The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1901-01-29
THEWORK OFCONGRESS
Senator Frye Reads Appeal From
Philippine Federal Party.
CIVIL GOVERNMENT SOUGHT.
senator Towne Delivers nm Address
Urging That 1t IL Our Duty to
Grant Independence TO
the FiIipinOs.

washington, Jan. Gov men tne pehoN
convened, the presiding officer, Mr.. Frye,
called attention TO the following cable
gram, which was read;
"MASILA, Jan. u.
president of the Senate and Speaker of
the House of Representatives, Wash
ington:
"Accessions to Federal party by thou
sands in all parts OF archipelago. Atti-
tude of hitherto irreconcilable press and
general public opinion show that labors
of party TO bring peace will soon be
crowned with success. Until now political
parties have attempted formation on
plans more or less questioning American
sovereignty. Our platform makes main
plank sovereignty of United States with
| liberty to each citizen to pursue peace
| fully his political ideas.
Hour of peace has sounded. On our
platform are grouped many Filpinos or
| hitherto irreconcilable ideas, but some
more obstinate decline to join, for, though
willing to accept sovereignty of United
States, the prospect Of indefinite continu-
ance of military government makes them
distrust purposes of the United States
and delays their submission.
adjournment of present congress with
ont giving president authority to estab-
| fish purely civil government with usual
powers and postponement for at least a
year of such government until new con-
gress will certainly confirm this distrust.
Directory of the Federal party believes
comforting such authority on president
would inspire confidence, hasten accept
ance of sovereignty of Union and the
coming of peace. Directory therefore
prays both houses OF congress to author
lie President Mckinley to establish civil
government whenever he believes 1t OPP
perfume.
Frank II. Bourns, DR.. Pardo De Ia
vero, Florentino Torres, Ambroso Flares,
lose Mar, Tomas Del Rosario, G. 5.
Arelano, directory of Federal party"
Speech by Towne.
Senator Towne delivered a speech on
the Philippine question. In opening his
address Mr.. Towne referred to the petit
ton presented to the senate few days
ago by zoos Filipinos for cessation of
hostilitics and for the granting of indie
pcndence to the people Of the Philippines.
He maintained that 1t would prove "a
quickening appeal to the ancient spirit of
the republic or its rejection must dedicate
thc twentieth century to a reaction preju-
dicial. il not faulty. to free institutions"
United States forces 10 the Philippines
Mr.. Towne referred with particularly to
the charge that Aguinaldo had sold his
country to the Spauiards for bride. He
declared the accusation was ''gratuitous
in the calumny. when We consider that
the official publications OF our own gov
ernment contradict and destroy it," The
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
shame in the estimation of men, repudi-
ated by US when we found it no longer
necessary and when lust of empire had
SO bGnted our moral sensibilites that we
could mount from an act of peridy to the
grand larceny Of a nation"
Discussing the acquisition Of the Phil
ippines, Senator Towne said: at is not
easy to fix with accuracy the time when
the design was formed to take forcible
possession Of the Philippine Islands nor
to ascertain the mind i'll whose gloomy
: recesses' this enterprise of sacrilege and
!, violence first gathered form and pressure.
There has indeed been evidenced a dispo-
siton by its most illustrious sponsors, as
If their prophetic souls already trembled
G at the inquisition of after ages, to impute
4 lIlt luDlDus ItsDOuSiblilly " L
/ itself ] know not which TO admire the
$ more, whether the modesty which dis
|, claims credit for the policy or the col
n lossal presumption which challenges and
y betrays the vaunted confidence of the
h Almighty.
u NO man, no party, no nation can es
i cape accountability for actions by at
e tributing theic origin to any other source
e than human motives and human judg
ment. The policy of the administration
toward the Filipinos must be justified, i
ever justified at all, in the forum of til,
1t reason and the conscience Of mankind"
A. "Change of Tone Observable"
he Mr.. Towne declared that upon the M
III rival Of General Merritt at Manila -;
ie distinct change OF tone was observable
A. between the United States officials an,
ie the Fiipinos, the altered attitude bein
III so marked as to force the conclusion
&c that part of General Merritt's prear
Us ranged task was to maneuver out Of ri
e. awkward frendliness with Aguinald
N and thus to reach a footing for the con
yenient development of some secret po
icy with which he had come fresh freight
ed from Washington
~ If there was doubt of the prearrangt
CT ment of the plan, it was banished, in Nj
" IoWne OPINION, by the president MIN
re self. The third article Of the protoc,
g with Spain read, "The United States wi
" occupy and Hold the city, bay and la
le Dor of Manila pending the conclusion {
= n treaty of peace which shall deterlnin
&C. the control, disposition and governmeI
Of the Philippines"
Yet despite that definite provision II
president, the senator urged, issued {
I'm Dec. 81. 1898, his "benevolent assimi
as ton proclamation"
re Mr. Towne maintained that the Unit
q States was under the obligation of ii
TX cumstances, if not indeed of actual pror
ip- Use, To grant independence to the Fl
IN pinos and that among nations the form
IN, was quite as binding as the latter.
He then argued at length in support
his contention that the Filipinos we
capable Of governing themselves, pol
OIL ing out that so per cent of the populate
ne of Luzon can read and write and holdil
va that the government established by A
Ter uinaldo was strong, symmetrical and pI
ere Gressive, even in the difficult and distur
ere ing conditions which surrounded it. +
i'd declared that the Filipino statesm
would creditably meet almost any emt
gency of the administration In even t
most advanced government and wou
hp have dignifed and ornamented the eai
IA, struggles for nationality Of any peoI
ha known to history.
raj .prharo ;s axcaI,on+ ,.oeon ~ hol;o