The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-01-29
NALEDICTORY EFFORT OF THE
MINNESOTA SENATOR RECEIVED
CLOSE ATTENTION
TALKED ON THE PHILIPPINES
PRESENTED AN ABLE ARGUMENT
FAVoRING INDEPENDENCE
FOR THE FILIPINOS
MOSES CLAPP Is SWORN IN
Gopher States New Senator Takes
the Oath of Office Following the
Conclusion of His Prede-
ceSsOr's Speech.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 2S.-The senate
turned from the grind of appropriations
today to listen to a speech which par
took of the character of an grafton, from
Senator Towne, of Minnesota. Since he
entered the senate, a few weeks ago, on
appointment of Gov. Lind the young
Minnesotan has had little opportunity to
display his talents. AS his reputation as
an orator had preceded him, there was
much interest in his speech today, which
was in advocacy of his resolution for a
cessation of hostilities in the Philippines.
The floor was crowded with senators and
members of the house of representatives,
the latter including Representatives Lit
tlefie!d, Mccall, Cooper and others, who
nave been prominent in insular legisla-
tion. The galleries, public and private,
were crowded to overf1owing. The sem
ators on the Democratic side gave MIR.
Towne marked attention. On the Repub-
lican side the attention was less notice
able, although Mr.. Hoar and Mr.. Hale
at first followed the speech closely, at
times exchanging smiling comments on
some of the utterances. At one point Mr..
Depew took a front seat and listened at
tenuvely.
Mr. Towne's style of delivery was
clear and forcible. Although restricted
by manuscript, he had the subject we'll
in hand, and rolled out the fine periods
with a ferVor that sent them echoing
through the chamber. The speech
abounded in apotheses to Sperty and
patriotism, and scathing and scornful
arraignment of the policy by which the
Filpinos were being annihilated. At one
time an outburst of applause from the
galleries led to a vigorous warning from
the presiding officer against demonstra-
tons of approval or dissent AS the ora
h: ri there
was another outburst of applause, de-
spite the warnings of the chair.
MR.. TONNES SPEECH.
In opening his address Mr. Towne re-
ferred to the petition presented to the
senate a few days ago by zoos Fflipinos
for a cessation Of hostilities a1c for the
granting of independence to the people
of the Philippines He maintained that
it would prove a "quickening appeal to
the ancient spirit of the republic, or it's
rejection must dedicate the twentieth
century to a reaction prejudicial, if not
fatal to free Institutions"
While discussing events which led the
United States forces to the Philippines,
Mr.. Towne referred with particularly to
the charge that Aguinaldo had sold his
country to the Spaniards for a bribe.
He declared the accusation was gratui-
tous in its calumny, when we consider
that the official publications of our own
government contradict and destroy it."
The senator declared that I'VE were
in alliance with the Filipinos an alliance
sought by ourselves, availed Of by us
for our own advantage, and, finally,
to our own everlasting shame in the esti-
nation of honorable men, repudiated by
us when we found it no longer necessary
and when lust of empire had so blunted
our moral sensibilities that we could
mount from an act of perfidy to the
grand larceny Of nation
DISPUTES DEWEY'S VERACITY.
Referring to Admiral Dewey's denial
that he had ever treated the insurgents
as allies, Mr.. Towne said sarcastically:
Il fear the honest sailors Technology
has suffered from recent contact with
the nice determinations of aIministra-
ton diplomacy
Discussing the acquisition of the Philip
pines, Senator Towne said:
1T IS not easy to fix with accuracy the
time when the design was formed to take
forcible possession of the Philippine ISL
andS, nor to ascertain the mind in whose
gloomy recesses" this enterprise Of sac
rilege and violence first gathered form
and pressure. There has indeed been evil
denced a disposition by its most illus
trious sponsors as if their prophetic souls
already trembled at the inquisition of
after ages, to irnpute the dubious respon-
sibility to Providence itself.
II know not which to admire the more
whether the modesty which Gisclaims
credit for the policy or the colossal pre-
sumption which challenges and betrays
the vaunted confidence of the Almighty
No man, no party. NO nation can es-
cape accountability for actions by attrib-
uting their origin to any other source
than human motives and human judg-
ment The policy of the administration
toward the Filipinos must be justified
# ever justified at all, in the forum of
the reason and conscience of mankind -
MERRITTs ORDERS.
Mr.. Towne declared that upon the ar
rival of Gen. Merritt at Manila, "a dis
tinct change Of tone was observable" be-
tween the United States officials and the
Filipinos, the altered attitude being so
marked as to force the conclusion that
part of Gen. Merritt's prearranged task
was to maneuver out c. awkward friend
liness with Aguinaldo and thus reach a
footing for the convenient development
of some secret policy with which he had
come fresh freighted from Washington y
If there was doubt OF the prearrange-
ment of the plan. it was banished in
Mr.. Towne's opinion, by the president
himself The third article of the protocol
with Spain reads:
'"The United States will occupy and
hold the city, bay and harbor of Manila
pending the conclusion of treaty of
peace which shall determine the control.
disposition and government Of the Phil
ippines."
Yet despite that definite provision, the
president the senator urged, issued on
Dec. q. 1898, his famous benevolent as
EiTnilation proclamation"
PLEDGE WAS BROKEN.
Thus he continued, "the dilemma
is this: Either that article of the proto-
col does not mean what it says, or the
president of the United States, in causing
the issuance of the proclamation to
which 7 have referred, broke the plight d
faith Of this government. 1t is not agree
able to me to use this language: but I
devoutiy believe that the republic is at
the gravest crisis of It's history, and I
feel that necessary preliminary to its
getting safely out Is to cause the people
to realize how it came to get i'm
Mr. Towne said of the presidents proc
lamation, that among the roses OF its
soft rhetoric Of love, its fair speech about
oar~ccmiEg not as invaders or conquer
ors, but as friends Of tha mild ew1. OF
justice and of benevolent assimilation
Continued on Sixth Page.