Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-01

ThesSenate resumed consideration Of
the conference report upon the army
reorganization bill. and Pettigfew ad-
dressed the Senate upon it. He said he
had voted against the bill and would
have been pleased if il could have ueen
defeated
Pettigrew referred again to the fact
that the Senate had refused to pass mis-
resolution making inquiry for the facts
concerning the situation in the Philip
pines. He asserted his belief that the
full records would show that the bat
tie of Feb. 4, 1899. was ordered from
Washington He also charged that Gen.
MacArthur's report had been suppress
ed for partisan purposes and that the
press reports of the Taft commission
were colored upon orders from Wash
ington to fit the emergency. He argued
that Filipinos are not enemies of the
United States and he hoped they would
be successful in their contest for lib
erty.
Pettigrew took special exception to
the provision in the bill authorizing
the enlistment of the F'ilipinos He in
troduced and had read a long letter
=
ernor of one of the Philippine prov
inces, in which it was charged that
severer torments upon the Filipinos
by American troops had been Unlisted
than the Spaniards had ever been gull
ty of. Robbery, pillage, violation and
murder" the letter said are the first
proofs of protection we receive when
the American soldiers enter q Filipino
community"
The letter writer characterized Gen.
Otis as the blind instrument of the
ambitious Mckinley"
Pettigrew said he would not cite this
letter if the charges made in it were
confirmed by letters from American
soldiers themselves. He believed these
barbarities We're practiced by the Mac
abebees. of whom it was now intended
to enlist 10000
Pettigrew presented Filipino docu-
ments alleging that their forces when
captured were exposed to extreme tor
lures. The unalterable purpose of con-
tinuing the war until liberty was Sc
cured was set forth at length.
Gallinger. n. H., inquired as to
whether PettigreW personally believed
our soldiers were guilty of atrocities
and fortunes in the Philippines. Petit
grew suggested that his remarks in the
Record would answer the inquiry.
Gallinger said that for one he did
not believe American soldiers We're
committing atrocities anywhere.
Pettigrew responded that according
to the secretary of wars testimony be-
fore the military committee that Maca-
bcbes who murder. burned and robbed,
We're being enlisted.
At this point the shipping bill was
laid before the Senate as unfinished
business.
Hawley, in charge of the army con-
ference report. asked that the shipping
the discussion of the conference report
to proceed.
Pettigrew objected and Frye, in
charge of the shipping bill. said: Il
have stated heretofore that l would
press the shipping bill even as against
appropriation bills and would yield on
~ on n vote of the Senate. | do not
include in the statement the army re-
organization bill. / regard that meas
ure as the most important before the
Senate and move that the Senate pro-
coed with the consideration Of the army
conference report"
Frye's motion was carried without n
dissenting voice The effect of this was
to displace the shipping bill temporarily.
Teller condemned statement attributed
to Gen. Macarthur in which he is said to
have told returning regiments that one of
their chief services was i'm engendering a
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