The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-26
THE SP00NER BILL AS A FOIL
BEING USED, SAYS MORGAN, TO DE-
FEAT THE CANAL BILL.

He Hesitated to believe That the
President Is IA Party to the Scheme,
But Said He Was in the Hands OF
His Friends-DecIared the Spooner
Bill Gave Too Much Power to lie
Exercised by Any President-Call-
ed AguinaIdO "a Traitor.
Washington, May 25.-Discusslon of the
spooner Philippine bill was continued in
the Senate to-day by Mr.. Morgan of Ala
bama
On the general question of the owner
ship and government by the United
States of the Philippine Islands, he was
in accord with Senators Spooner and
Lodge, but he regarded the pending bill
as unwise and dangerous legislation, be-
cause of the great power it placed in the
hands of the President.
He was satisfied, however, that the
measure would not be passed by this Con-
gress and declared that it was being used
as foil to thrust aside the Nicaragua
canal bill.
Much of Senator Morgan's speech was
devoted to the canal bill and to what he
were being used 10 prevent its enactment
at this session
Mr.. Morgan declared that no promises
had ever been made by our military and
naval commanders to recognize the Tagalo
government, which, he further said, did
not exist when Dewey took Manila
He denounced Aguinaldo as a political
adventurer and traitor.
Mr.. Morgan eulogized the Paris treaty
He attacked the Spooner bill because he
maintained it concentrated all the power
over the Philippines in the President of
the United States. 1t was too much pow
er to give any president and in a dishon-
est president this power would be very
dangerous. 1t was legalizing absoutsm
and took away from the Senate the power
to confirm the appointments of the Presi-
dent
Il do not know" said Mr.. Morgan.
whether the President is demanding from
Congress this imperial power. His con-
duct thus far of our islands does not JUS
tify the suspicion that he desires the vast
powers conferred upon him by this bill
merely for his own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT, or
for any imperial purposes. This is an un-
hallowed power. and ought not to be con-
ferred upon the President. Fraud has al
ready touched his administration in Cuba
but no one is more sorrowful nor indlg-
nant over it then he.''
Nicaragua Canal Question.
In view of our occupation Of the Phil
ippines Mr.. Morgan adverted to the Mic
aragua canal arguing for that project
He referred to what he hotly called the
Assumption, arrogance and brazen-faced
audacity' of the various Panama canal
companies, which were making repre-
sentations to this government
1T is an outrage on all public decency,"
he urged; IAN open violation of the GRIM
inal laws of the United States"
With earnestness and vigor Mr.. Morgan
arraigned the new Panama Canal Com
pany for having been instrumental in
preventing the passage of the Nicaragua
canal bill at the present session.
Never" he declared, has he United
States government and the United States
Congress been badgered and cuffed about
as we have been by this new Panama
Canal Company; and the quiet submis-
sion and ease with which we take it is
only accountable to the pendency of a
presidential election. And we are afraid
to tackle any corporation that has, or pro-
fesses to have some great power
He could not believe the President was
in league with the politicians who were
anita sonizing the canal bill
For, he inquired, vehemenuy, "is it
to be said here that the President is a
party to this ambidextrous and cress-eyed
political rascality?'
He did not believe, however that the
President was so afraid of British inhu-
ence that he had an idea in his mind of
abandoning the canal projct.
''The President, who is a candidate fer
reelection" said he, 'is in the hands of
his friends and his friends axe the enc
mics of the Nicaragua canal"