The Portland daily press., 1901-01-29

lie declared the accusation was "gratuit-
Gus In the calumny, when we oonsii er
that the official publications of our own
government contradict and destroy It.
This Senator declared that we were in
alliance with the Filipinos, an alliance
sought by ourselves, awaited OF by us
for our own advantage, and finally to
our everlasting share In the estimation
Of honorable men repudiated by us when
we found IL no longer necessary and
when lust OF empire had 10 bluntsd our
moral sensibilitIes that we could mount
from an act OF perndy TO the grand mr.
ceny OF a nation.
Referring to Admiral Dewey's denial
that he had ever treated the insurgents
az allies Mr.. Towne said sarcasticsily:
~ fear the honest sailor term inology
has suff cred from recent contact with
the nice discrimination Of administration
diplomacy"
Discussing the acquisition Of the Phil
ippines Senator Towne said:
"It is not easy to fix with accuracy tn
time when the design was formed
take forclbIe possession OF the Philippine
Islands nor to ascertain the mind In
whose gloomy recesses' this enterprise
of sacrilages and violence first gathered
form and pressure. There has indeed been
eyinced q disposition by Its most Illus
trious sponsors as If their prophetic
souls already tremblsd at the incubation
of after ages to imputs the dubious re-
sponsibility to Providence itself. 1 know
not which to admire the more whether
the modssty which disclaims credit for
the policy or the colossal presumption
which challenges and betrays The vaunt-
ed confidence OF the Almighty. No man;
no party; no nation; can escape account
ability for actions by attributing their
origin to any other source than human
motives and human judgement. Ths
policy of the administration toward the
Finpinos must be justified, II sver justi-
ed at all, In the forum OF the reason and
the conscience OF mankind"
Mr.. Towne declared that upon the ar
rival of Gen. Merritt at Manila, "a dig
tinot change of tone was observable.
between U. S. officials and the Filipinos,
the altered attitude being so marked as
to force the conclusion, THAT part OF
Gen. Merrltt's pre-arranged task was TO
manoeuvre out of an awkward frien1h-
ness with Aguinaldo and thus to reach
m footing for the convenient development
OF some secret policy with which he had
come fresh freighted from Washington.
II there was doubt Of the pre-arraugei
ment of the plan 1t was banished, In MIR.
Tow mes opinion, by the President him
self, The third article of the protocol
with Spain read: "The U. 5. Will occu-
py and hold the city, bay and harbor OF
Manila, pending the conclusion oil
treaty OF peace which shall determine
the control, disposition and government
of the Philippines"
Yet despite that definite provision, tie
President, the Senate urged, Issued on
Decemb Der 81, 1898, his famous "Benevo-
lsnt assimilation proclamation"
Thus, he continued, 1.-THE dilemma is
this: Either that artiols of the protocol
does not mean what It says, or the Presl-
dsnt Of the U. s., In causing the issuance
of the proclamation TO which have
referred, broke the plighted faith of
this government.
"Ir is not agreeable to me to uss this
language; bat devoutedly believe that
the republic is at the gravest crisis of its
history, and feel that necessary pre-
liminary to its getting safe out is TO
cause the eopie to realize how it came
to get In"
Mr.. Towne said of the Presidents
proclamation that among the roses OF
its soft rhetoric of love, Its fair speech
about our coming. not as invaders
or conqusrors, but as friends OF the
s'mild sway of Justice and of "beneyo-
lent assimilation" the already justly
awakened distrust of the Fillplnos clearly
beheld the unsheathed and glitterine
stsel OF despotism."
"If we are bent on slaughter" said
he, '.let 10 be in open guise. III we lust
for this peoples land. lat us not glaze
our prize with faiss and sinister pre-
tence. RATHER let us boldly raise the SOM
bre tag OF international piracy whistle
scruple down the wind, then close In up
on our feeble victim to the cries loot
and glory"
Senator Towre then argued at length
In support OF his contention that the
Filipinos were capable OF governing
themselves. pointing ont that 50 per
cent of the population OF Luzon can
read and write, anu holding that the
government established by AguinaIdo
was strong, symetrical and progressive,
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Rfn.un <o A%nrao