution, but he objected to the preamble,
and believed the resolution might better
go to the Committee on Military Affairs.
After some colloquy a similar resolution
| introduced by Mr.. Allen and reported IA
vorably from the Committee on Military
Affairs was substituted for Mr.. Kenney's
resolution, and after being slightly amend
ed was passed.
Spooner bill, giving the President author
| ity TO provide Government for the Philip
| pines, was taken up.
| Mr. Petti9rew gave notice of a substitute
which provides for the cessation of hostili-
ties and negotiations for the establishment
of an Independent Government in the Philip
pines.
Mr.. Spooner (Wis) then took the floor to
speak on the bill. If there had been no war
Will Spain a treaty transferring the Philip
| pines to the United States would scarcely
| have received a vote i'll the Senate, he held.
| The truSteeShip under God would not have
| been accepted. We would have said our
| first duty was to our own people. There
was no lust of empire among us, he con-
| tended, nor is there now in the sense it is
often used.
| Mr.. Spooner said that on request of Ad-
miral Dewey after the battle of Manila
Bay troops Were sent to Manila Bay. They
We're not sent TO aid Dewey to hold his
position. but to capture and hold Manila.
No protests were made against sending
troops. We held Manila when the treaty of
| Paris was made.
| Speaking of the treaty, he said there was
| a time when he was opposed to it, but he
would now say that with all the facts
before him he could not see how the Presi-
| dent could do anything more than demand
| the cession of the Philippines.
The sentiment pervaded the entire people
of the country that the Philippines could
not be left with Spain. To illustrate this
point he referred TO the "unspeakable hor-
rOrs of Spanish tyranny in Cuba" He
said that if the Philippines had not been
taken by the United States Spain would
have resumed her sway in the islands. We
would have been Obliged TO march our
troops out of Manila as Spain marched in.
The Spanish bondholderS would have
furnished the means to carry on war of
Spanish conquest. We could not do as we
did in Cuba, demand a REIMBURSEMENT of
sovereignty from Spain of the Philippines.
Spain could not have granted any such de-
mand even IN her overthrow.
MIR. Spooner remarked that at the time he
voted to ratlfy the treaty he had said that
if it involved permanent domination of the
Philippines he would not have voted for it.
do tIsalf hot
of Imperialism in the Philippines. 1t was
slander to say that where our flag went it
meant tyranny, and was used only in an
election year.
Mr. Spooner read the order of Feb. Is,
1899, Tor the determination OF all but Fill
pinos in Manila, and asked: Gould any
thing be worse?"
He maintained that under these condi-
tons no one could seriously demand the
withdrawal Of United States troops. The
United States having acquired the Philip
pines by the treaty of Paris, Mr.. Spooner|
continued, the President could do no less
than send troops to that archipeIago
Had he not taken this course he would
have been subject to unanswerable criti-
cism. He could not have asked Aguinaldo
for an armistice.
"Say what you choose" Mr.. Spooner ex-
claimed, about the President; he has been
grossly insulted in this chamber; but he
to impress on the Filipinos his desire and
the desire of the American people to do
them good-to give them the largest liberty
possible-and he has done it in disregard of
hostile criticism at home; he has done
what, under his oath, he was obliged to do;
he has sent United States troops to enforce
the authority Of the United States over ter
ritory OF the United States"
Mr.. Carter presented the credentials of
Mr.. Clark as Senator from Montana under
the appointment of Acting Gov. Spriggs, of
that State. The credentials consisted
Of the certificate of appointment. Mr..
Carter simply asked that the certificate
be read and laid on the table. The GER
titicate was accordingly read and allowed
to lie upon the table. The incident created
a ripple of interest in the Senate, but caused
no further remarks.
The House discussed the Alaskan Gov
eminent bill most Of the day.
In the Senate on Wednesday the 'reso-
lgtion previously offered by Mr.. Bacon
Ga), directing the Committee on Re
lations with Cuba to make an investigation
regarding the receipts and expenditures of
money in Cuba was called up.
About a month ago." began Mr.. Platt
Conn, who is Chairman of the Committee
on Relations with Cuba, Gen. Wood,
the Governor-General of Cuba, was led to
suppose that there had been irregularities
in that portion Of the Government of Cuba
under the supervision of the Director OF
Posts. He Immediately organized an in
spection, which had been unsparingly
pressed.
The Senator from Georgia Bacon)
seems to think, as do some OF the news
papers, that all the malfeasance in Office
| and fraud have been brought to light not
| by the United States Government officials,
| but by outsiders. But it is to Gen Wood
that the credit OF the discovery OF these
| frauds and wrengdoings belongs, and to
the Administration belongs the credit Of
probing to the bottom these frauds. The
Senator from Georgia has no monopoly
| on the shame and humiliation with which
every patriotic man is affected by recent
disclosures. They are shocking. They
are blow-and direct bloY-to every
| true citizen Of the United States
| Neither the Republican Administration
nor the Committee on Relations with Cuba
need any prodding from the opposition
party toinduce them to make most search
ing investigation and to use every effort to
punish summarily and severely any person
guilty OF wrongdoing or fraud in the Island
Of Cuba.
But some things ought to be remem-
bered by those patriots who, in this Presi-
Dental campaign year, hold up their hands
ia holy horror and seize upon what has
been disclosed in an endeaVor to cast dis
crel!it not only upon the Administration,
but also upon their country. 1t ought to be
remembered that IN the three years and
three months Of the present Administration
TINS is the first opportunity they have had
to cFitlciSe In that resnect