Omaha daily bee., 1901-01-05

had undsputed sovereignty has been aban-
doned. The British flag has been raised
over 1t and 1t is controlled by British con-
stabulary That is the fact"
Mr.. Carter-That is the alleged fact. only.
Mr. Wellington, continuing. said the
| Alaskan boundary was distinctly marked
by stones and the territory acquired by
the United States from Russia was clearly
the property Of the United States.
"1f the president should be impeached
If he relinquished territory in the Philip
pines, he should likewise be lmpeached for
relinquishing sovereignty in Alaska"
"Do you approve of the relinquishment
Of territory in Alaskan" inquired MIR. Car
ter.
II do not" replied Mr.. Wellington.
Mr. Carter-Then do you approve of a
relinquishment of the Philippines7
Mr. Wellington-That is quite a different
matter.
Mr. Carter declared It was the intention
Of the United States to maintain the laws
! in the Philippines, to restore order and to
protect property. Beyond that point con-
gress would determine what the ultimate
disposition Of the islands would be.
Mr. Teller of Colorado sharply criticised
the pending measure as the entering wedge
for a large standing army.
4 Ou III want not lVU,UUU ne de-
clared, "but you'll want 200, 900, and you
will want them for hundred years. This
measure is not intended merely to meet
an emergency, but to fix upon the country
| a great standing army"
Mr. Teller said it would be easily pos
slble to pass a bill In forty-eight hours
that would provide for an army OF 100 900
men or 100000 men for service in the Phil
ippines, provided IL was made to apply to
! purely emergency service and for a definite
| limited time. He attacked the Philippine
| commission now in Manila, for legislating
| for people in whom they had no interest.
The car Of Russia" said he, "is an alb
| solute czar. He has a council of sixty
men who sit with him, but these men are
Russians. They have the sympathy and
ambitions Of Russians. But these Ameri-
cans In the Philippines are strangers to
| the country and to the people. Under the
| law they have right to be there, but
under Gods law, which is higher, they
have no place there at all. Their actions
are the worst form of Imperialism"
Mr.. Caffery inquired whether in the cir
| cumstances Mr.. Teller would vote to main
tain the authority of the United States in
the Philippines.
Teller VIII Vote for More Men.
| "As Mr. Lincoln announced in regard to
| the Mexican war" replied the Colorado
| senator, "a war that he did not believe In,
| he would vote for such a force as the gov
| ernment needed So | have no doubt that
| as long as our flag floats in the Philippine
| archipelago | will (reluctant as / may bel
vote to maintain the army and the flag. II
that is illogical It is illogical because there
| Is no better way out of it,
Mr.. Proctor said he thought the Colorado
| senator was under misapprehenson as to
what the army bill proposes to do. AS he
| regarded the matter the maximum force au-
| thorlzed by the bill was to be used only in
the present emergency and there would be
a return to the minimum Of $4,000, which
was the peace footing force of the bill. No
one could tell when more troops might be
needed in Alaska, Hawaii or Porto Rico.
| Likewise there was the possibility OF the
need of larger American force in Cuba at
| the request Of the Cubans themselves. And
| as for the Philippines, no one could doubt
| that for considerable time, even II all de-
mands should be granted, a large force OF
our troops must be kept in those islands.
| Mr.. Jones of Arkansas asked Mr.. Proctor
| II he would consent to an amendment limit
| ing the maximum of troops authorized TO
the present exigency striking out of the bill
| the provision "or until congress may other
| wise direct"
Mr.. Proctor replied that individually he
would be willing to have the provision
modified so as to make it read until con-
gress otherwise directs" He said, how
ever. that he had no authority to speak for
the committee. 1t had not occurred to him
| that there was any chance that the maxi
mum force would be used after the eXpira =
| tion of the present emergency.
| Mr.. Culberson read an extract from Pres
ident McKinley's letter of acceptance of
his second nomination, in which the pres
| ident said that but for the false hopes
aroused in the hearts of the Filipinos by
democratic campaign promises consid-
cradle reduction Of the army in the Phil
| ippines could then have been effected. In
view of this statement and the fact that
the election had resulted in favor of the
republicans 1t should be possible to make
the reduction suggested by the president,
| Mr.. Hoar suggested a general amend
ment to the bill looking to the Cancellation
of the Filipinos and expressed the opinion
that in time of peace we should have one
soldier to each 900 OF our population. He
did not. therefore, he said, oppose the bill
on the score of increase, but he did oppose
it because of the avowed policy of the
military control OF the Philippines.
at is idle" he said, ITO tell us that these
people are not fit for government"
He quoted the president and naval officers
to show that the Filipinos are an inteli-
gent people and added "The way to pre-
pare them for liberty is to set them free.
what Hoar Thinks should lie Done.
Mr.. Hoar said that II the facts could be
known there would be no two opinions as to
what we should do in the Philippines, for
he believed that II the people were gen
orally convinced that the Filipinos were
as capable of self government as they are
they would make no effort TO continue the
subiugation of those people in the interest
Of trade. Mr.. Hoar urged that II would
have been most desirable to have appointed
a commission representing all phases OF
political life-men of the highest character
and standing-to ascertain the facts as IA
the Philippines and make them known tc
congress and to the public, He hoped such
a commission would be appointed before
the close of the present session. We should
give the Filipinos hearing.
| lie said: Let them state their case
They can come and 60 in peace and honor
Il we say tc the Filipinos that we will moi
consider their case until they go down OF
their knees, lay their hands upon their hip'
ard thoir lips in the dust, this war viii g'
on, II there Is a spark OF spirit and principle
i'm their breasts until every Filipino of one