Waterbury Democrat., 1901-01-28
SENATOR TONNES s rEIcH.
Declares That United States Was All lied With Filipinos Against Spain.

Declares That United States Was All lied With Filipinos Against Spain. Washington, Jan 2S-In opening his address in the senate Mir Towne referred to the petition presented to l the senate a few days ago, by 2,OOO l Filipinos for q cessation of hostilities' l and for the granting of independence | to the people of the Philippines. He maintained that it would prove ''a 1 quickening appeal to the ancient spir- | it of the republic, or its rejection must dedicate the twentieth century to Il re- l action preiudicial, if not fatal, to free 1 institutions
 l While discussing events which led the United States forces to the Philip l pines, MT Towne referred with partic- ularity to the charge that Aguinaldo had sold his country to Spaniards for l q bribe. He declared the accusation 1 was 'gratuitouS in the calumny when we consider that the official publica- tions of our own government contra 1 dict and destroy it."
 l The senator declared that we were in alliance with the FIlipinos. an alli- ance sought by ourselves, availed of l by us for our own advantage. and final 1 1y. to our everlasting shame in the es- timation 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 a na- tion.'
 Referring to Admiral Dewey's denial that he had ever treated the insurgents as allies. MT Towne said 'sarcastically: T fear the honest sailors terminology 1 has suffered from recent contnct with the nice discriminations of admins tration diplomacy"
 Discussing the acquisition of the Philippines, Senator Towne said: Ut is not easy to fix with accuracy the time when the design was formed to take forcible possession of the Philip | pine islands, nor to ascertain the mind in whose gloomy recesses' this enter- ! prise of sacrilege and violence first gathered form and pressure. There has been evinced disposition by it's ! most illustrious sponsors as if their prophetic soul already trembled at the inquisition of after ages. to impute the dubious responsibility to Providence it. self I know not which to admire the more, whether the modesty which dis claims credit for the policy or the col ! losal presumption which challenges and betrays the vaunted confidence of the Almighty.
 "No man. no party no nation can escape accountability for actions by attributing their origin to any other source than human motives and hu- man judgment The policy of the administration toward the Filipinos must be justified. if ever justified at all, in the forum of reason and the conscience of mankind.'
 Mir Towne declared that upon the ar rival of General Merritt at Manila "a distinct change of tone was observ- able" between the United States off cials and the Filipinos. the altered at titude being so marked as to force the conclusion That part of General Merritt's pre-arranged task was to maneuver out of an awkward friend- liness with AuginaldO and thus to reach q footing for the, convenient de- velopment of some secret policy with which he had come fresh-frelghted from Washington
 If there was doubt of the pre-ar- rangement of the plan it was banish- ed. in MT Townes opinion, by the president himself. The third article of the portocol With Spain read: .'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 con- trol, disposition ana government of the Philippines"
 Yet despite that definite provision, the president. the senator urged. issued on December 21. 1S9S his famous benevolent assimilation proclama- rion''
 'Thus," he continued. ':the dilemma is this: Either that article of the DOT tOcOl does not mean what it says, or the president of the United States, ill causing the issuance of the proclama- ton to which l have referred broke tine plighted faith of this government. II is not agreeable to me to use this language; but 1 devoutly believe that the republic is at the gravest crisis of it's history, and feel that Il necessary preliminary to it's getting safe out is to cause the people to realize how it came to get in.' Mir Towne said of the president $ proclamation that among the roses of it's soft rhetoric of love. it's fair speech about our coming not as in yadars or conquerors but as friends, of the mild sway of justice and of 'bene-
 yolent assimilation the already just ly awakened distrust of the Filipinos clearly beheld the unsheathere and glittering steel of despotism.'
 If we are bent on slaughter" said The, let it be in open guise. If We lust for this peoples land, let us not glaze our enterprise with false and sinister pretense. Rather let Is bold ly raise the soulDer flag of internation- t al piracy, whistle scrupples down the l wind and then close in upon oul 5 feeble victim to the cries loot and , glory.'"
 , Senator Towne then argued as [ length in support of his contention : that the Filipinos were capable of gov erning themselves. pointing out that
 so per cent of the population of Luzor
 can read and write and holding that f I the government established by Agui , naldo was strong. symmetrical anC :, progressive, even in the difficult and disturbing conditions which surround ed 1t. He declared that there is ex !. . cellent reason to believe that even a1 ! this day the existing Filipino govern ropt low a q if ia in estate and miprra