Evening star., 1901-12-18
THE PHILIPPINE TARIFF.
At 5 r. NJ. Yesterday the House Ad-
jOurned Until Today.

When The Star report OF the debate on
the Philippine tariff bill closed in the House
yesterday afternoon Mr.. Grosvenor Of Ohio
had the floor. Mr.. Grosvenor said that he
might have wished that January 10 the
date of the democratic caucus) had passed
before the debate upon this bill began, in
order that the exact position of the demo-
cratic party might be known. Mr.. Gros-
venor reverted to the fact the republican
administration had tried to avoid the war
with Spain. "At that time" said he 1.-The
same thoughtless cry of liberty rang
through this hall. l believe If it had not
been for the explosion of the Maine there
would not have been any war but that all
the results which have followed would have
beer worked out, except the acquisition of
the Philippines. 1 wish the opposition would
stand with us as loyalty in bearing the bur-
den of that war as they were in driving
us into it!' (Applause).
Mr.. GrOSvenor recalled the storm of crit
csm against similar bill for the benefit
of Porto Rico. But it had passed and
money had been made available. Mr.. Gros
venor described the beneficent results of the
bill in the Island of Porto Rico.
Turning to the question of reciprocity
Mr.. Grosvenor declared that the republican
party was practically solid as to what
should be done. Those who were yelling
for tariff revision, he said were about as
numerous for the amount of noise they
made as was the coyote which disturbed
Grants slumber on the western r.ains.
Has the gentleman forgr" the last
speech of the late PresideiE' .cKinley?'
asked Mr.. Thayer (Mass).
Il have not" answered Mr.. Grosvenor.
II wish the gentleman would take that
speech and read it and act upon 1t. If he
does he will rise in my estimation 9O-odd
per cent
Referring to the provision in the bill rela-
tive to the suspension of the coastwise nav
igation laws on vessels plying between the
limited States the PhjippinaS Mr.
GrcSvenor said the provision was necessary
because of the congested trade in the Pa
cifc. 'Since this bills was reported, how
ever said he, Il learn that possibly we
were in error as to our facts and that the
coastwise vessels may soon be able to
come to the rescue If that proves true the
provision can be stricken out in the Senate"
Speaking of the Taft commission he was
saying that one of the members of that
commission was a distinguished Tennessee
democrat. when Mr.. Pearce CTenn) inter-
rupted to say that in the campaign of 1900
Luke E. Wright, to whom Mr. Grosvenor
had referred, had voted the straight repub-
lcan ticket.
THAT comes.'' observed Mr.. Grosvenor,
amid applause. from associating with
great men In great enterprises. 1 will ven-
ture to predict that in 1904 the old demo-
cratic party. purged Of populism and the
free silver heresy, badly battered, but still
In the ring. will come forward under the
guidance and control of men who stood
where Luke Wright stood a year and
half ago."
Mr.. Shafroth (Col.), who has recently re-
turned from the Philippines vigorously op-
posed the bill He declared that there were
many popular misapprehensions about the
Filipino people There was a highly edu-
Gated class among them, perfectly capable
of conducting government and of govern
ing themselves. A government by stran-
gers must fail in many respects. Mr.. Shaf-
roth went over list of the salaries paid to
the American officials in the Philippines to
Shn1 ha int Of he tixrnS ~
paid the taxes.
Mr. Shafroth declared that the spirit Of
independence and liberty lived in the Fill
pino as well as the American, and that
until the Filipinos were free the situation
could not be satisfactory either to them or
to u.s.
Mr. De Almond CMo), who also has re-
Gently returned from the Philippines, was
the next speaker. and aroused much enthu-
siasm on the democratic side by denuncia-
ton of the pending measure and the entire
Philippine policy of the administration. He
declared that the bill proposed legislatng
after the manner of the empire. 1t disre-
garded the rights of the Filipino as well as
the American representative. 1t was legis-
lation by the War Department, legislation
by alien for alien. He denied the necessity
of taking the islands or of keeping them.
Democratic applause.)
I'VE acquired them in folly" said he,
''let US dispose of them in wisdom. Almost
every man in the islands longs for inde-
pendence and liberty. How long will it be
before another insurrection breaks out?
Who can tell how many of our youths it
will lay away in country church yards-how
many dollars of extra levy 1t will cost the
people? How much better would it be for
US to return to the principles of any Amer-
can party and make an end of our troubles.
Why not dispose of them to some country
that wants colonies? Any disposition of
them is better than their retention"
Mr.. Patterson CTenn.) opposed the bill In
a brief speech.
Mr. Robertson Na.). a member Of the
ways and means committee said he would
vote for the bill. The failure of this BILL ne
said, would in effect mean free trade with
the islands and he was opposed to bring
ing the sugar and rice planters of Louisi
ana into free competition with the sugar
and rice producers of the Philippines. This
bill would be a notice to the Filipino peo-
pie that they could never hope for equal
rights with the American citizen and must
prepare for independence. He said he be-
lieved that free trade with the Philip
pines and reciprocity with Cuba, which
was now threatened, would annihlate the
sugar interests of his state.
AT the conclusion of Mr.. Robertson's
remarks the committee and the
House, at pm, adjourned.
DEMOCRATIC ASSIGNMENTS.