The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1900-03-07
HOLD THE PHILIPPINES.
South Cardinals Junior Senator
Favcrs Retaining Them.
In Advocating the Doctrine of Ex-
pansion He Declares that 1t is
Not a Political Question-Some
Discussion on the Financial Bill.

DISCUSSION on tne Financlal Dill.
Washington, February 2S.-Not-
withstanding the agreement made
by the Senate to vote on the Ha waiiar
government bill at toiay's session.
the final vote on the measure was
postponed until 4 O'Clock tomorrow
Practically no progress was made On
the bill today, although it was under
consideration nearly four hours.
Mr.. A!drich explained the confer
ence work on the financial measure,
One of the amendments authorizing
the gold reserve to be held in bullion
as we'll as in gold coin was added be-
cause the facilities for the coinage Of
gold would not at present admit Of
coming the gold in sufficient quantity
at all times the reserve in gold coin
The provision prohibiting the use OF
bond sale proceeds to pay current
government expenses was due to the
apprehensions of the House con-
freers that a so called endless chain
might be established. He said the
authority to suspend the issue of Ger
tifcates where United States notes
AID silver certificates in the general
fund exceed S6o,00o,O0o was simply
another way of protecting the re-
serve. The issue first Of silver GER
t;Eca.es Of small denominations was
to svoid any possible contraction OF
the currency. The additional coinage
S2c,0o0,OO0 of the subsidiary silver
was to meet expected later needs OF
our island possessions. The author
i:y for banks to issue one-third Of
their circulating notes in denomina'
,ions Of s. was agreed to because
banks il remote parts Of the country
nseded good deal of currency in
small bills to accommodate custom
ers.
Concerning the bimetallic amend
mert Mr.. A'driich said the position
taken by the United States was that
bimetslism was low impossible ex
cept by international agreement.
Mr.. McLaurin of South Caroline
was then recognized to speak on the
Philippine question. he said:
In the discussion of the question
there has been manifested a disposi
ton to ignore the considerations by
which We are confronted, and to
project the debate upon line OF po
li,icsi sentimentalism. This mode ot
discussion is not cnly uupatriotic
but it is an invasion of the true issue
This is not political question.
Mr.. McLaurin strongly deprecated
the position which the Democratic
party had taken in making the Phil
ippire question and expansion polit
cal issue. He pointed to the past K
show that some Of the greatest Dem
ocrats that ever lived were e2par
siorists and TO prove by their acts
snd measures that had it not been fo
them :he United States would no
have been the nation it is today.
He took the ground that the Phil
ippines are risbtfully and legal:
ours by the treaty of Paris, and tina
tie United States should hold them
gffordipg the Filipinos every oppor
tupity to acquire the art of govern
| ment and giving them al the power
ard rights possible in the c;feuu
stances. He dwelt particularly o.
the great opportunities afforded b.
the islands for trade between Amer
cans and the nations OF the Orient
He cid not agree with some of hi
colleagues OF the Democratic sid
that our trade il tie East was mer
fgmert CT the imagination. II
q1oted statistics to prove that the e.
perience of the last decade cortrs
| dicted those Woo asserted that on
Eastern trade was not of immens
consequences.
Il is the O.ient, he said, th'
we must look for markets. Tier
must be a change in our polio,
We must enter into actual con
petetion for this trade. v
must recognize changed cond
sions, ard 1 believe that by holdin
the Philippines our trade in tt
| Orient will continue to Increase un;
all surplus products for years
come will fnd remunerativs marhe
IL the East.
Mr. McLaurin then discussed tt
special interests of the South IN Il
expansion of our trade.
am glad, said he to believe tn