The age-herald., 1900-01-30
MASON ATTACKS
 BRITISH CONSUL
English Representative Had No
 Right to Griticise.
TILLMAN ON EXPANSION
Delivered Lengthy Address on Philip pine, Question, and Thought That Filipinos Should be Allowed
 to Govern Themselves

l Washington, January 29.-SenaJtor Mason, republican, of Illinois, arose today soon | after the senate convened to a question of | personal privilege and sharply attacked the British government and the British consul at New Orleans because of an interview in | which the vice consul had assailed MT. Ma son for the position he had taken in behalf | of the Transvaal republic ia its war with | Great Britain. MT. Mason attacked not only the consul, but the policy of Great | Britain in levying war upon inferior na- | tfon. MT Hoar, republican, of Massa chu- sets. drought the consuls purportet1 re- marks so serious that 1t ought to be inves- t'gated by the government; but at the same time he deprecated any attack upon Great Bra5afn, with whom the people of America ought to live in peace, as loving and as de- ve.ed friends
 | Mir. Lodge, republican, of Massachusetts sharply arraigned the British consul for his utterances against a United, States sen ator, and believed 1t ought not lightly to be l passed.
 MT. Tllman, of South Carolina, delivered forceful and quite oharac terstic speech on the Philippine question, in which he I extend to the Ftlipinos the right bo govern themselves, the United States guarding them against the aggression of other na- ! lions.
 l After some routine business, Mr. Petti- grew, of South Dakota, presented a resolu- | tfon calling upon the president, if not fn- compatible with public interest, to inform | the senate if the people of Samoa had been | consulted with reference % the recent | treaty regarding the Samoan islands. The | resolution went over
 | Ailison's Resolution Adopted
 The senate, then adopted a resolution pre- scented by MT. Allison, of Iowa, to proceed to elect a secretary and sergeant-at-arms of 1 the senate
 1 This was the second step in reorganiza- | ton of the senate, which had been pend ing for several weeks MT. Alison then in | succession presented resolutions, first, that 1 Charles Bennett, of New York, be elected secretary of the senate and, second that l Daniel M. Ransdell, of Indiana, be elected | sergeant-at-arms.
 | After agreement was reached that the officers Were not to take their places until February 1, the resolutions were adopted without division.
 MT. Mason, of Illinois, rising to ques- tion of personal privilege had read an in- | terview purporting to have been held with :he British consul at New Orleans, in which the Illinois senator was criticized for his l speech in sympathy with the Boers. MT. i Mason severely criticized the British gov l ernment not the people, saying that not one-tenth of the British people favored the | present war in South Africa, and 95 per cent of the people of this country sympa- thized with the Boers He said that 1t was not the first time British diplomats had in- | terfered in American politics, and he de- | sired to have attention called to this mat ter now before it could injure the present l administration as it had injured MT. Cleve- | land.
 Had No Right to Criticise
 MT. Lodge said he did not think the dip- | lomatic or consular office of any govern l ment had the right to criticise a senator or representative or any officer of the gov- ernmen. MT. Lodge said the gallant fight l the Boers were fighting stirred the heart of every man.
 MT. Mason criticised the foreign relations 1 committee for taking no action upon the | resolution of sympathy.
 MT. Mason then resumed his criticism of l England. He said England had made the | war for the purpose of getting the rich mines of Africa
 Mr. Platt, of Connecticut, said at the close of MT. Mason's speech that he wished to enter his protest against ''the abuse of free speech on the floor of the senate"
 MT. Pettigrew, speaking on resolution relating to contraband of war, said that the doctrine that a belligerant might seize food, even if 1t paid for them, would mean that in case of war between our two best customers our trade with both would be destroyed.
 At 1:45 D. m., Mir TiIlman took the floor | and made speech on the Philippine ques- | tions. IL was vigorous denunciation of the administrators Philippine policy. He | denied that the blood of the soldiers of the Philippines was upon the heads of those l who favored imperialism. The president of the United States, by negotiating the treaty of peace and 'ibuying the Filpinos," and those senators who assisted in ratification of tine treaty, were responsible for the ! present war.
 MT. Tillman said that the United States cannot govern any territory that does not belong to the United States, and where our flag floats the constitution and the princi- rles of the declaration of independence must be in force.
 'The president" he said, in conclusion "has declared that upon congress rests the responsibility. He shrks the burden of his mistake and crime and endeavors to shift 1t to our shoulders. Let us give these peo- pie a government of their own in whatever they may select, and be rid of the burden as well as the shame which must be ours if we do not. Let us protect them from outside interference, and in a small part compensate them for the wrongs we have l done them.'
 The senate after brief executive session at D. m. adjourned.
 ssA TUSCALOOSA NOMINEES