The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-01
STIRRING SCENES IN SENATE.
SENATOR PETTIGREW AROUSED A
HORNETS NEST.

AEuinnIdO's Into Print-Admiral
Dewey Had Denounced Aguinnldo's
Statements az FaIse-AlI of which
Led 10 n Very Exciting Debate.
Washington, Jan. 2l.-The debate in the
Senate, ordinarily calm and dgnihed,
burst to-day into passionate utterances
ana bitter recriminations. Senators hurl-
cd denunciaions one at another until the
auditors Quivered with excitement
The debate grew out of a phase Of the
Philippine question and no scene had been
witnessed since the discussion of the war
resolutions in the last Congress, which In
sensational features, compared with that
of to-day
The discussion arose guile unexpectedly,
Mr.. Pettigrew, who has precpitated near
ly all of the debate upon the Philippine
question during the present session sought
| to have read a resolution embodying a
decree written by Emilio Agunaldo upon
the Filipino insurrection and containing
his version of the alleged recognition of
the Filipino republic by Admiral Dewey.
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, protest
| ed against printing the document in any
! form, and read a letter from Admiral
| Dewey in which that portion of Aguinal-
| dos statement relating to the Admiral was
| denounced at "a tissue of falsehoods
Senators on the floor listened with eager
attention and many gallery spectators
| leaned far over the raings in their desire
! not to miss a sentence. Mr.. Lodge said he
| preferred accepting Dewey's word to THAI
| of Aguinaldo, and was satisfied the Amer
| lean people would also.
Charged with Treason.
In passionate reply Mr. Pettigrew de-
| cared that Admiral Dewey had recogniz-
| ed the Filipino republic, and, although
| afforded an opportunity heretofore to deny
| Aguinaldo's statements had not done 20.
| IN an instant half dozen senators were
on their feet. Mr.. Hawley, the venerable
senator from Connecticut denounced Mr..
| Pettigrews action as treason. In rapid
succession Senator Pettgrew was made
the target for singing arraignments by
Senators Spooner, Hawley, Sewell and
| Gallinger That the feeling was at a
pitch seldom noted in the Senate was evil
denced by the pale faces of the men VINO
spoke.
Mr. Jones, Democrat, OF Arkansas, and
Mr.. Teller, Colorado, endeavored to stem
the tide of protest and deep feeling by con-
ciliatory speeches.
Al the conclusion of the scene which
viii remain memorable in the Senate an
nals, the financial bill was taken up and
discussed by Mr. Berry, Democrat, of Ar
kansas. and Mr. Teller silver Republican,
of Colorado.
Admiral Dewey's Letter.
The letter from Admiral Dewey read by
Senator Lodge was as follows:
Washington Jan. 30, 19O0-Dear Sena-
tor Lodge The statement of Emilio Ag-
uinaldo as recently published III the
Springfield Republican, so far as it re-
| lates TO me- is a tissue of falsehoods. |
never promised, directly or indirectly, in
dependence for the flipinos. l never
treated him as an ally except to make use
of him and the soldiers to assist me IN
my operations against the Spaniards. He
never alluded to the word Independence IN
any conversation with me or my officers.
The statement that ! received him
with military honors or saluted the So
| called Filipino flag is absolutely false
| Sincerely yours. George Dewey"
Mr., Spooner read an expression from the
late Gen. Lawton, in which the General
| said:
| IF l am shot down by Filipino bulle
II might as well come from one Of my men,
because / know the continuance of fight
| ing Is due TO reports sent out here from
America" The General had at the same
time exclaimed: 81 would to God the whole
truth of this whole situation was known
as l know it."
! Senatorial Inconsistency.
Mr.. Rawlins OF Utah thought that sena-
tors who were making such strenuous OBJ
lection to having Aguinaldo's utterances
published were inconsistent Were they
not aware that the administration had it.
self made public documents emanating
from the same source? Did any greater
obligation rest upon the Senate?
Mr.. Rawlins criticised the censorship %
the administration, 'on the threshold Of
q political campaign" He also objected
to the use of a letter from a patriot Ike
Gen. Lawton in support of political propa-
ganda
Mr.. Jones of Arkansas wanted all of the
facts known In that respect, he agreed
with Gen. Lawton. In his opinion the
most unfortunate circumstance that had
i happened in connection with the discus
sion Of the Philippine subject was the re-
fusal at the beginning to allow any raso-
luton of inquiry to go through by NOV
ing to lay it on the table, thus manifest
ing a disposition to cut off debate and
| suppress facts. He had sufficient conf
dence in the American people to believe
that they would in the end arrive at a
just conclusion, but in order that they
might be enabled to do so they should not
be cut eff from any of the facts.
Mr.. Jones joined with Mr. Rawlins in
his objection TO the rigid censorship
| "You can only fear the truth" he said
you need not fear falsehood, for you
have in the officers on the ground fun
means of ascertaining what is true and
what is false"
"a Traitor" Says SeweII.
Mr.. Sewen Of New Jersey referred TO
the fact that he had opposed the acqui-
sition of the Philippines, but he said that
as soon as the Paris treaty was ratified
he had sunk his private views and acqui-
esced in the result.
II saw the flag attacked" he said land
after that with me il was the country and
the flag. right or wrong"
lie referred TO the fact that he had
son on Lawton's staff, and said his sym.
pathies were naturally with the soldier
in the field
Il deprecate beyond measure" he went
On. "the action Of the Senator from South
Dakota"
He then declared that under the circum-
stances he considered MIR. Pettigrew
traitor to his country and his conduct as