Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1900-01-19
A LIVELY DEBATE.
The Senator from South Dakota
Talks Quite Plainly.
EXPOSES THE methods
Of Mckinley, Hanna & Co., Regard
ing the War in the Philippines.
Says the Administration Deceives
the People by Suppressiog Facts.

the People by Suppressiog Facts.
| A special from Washington under
date of the 18th, says: A spirit ana
at times sensational debate was precip-
Iitated in the Senate today, on the Phil
Iippine question, over resolutions OF
Inquiry. Mr.. Pettigrew, of South Da-
kota, attacked the administration s
policy in the Philippines. and also
made some startling charges against
those who are supporting the admins
Itration. He declared that a systematic
effort was being made to prevent ac-
curate information from reaching the
people of the United States, and that
it was political scheme to further
the candidacy of Mr.. Mckinley for re-
nomination and reelection.
At the opening the Pettigrew reso-
Tuition, and the Lodge substitute, both
seeking from the President all infor-
nation regarding the Philippine in
surrection, were laid before the Senate.
Mr.. Lodge suggested that both be
Withdrawn, and the Hoar resolution
adopted as a substitute.
The resolution offered by Mr.. Hoar
was sweeping in its call for informa-
tion relating to the Philippine insur--
rection, but Mr.. Lodge said his desire
for all information concerning the
insurrection was so great that he pro-
posed to offer an amendment extending
it's provisions. He said he wanted in
formation especially as to the effect Of
the encouragement the Filipinos got
from the United States.
Mr.. Hoar agreed with Mr.. Lodge
Mr.. Pettigrew objected. He wanted
specific information, regardless OF
whether the President wanted it known
or not. He charged the government
with Withholding information for po-
litical gain.
1.-The trouble with the imperialists, "
said Mr.. Pettlgrew, lis that they have
COMPOUNDED the interests of the people
of the United States with the political
desires and ambition of their Presi-
dent, and regard him and his success
as more important than rightful
treatment of the Filipinos. The fact
is, this whole business is bound up in
the Presidents desire again to be the
candidate of his party for President. "
Mr.. Pettigrew discussed the censor
ing of dispatches from the Philippines.
He declared that important aud Sig
nificant facts had been stricken from
news dispatches from Manila, and
from official reports.
AS an instance of this work, said he,
| the Sulu treaty was mangled and part
ly suppressed until after the election
| in Ohio. He declared the proclama-
ton issued by the President was, on
the recommendation of Gen. Otis, al
tered materially by the President be-
fore it was published to the Philippine
natives AS originally drawn, it
was, to his mind, a fiat declara-
tion of war, and when Aguinaldo and
his leaders came into possession OF the
original they so regarded it.
1.-The whole wretcAed business" de-
Iclared Mr.. Pettigrew, vehemently,
Twas one of concealment and duplicity,
INTENDED to deceive, not only the peo-
pie Of the United States, but also the
islanders themselves"
LII substantiation of the charge that
1.-THE dispatches from the Philippines
were censored in the interest of the
administration, Mr.. Pettigrew quoted
from letter written by Mr.. Robert
M. Collins, the Associated Press rep
resentative at Manila. In this letter
Mr.. Collins related the substance of
an interview upon the subject of CEN
soring dispatches which he had had
with General Otis.
Mr.. Pettigrew read the statements
of Mr.. Collins, in which he had said it
was the evident desire of the officials
to prevent certain Information from
reaching the people of the United
! States. When he (Collins) had filed a
dispatch containing information
which be thought was proper to send
| to the United States, be had been in
formed by the censor that he had beer
instructed to cut out anything thai
might hurt the administration. Sub
sequently, when he had desired to sen(
a story relating to the use of silver il
the Philippines, the censor had tol(
him that his instructions were to al
low nothing to pass him which woult
be helpful to William Jennings Bryan
) in the United States.
Upon this point Mr.. Pettigrew be
came particularly sarcastic, and agai1
Iadverted to what he termed the Presi
dents desire to succeed himself, thougl
Essential information had to be sup
pressed to accomplish that end.
Mr.. Pettigrew declared that th'
President himself really began the war
and was responsible for it. "If," sai(
he, ''the administration had had {
spark of honor in dealing with th'
FiIipinos, it would have told Genera
Merritt to lay the whole truth of th'
Intention of the government befor,
Aguinaldo and his associates"
He believed this would have avertet
half the trouble. The shooting b.
UNITED States sentries of the Filipino
. the night of February 4th, the open
5 ing OF hostilities, was, he said, "a fOu
! blow, and we were guilty of duplicit.
e and treachery in killing those men
THAT we had fred the FIRST shot, which
L IL.