The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-12-02
A PHILIPPINE DEBATE
Columbian Students Discuss the
Retention Of the Islands.
Judges Decide Against the Present
Policy of the Administ raj iOn-Ar-
gument of J. whitford Riddle Re-
ceives Special McntiOn-The Stu
dent. Show splendid Preparation.

The first public debate of the Schools of
Law and Diplomacy Debating Society was
held last evening in the university hall
of the Columbian University. The subject
OF debate was That Our Best Interests
Demand the Permanent Retention and De-
yelopment of the Philippine Islands as In
iegral Territory OF the United States"
Hervey Sheldon. Robert Upton, and J.
Whitford Riddle assumed the Affirmative
side of the question, and were opposed by
John F. Bethune and Albert r. Stuart
John G. Dudley, who was to have upheld
the negative argument, failed to appear
Hon. Champ Clark. Prof. Claiming Rudd.
and James c. Needham. who served in the
capacity OF judges Of the debate, decided
in favor of the arguments Of the negative
debaters, and announced Mr.. Riddle. of
the affirmative as their selection, as hav-
ing rendered the best debate. and Mr..
Bethune of the negative, as the second
choice.
The president of the Debating Society,
Robert NJ Calfee, opened the proceedings
Of the evening and introduced the debaters.
Mr. Sheldon for the Affirmative, offered
The first argument for the affirmative. He
considered that the people of the Philip
pines were intelligent and Industrious. and
as such were fit subjects for American
citizenship. Mr.. Sheldon asserted our
ability to elevate the Filipinos to thor
ough appreciation of our institutions. The
islands offered, he said. field for the
spread OF political and religious liberty,
and home, business. school. and church in
terests all demand that We retGIn all of
this dominion. He conceived it the duty
OF the United States TO establish light
houses for the enlightenment OF this peo-
pie to the full sense of all that American
civilization stood for. The establishment
OF American ideas in the Philippines would,
he believed alter conditions in the Orient.
Mr. Bethune who answered for the neg
atiye, said: There are ten millions of
Mongolians who will be admitted to this
country contrary to the Chinese eXclu-
sion act. This class OF citizens has al
ready been decided rs Objectionable. The
islands are at the antipodes and 1900
miles from the nearest American port.
AS an integral part OF the United States
the inhabitants of these islands will be-
come citizens of the United States. They
cannot be shut out by legislation, as the
Supreme Court has ruled that citizens Of
the Territories of the United States, with
the exception of the franchise. have equal
rights with citizens of the States. The
course proposed would bring American
labor into competition with this pauper
labor of the Orient. II is impossible TO
institute a protective tariff against an |
integral part of our territory. The Phil |
ippines will eventually be admitted as
States when political necessity arises. |
They will have at least two Senators, as |
well as some fifty members in the lower |
House. The power OF this alien element |
in legislation cannot but be deplored. /
Statistics of European maintenance of |
colonial garrisons show that II is at the |
expense of one soldier out OF every three
yearly. This would demand in proper
ton to the number of troops now in the
Philippines. that $4,000 soldiers be sent
there annually, as q tribute to the
Ninataur. treaty of reciprocity such
IS we have with other nations would
answer fully the acquisitions of trade,
and would be as effective as SOW
ereignty, relieving us OF expense and
besides promoting the