The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-07
A COMMERCIAL VIEW OF 1T.
PHILIPPINE QUESTION DISCUSSED
FROM THAT POINT.

the Philippines, which attracted much at
teution 1t was devoted almost entirely
to the commercial aspects of the acqusl-
ton, holding that the absorption of the
Islands would be ultimate runous to the
American producers Of cotton, rice, tobac-
co, hemp and sugar
Mr.. Morris. OF Minnesota, made an ex-
haustive legal argument in support of che
right to hold and govern the islands. The
other speakers We're Messrs. Gibson. of
Tennessee, W. A. and II. C. smith, Of
Michigan; Cochran, Of Missouri and
Neville, of Nebraska.
The general debate on the diplomatic bill
closed today and Will be taken up tomor-
row for amendment under the five-miuute
rule.
The final conference report on the urgent
deficiency bill was agreed 10.
When the diplomatic bill was taken up
Mr.. Gibson of Tennessee opened the de-
bate with general argument in favor of
expansion, reviewing the acquisitions of
territory from the foundation of the gov
eminent to show that expansion had been
a national policy since its inception
Not a Financial Advnntage.
to discuss this question from the stand
point of dollars and cents. but the spirit
of commercialsm made it necessary He
said that from the standpoint of American
agricultural industry and American labor
the annexation OF the Philippines would
be disadvantageous in comparison with
what could be done under comparatively
free trade relations. lie believed that if
We aided the Fiipinos in setting UP sta
Ole government there, we could obtain per-
petual free entry for our goods and escape
the great question that was perplexing
US. The cost of maintaining an army Of
G5,000 men, which would be necessary if
we retained the Philippines, would be three
times the value of the imports and exports
of the islands
Il am much more opposed to the an
nexation of the Philippines in it's old his
toric American sense than l am to the
new tangled doctrine of Imperialism. As
much as | would hate to see the Deelara-
ton of Independence thrown to the winds
as much as l would hate to see the old
historical landmarks of Washington's
farewell address forgotten, as much az
l should hate to see the constitution
amended so that we might have sub
jects l would rather change the constitu-
ton, / would rather be RELOCATED to the
unwritten constitution of England to the
common law itself than to admit eleven
million barbarians like that share and
share alike with me and my children and
my grandchildren in moulding the desti-
MES of this great republic, the last hope
OF all the ages for popular freedom, and
FOR the demonstration of the fact that
man can govern himself (Applause)
Competition in Labor.
Now, my friends, one of two things
VIII follow. Either commercial conditions
IN the Philippines viii remain substanti-
any as they are or they viii be vastly i'm
proved under our flag. If they remain as
they are, then if all F'ilipinos who wear
clothes Were put into one gigantic order
al the cotton they want for a wear and
send ii within one week to the citv of
New Orleans 1t would not create a ripple
on the cotton market Now. IT, on the
contrary, We teach them to wear clothes
either in the schOoihouse or upon the
battlefield and we produce a condition of
great industrial progression and improve
ment, then we may possibly create a valu-
able customer. But he becomes a valuable
customer by first becoming an immens..
producer. Suppose those people progress
more marvelously than Japan has pro-
dressed. Upon what line must they in
crease their purchasing power? To-
day the main exports of the Phil
ipplne Islands consists of sugar.
tobacco and hemp. Do the tobacco
growers of Connecticut and Maryland
want to produce the sort of industrial
dHleHoFaton IN the Philippine Islands
that will enable men who are emploved at
twenty cents a day to compete with the
men in the Connecticut valley and along
the hills of Maryland who are raising to-
bacco? DO the sugar planters of Louisiana
want to get valuable customers for the
manufactured goods of this country by
enabling these people to put no improved
machinery fer sugar man--~~---ire and TO
enable them to sell FIVE, ten twenty, If
ty, and hundred-fold as much sugar as
they do now in competition with the
Louisiana man who raises cane sugar.
DO the rice growers of Georgia and South
carolina and Louisiana want to annex
that sort Of competition?
Other Speeches Made.
Mr.. Morris thought there were. higher and
nobler issues involved in the ACQUISITION
OF the Philippines than the benefits of our
trade, and argued that the rights to ac-
quire territory had become established by
the decisions of the courts
Mr.. Neville, of Nebraska in opposing
annexation said he had promised his con-
stituents never to vote dollar for the
support Of the Sultan OF Sulu. with his
eight wives and 146 slaves.
Mr.. Cochran, Of Missouri, said that If
We We're 10 govern the Philippines under
the Constitution it must be subject to all
the limitations of that instrument He
called attention to the fact that the agree
nized slavery and was therefore in viola
ton OF the amendment 60 the Constitution
which provides slavery shall be forever
prohibited, not only I'm the United states
but IN all territory over which il exercises
jurisdiction Mr.. Cochran said that many
of the slaves in the Sulu group were
Christians Or the descendants of Chris
tians captured by the piraucal NIoros.
The south African War.
Mr. William Alden Smith of Michigan
the member of the Foreign Affairs Com
mittee who offered an amendment In com
mittee for minister resident Of the South
African Republic and the Orange Free
State, said he knew 1t would be useless to
oner the amendment in the House, as a
ngle objection would defeat IL. He
should, therefore, urge q separate bill. not
10 embarrnss the government. but because
he believed a diplomatic officer of the
government was needed in South Africa
lie said that as much as his sympathies
went out to the Beers, he wished for Eng
land renown, glory and power because he