The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-02-20
AS TO THE PHILIPPINES DISCUSSED IN
= THE SENATE.
THE EVILS OF ANNEXATION
Set Forth by senator McEnery-Sen-
ator Stewart Answers the Charge of
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. Rejects the SEN
ate Finance Bill Conference Com
mittees Appointed-Mr. Sims state
ment as TO Claims of Pensions on
Account OF spanish War Debated.
SENATE.

Bacon's resolution declaring the policy
of the United States towards the Phil
ippine islands was aid before the SEN
ate. and Senator McEnery, democrat.
of Louisiana, addressed the senat
thereon.
The Filipinos," he said, had no
conception of liberty guided by law.
Order established one day IN the is
lands would be succeeded the next by
disorder n anarchy. He deprecated
the acquisition Of islands whose pro-
auctions in the very nature of things
were similar to many articles produced
in parts Of this country. ON the fields
Of Luzon cotton and rice as fine as
| grown in any part of the south would
be produced and compete here with
our own products. The growth Of cot
ton in Luzon by the cheap degrad-
ed labor TO be had there would inter
fere with the establishment of cotton
mills in the south and New England"
Though all should now support the
United States authority over the Fill
pinos, Senator McEnery said, he was
opposed to expansion. God Himself,
he thought, will solve the problem by
destroying the inferior races.
Through our possession of the Philip
pines Senate McEnery felt sure for
eign complications would result with
France, Austria, Germany and Russia,
n we would be forced to seek an al
lance with our kinsmen, the British.
Adverting to the trouble in Kentucky
where, he said, an army had been en-
ployed to prevent the lawful sessions
of the Legislature, he suggested that
this country had enough to attend to
without seeking troubles abroad. He
had, however, no sympathy with the
FilipinOs whose self governing posi-
bilities, he ridiculed. We're they to ac-
quire citizenship, he said. we would
AVE repeated the troubles the country
suffered through negro enfranchise-
ment.
Senator Stewart, of Nevada, followed
with a speech on the disposition of all
our inSular possessions. He said:
IF to assist the people of the Philip
pines to establish local self government
after the plan adopted by jefferson is
imperialism, then Jefferson was the
pioneer imperialist of the United
States. The Philippines will never be
dependent colonies. They will be al
lowed to conduct their w affairs with
the assistance Of such officers as it may
be necessary to appoint to aid them in
establishing local self government. No
one pretendS that the FilipinoS are
now fit for statehood, but I repudiate
the suggestion that they are not fit for
just such government as Jefferson eX-
tended to the Louisiana purchase and
| Monroe to the acquisition of Florida.
He stamped the charges that there is
n intention to govern any of our ac-
QUESTION by the strong army of the
military as absurd and said the sug-
gestion of an import duty on the pro-
ducts of Porto Rico is pregnant with
evil.
The colonia policy of greed, with
discriminating duties against the pro-
ducts Of our own territory, he said,
would breed dissatisfaction and dis
cord. 1t might lead to militarism. 1t
might involve asst expenditures to
maintain the armies of occupation,
which would be dangerous to the safe
ty of the republic.
The Hawaiian bill was then taken
up and during its reading the disagree
ment of the house to the financial bill
was reported. The senate agreed to a
conference. naming Senators Aldrich,
Allison and Jones, of Arkansas, as con-
ferees. The bill was laid aside when
it's reading was concluded and at 1920
the senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The house today INDUCED in its an
nual joke by striking from the legisla-
tive appropriation bill all provision fol-
the civil service commission. This ac-
ton is taken each year in committee
Of the whole, where the members dc
not go on record and the provision is
then invariably restored when the bill
gets back into the house where the
members have to respond to their
names upon a roll call. The vote today
to strike out was IS to 81. TomorrW
the house will reverse this action, as
usual, on an yea and nay vote. Most
of the time of the house today, beyond
| 1Iot noaIlnioI IN fha Iira,,c;o. of ~
I civil service law, was devoted to at,
tackS upon the speech made by Mr.
Sims, democrat, of Tennessee, on Wed
neSday, in which he furnished som
official figures on pension application:
from volunteer regiments engaged IL
the Spanish war, to show that north,
ern soldiers were much more clam.
orOuS than the southern. Considerable
temper was exhibited in the ebate
At the opening the passage of tn
currency bill by the senate was an
nOunced and by unanimous consen
to and the house agreed to a confer
ence.
The speaker named Messrs. Over
street, republican, of Indiana; Brosius
(. republican. of Pennsylvania, and Cox
: democrat, of Tennessee, conferees.
: The house then went into committe
of the whole and resumed the consid
~ ~ IN
bill. The friends of private claims at
tempted to defeat the motion, bu
were defeated-76 to II.
, When the provision relating to tn
civil service commission was reported
Mr.. Pearre, republican, of Maryland
announced his unequivocal oppositio
TO the law and also referred to MI
Sims figures.
1 Mr.. Fitzgerald defended the civ
service law 1t had been grossly vic
. lated during the last campaign in Ohi'
he said. He read figures to show til
death list of Massachusetts,
in denying allegations that they neve
smelled powder.
"What was the cause of the
death?" asked Mr.. Wachter, repubi
can, of Maryland.
Disease contracted on accoun
the ineffciency of the government"
piled Mr.. Fitzgerald. holly. amid al
plause.
Mr.. Hepburn, republican, of low
in a caustic speech criticised NJ
Sims statistics.
Mr.. Sims contended that the ma!