The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1901-12-19


ing for the Democratic side devolved
on Mr.. Swanson (Va.). There was a
fair attendance in the galleries.
Before the debate began some pre-
Hminary business was transacted.
Then Mr.. Payne moved THAT the house
go into committee of the whole for the
consideration Of the Philippine reve-
nue. bill. Messrs. Vandiver (Mo) and
Cooper (Tex.) attempted to interrupt
the motion with requests for unan-
imous consent TO consider Schley, res
olutions, but Mr.. Payne declined to
yield the floor and his motion prevail
ed. ..... s...
Mr.. Payne, in opening the debate,
carefully explained the purpose of the
bill which already has been set forth
in his report. ..~
During Mr. Payne's speech there was
a colloquy between Mr.. Gaines (Tenn.)
who visited the islands last summer,
and Mr.. Payne. The latter described
the success of the Philippine commits
sion and asserted the Republicans
were trying to lift the Fdlipinos to
American citizenship. Mr.. Gaines de-
clared the Constitution and flag should
be carried to the Philippines.
Mr. Payne said he was surprised that
Mr.. Gaines had not carried the flag
and Constitution to the islands. e.
eve have done that covertly," said
Mr.. Gaines, 81 propose to show you
up" =. ..ta.-. II.
Mr.. Payne saIcastically replied that
he supposed Mr.. Gaines had learned
more in brief visit than all the Of
ficials of the United States in two
years and half Of investigation.
Mr.. Payne reviewed at some length
the events leading up to the formula
ton of the tariff. He contrasted the
Spanish rates with those fixed by the
commission. On -four, for instance, he
said, the rate had been reduced from
81. 8S to so cents, onA-ice from SO cents
to 40 cents and on hams and smoked
meats from 1913 to $500. Proper
tionate reductions had been made on
other articles.
Mr.. Payne explained that the COM
mission also had deemed it wise to
continue portion of the old Spanish
export tax on hemp, sugar and tobacco
owing to the difficulty of levying and
collecting a land tax Personally, he
said, he did not Like the idea of an ex-
port tax but there seemed no other
way at present. There was necessity
fer immediate action to meet the situa-
ton created by the decision of the SUI
preme court. -
Mr. Payne closed his speech at 1:20
and was followed by Mr.. Swanson
(Va.), who declared that none Of the
benefits for the Filipino people spok-
en- of could accrue through the agency
Of the pending bill. The voice Of the
floor leader Of the majority, he said,
was the voice OF Jacob, but the hand
was the hand of Esam.
Mr.. Swanson said that the president
and secretary of war favored making
generous concessions to sugar and to
bacco from Cuba, but this bill failed TO
make any concessions to the Philip
pines. Reciprocity treaties pending in
the senate allow concessions to for
eign countries, but none to the Philip
pines which we hold as q part OF our
own country. The money we nov
wasted in the Philippines would build
us the largest navy in the world. The
solution of the Philippines problem
was a congressional declaration to give
them independence ais soon as a stable
government could be formed.
Mr.. Thayer (Mass.) opposed the bill.
He said we have overpowered the Fdl-
ipinos but had not conquered them.
The same spirit of liberty which led
shem to rebel against Spain still ami