The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-02-28
SAVANNAH, GA, THURSDAY FEBRUARY IS 1901.

that ii was the very worst legislation that
had ever been attempted in the Congress.
He considered 1t as revolutionary, and
said that under no circumstances would
he vote for it or vote for bill containing
such q provision.
He would rather vote for ten subsidy
bills than for this measure. He consider
ed our attitude toward China abnormal
and illegal and thought it most discred-
liable to Congress that that body was
about to adjourn without taking cogni-
zance of the situation. He said we were
In q state OF war with China.
Returning to the bill, MIR. Bacon said
that important as Il was, far-reaching
and revolutionary as it seemd to him
there had never been a sentence or line
uttered in the Senate in support oil
against the measure.
He denounced as coercion the putting
upon an arpropr alton mea asure in the
closing hours of a session such PROPOSE
tions as the Philippine and Cuban
amendments. They were clearly in vio-
lation of the rules of the Senate and ev-
cry Senator. he sa d, who voted to place
the Philippine amendment upon the bill
knew that it was a ''plain, dis 'inct and
undeniabe violat on Of the rules"
Mr.. Bacon denied that members opposed
to the Philippine amendment mad been in
cause of appropriations in the river and
harbor bin which might be lost
Great Chances for PIunder.
He pointed out that in the Philippines
there were sixty-eight million acres OF
rich lands, on which there were rich mines
and valuable timber. 1t was from 1.-THE
plunderers and spectators who like vul.
lures, are lowering over that PROSTATE
land" that the demand had come for Phil
| ippine legislation to which the ma iority
was about to respond. IL was a rich quar-
~, he said and the plunderers and vul-
lures were fiocking to the land, not from
America alone, but from other countries
He referred to press telegram from Ma
nla, which, stated that DR.. Kruger. tine
German consul there had urged his gov
ernment to request the German ambassa.
dor in Washington automatically, to ad.
vance the passage Of the Spooner bill be.
cause it would improve the interests OF
certain German mining companies in the
Philippines
The Georgia senator admitted that the
amendment which had been agreed TO-
placing restrictions upon the sale of pub
lie lands and the granting of franchises
had destroyed practically the opportunity
of the ''p-underers and vultures'' but he
insisted that they. nevertheless. were the
power that had brought forward the pro-
posed legislation at this time.
FiIipinos Far From Pacifed.
Further along Mr.. Bacon read an Asso-
ciated Press Dispatch from Manila t.
show that the Filipinos were far from be-
ing ''pacified," and that the conditions
were more serious In the islands than
they were represented as being by gov
ernment officials.
Mr. Gallinger called Mr.. Bacon's atten-
ton to a statement of the late Con VI
| General Wiidman, which contTadicted the
dispatch quoted.
Mr.. Bacon responded that. with eutirs
respect for the views OF the consul gen,
eral, ne would much prefer to accept the
statement of the Associated Press repre-
sentative, who was in the islands and
in position to see for himself, than tc
take the word, even of Mr.. Wildman
who was no nearer the Philippines than
Hong Kong.
Mr. Bacon. briefly discussing the Gu
ban amendment, declared he could not
vote for it. The future of Cuba, in his
opinion, necessarily was identified with
that of the United States, but he did not
think the amendment was in harmony
with the pledge given by this government
when it went to war with Spain. The
Teller reso ution, he said was not a mat
ter of sentiment, but a solemn assevera-
ton of our duty, made for our own safe
ty. The relations existing between this
government and Cuba ought to be guard
ed against any irritation that might be
carried by any such amendment as that
proposed, which was an ultimatum de-
claring that the Cuban people were sub
ject to the United States.
Mr. Jones of Arkansas said he would
vote against the Cuban amendment be-
a. - It, -
the United States to intervene in Cuban
affairs whenever the government does not
suit the purposes of the United States.
He also criticised the right claimed to in
terfere in regulating the sanitation of Gu
ban cities. He considered that the Phil
ippine amendment contained q more Sc
rious question.
Mr. Hoar of Massachusetts, said he was
opposed to committing to five men des-
potic power over 100000 men, but bore
in mind that that power is now and
for some time in the future will be held
by one man"
He presented protests from the leading
citizens of % towns in the province OF
Cebu against the terms proposed by the
American military governor.
To Create an OIiaarcby.
Mr. Tilman declared Congress was
about to abandon it's prerogatives and
turn them over to an oligarchy-a new
despodsm--of five men to be appointed
by the President. He declared by the
Hoar amendment 1.-THE teeth of the hy-
ena which was about TO tear out the
vitals OF the Filipinos have been pulled.
He protested that the President ought 10
be left with his present power--the war
power-which he thought was ample and
he urged that the committee amendment
be voted down.
ippine amendment upon legal and consti-
tutional grounds.
1t would be an outrage, he declared, to
turn upon the Filipino people a horde OF
carpetbaggers from this country.
Mr. Money of Mississippi, member oi
the Cuban Re.ations Committee, said thai
he was violating no great secret i'm say
ing he had consulted some of his Demo-
cratic colleagues about the Cuban amend
ment before It was reported and every
one Of them had approved It. They had
changed their minds now. but why, hc
did not know.
The amendment Of Mr.. Vest, providing
that the action of this government or he
officials in the Philippines, shall be sub
ject to the constitution and laws of the
United States, so far as they are appu.
cable, was rejected, 45 20 %, as follows:
Yeas-Bate, Berry. Butler, caffery. Chill.
ton. Clay. Cockrell Cu.berson, Harris
Hetfeld, Hoar. Jones Of Nevada. Kenney
McEnery McLaurin. Mallory. Martin, Pet
tigrew Peitus. Raw,ins, Taliaterro, Teller
Tillman. Turley. Turner'S.
Navs--Aidrich Allison Bard Revcridpa