Evening star., 1901-12-17
Philippine Tariff Bill Taken Up in
the House,
PAYNE AND GAINES HAVE COLLOQUY
Swanson Opens Discussion for
the Opposition.
SENATOR MORGAN'S EFFORT

The first debate OF the session In the
House began today on the bin to provide
temporary revenues for the Philippine Is
lands. Under the agreement made last FRI
day the debate is to continue today and to-
morrow until 4 o'clock, when the vote is to
be taken. Mr.. Payne. the floor leader OF
the majority opened for his side, and owing
to the indisposition Of Mr.. Richardson, the
floor leader of the minority, who is suffer-
ing from an attack of the grip, the task OF
opening for the democratic side deyolved
upon Mr.. Swanson (ya). There was a fair
attendance in the galleries.
Before the debate began some preliminary
business was transacted. Messrs Dear
mond (Mo) and Broussard Qa). who had
not heretofore appeared at this session.
took the oath.
After the routine business had been dis
posed OF Mr.. Payne moved that the House
go into committee of the whole for the con-
sideration Of the Philippine revenue bin.
Two democrats. Messrs. Vandiver (Mo) and
Cooper CTex), attempted to interrupt the
motion with requests for unanimous con-
sent to consider Schley resolutions but Mr.
Payne declined to yield the floor and his
motion prevailed.
Mr.. Payne, in opening the debate. care
fully explained the purpose of the bill,
which has already been set forth in his
report.
During Mr.. Payne's speech there was
quite colloquy between Mr.. Gaines( (TennD,
who visited the islands last summer, and
Mr.. Payne. The latter described the sue
cess OF the Philippine commission and as
serted that the republicans We're trying to
lift the Filipinos to American citizenship.
Mr.. Gaines declared the Constitution and
the nag should be carried to the Philip
pines.
Mr.. Payne said he was surprised that Mr.
Gaines had not carried the flag and Consti-
tuition to the islands You have done that
covertly,' said Mr.. Gaines. II propose to
show you up
Mr.. Payne sarcastically replied that he
supposed Mr.. Gaines had learned more in
brief visit than all the officials of the
United States In two years and half OF
investigation.
Mr.. Payne also had a brief controversy
with Mr.. Wheeler Cky.), in which the latter
asserted that aggregate capital had the
not prosecute the trusts and that was why
they existed.
Mr.. Payne declared that Mr.. Wheeler did
not believe his own assertion any more
than he (Payne) believed 1t.
Mr.. SwansOn in Opposition.
Mr.. Payne closed his speech at l:29 and
was followed by Mr.. Swanson Va) who
declared that none OF the benefits for the
Filipino people spoken Of could accrue
through the agency OF the pending bill.
The voice of the floor leader of the ma
jority. he said was the voice OF Jacob, but
the hand was the hand Of Esau.
Mr.. Swanson said that the President and
Secretary Of War favored making generous
concessions to sugar and tobacco from
Cuba but this bill failed to make any con-
cessions to the Philippines. Reciprocity
treaties pending in the Senate allow con-
cessionS to foreign countries but none to
the Philippines, which We hold as a part
of our own country. Holding the Philipr
pines by force weakened instead or
strengthened this country.
The money We now wasted in the Phil
ippines would build us the largest navy IN
the world. The solution of the Philippine
problem was congressional declaration to
give them independence as sooIf as a stable
government could be formed.
Mr. Thayer (Mass.) opposed the bill. he
said we had overpowered the Filipinos. but
had not conquered them. The same spirit
of liberty which led them to rebel against
Spain still animated them.
Mr.. Grosvenor (Ohio) said ii was ulfor-
tunate the democratic caucus could not be
advanced. so that the exact position Of the
democratic party might be known. He re-
ferred to the fact that a republican admin
istration tried to avert the war with Spain.
The same thoughtless cry of liberty rang
through the halls of Congress. He wanted
the opposition to join the republicans in
bearing the burdens of that war.