Evening star., 1901-03-28
CONGRESSIONAL COMMENT
SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVES,
ON AGUINALDo's CAPTURE.
They Think He Should be Pat Where
He Will Be Unable to Do
Any Harm.

The prevailing opinion expressed by sena-
tors and members of the House who are
now in Washington is that the capture OF
Aguinaldo will discourage his followers
and hasten the pacifcation of the islands
The opinion Is generally expressed also
that this government can afford best to be
lenient with Aguinaldo in the matter Of
punishment. The remark that the govern
ment can be as lenient with him as 1t was
with Jefferson Davis Is frequently uttered.
MIR. Curtis of Kansas takes rather a DIFF
ferent view. He expressed the opinion that
an example ought to be made Of the Philip
pine chief. He said to Star reporter that
he regarded promptness of action as more
important than severity. but thought that
the punishment. nevertheless should be Sc
we're enough to make an example and i'm
press the natives. He thought Aguinaido
ought to be tried and hanged. but that
whether hanged or deported, the action in
the case ought to be with at little delay
possible He said he had expressed
this opinion to the President.
Put Him Out of Way of Doing Harm.
Senator Elkns said that the capture of
Aguinaldo would hasten the end, which he
thought was near irrespective of the cap
ture He said he did not think it neces-
sary to inf1ict severe punishment upon the
prisoner. All to be desired could well
be accomplished by dlsposing of the Philip
pine chief In such way as to render IT
impossible for him to give further In
spiration to the rebellion and do harm
to this government. Civilization, he said,
had passed beyond the point where exc
cutfon was thought to be necessary In
such cases.
Representative O'ConneIl of Pennsyiva-
mia said that he thought Aguinaldo should
be placed where he; could do no harm. and
that would be as far as there was need to
go in his case. The result of his capture
would undoubtedly be great discourage
ment to his followers.
Senator PenrOse was jocular. He said
that If they did not know what else to do
with AguinaldO they might make post
master of him, or nominate him for Office
when civil government was established on
the islands.
Ex-Representative Walker Of Massa cflu-
sets said it was like the capture of Je1.
Davis, the question was what to do with
him. He thought the best thing would bs
to Danish him to England or anywhere. un
der promise that he would stay where sent
and not communicate with the Filipinos.
Senator Hawley, who had long talk
with the President this morning. said that
he believed Aguinaldo should he put in
some place and carefully guarded so that
he could not communicate with bis fol-
lowers. He did not think the prisoner
should be executed, but that h, should be
scht to Guam or some Othe' secluded PLACE.
Effect on the Army.
1t was stated by a high official of the
War Department that the capture Of Agui
naldo would undoubtedly remove the neces-
sity for enlisting the army up to the maxi
mum strength, granted by law, of 100 ,000men.
and that probably only IS 900 men would
be required. Instead of $4,000 soldiers be-
ing required in the Philippines, he
thought that only about 10000 would be
necessary now, and as the civil government
was extended this number could be
duced, but the department intended to keep
a sufficient force in the islands to quell any
trouble or put down any insurrection or le-
bellion, but the capture of AguinaIdo GER
tainly removed the backbone of the present
insurrection. and in view of this, there
would not be the necessity of so large a
force as contemplated before the event Of
Yesterday ..-.