The Savannah morning news., 1901-02-10
TELL The FlLIPINOS
WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO WITH
THEM.
SAYS BROWN OF OHIO
HTS SPEECH CREATES SENSATION
IN HOUSE.


One of Their Own Number so Dia-
metricaIIy Opposed to the Policy
of the AdminIstratiOn-Giv the
FiIiDinOs Independence, He Urged,
or Tell Them That They Shall De
Free Citizens of This Republic.
Washington, Feb. 9.-The consideration
of the diplomatic and consular appropri-
alton bill in the House to-day developed
something of sensation when Represent
tative Brown of Ohio, standing in the
center of the Republican side of the cham
Der, made a speech strongly condemning
a colonial policy and urging that Congress
should at once give assurance to the Fill
pinos that the purpose of the United
States was to give them independence.
His announcement that he would advo-
cate a resolution to this effect was loudly
applauded, particularly on the Democraic
side, and at the close of the speech many
of his Republican associates crowded
about him and congratulated him. Repre-
sentatives Miers of Indiana and Dinsmore
of Arkansas also spoke on the Philip
pines.
Mr.. Brown said:
"a colonial policy will be a radical de-
parture from the course which our gov
ernment has consistently adhered to in it's
splendid career of more than a hundred
years. A colonial policy will be main
tanned at the cost-greater than any sum
Of money can measure-of violating prin-
ciples which we have cherished as the
very life of free government colonial
policy will require us to govern without
the consent of the governed. A colonial
policy will destroy the high ideals which
we have so proudly followed from our be-
ginning as a nation.
Congress has never yet announced to
the Filipinos what the national purpose is
with respect to them If this body will
tell them now-tell them explicitly and
solemnly-that it is the fixed deternrna-
tion of this nation to establish its authorf-
ty in their country, and that when this
end shall be reached they shall have
chance to become in due form, free citi-
zens of a free governmental Congress
will say this to them, and say 1t now,
we may confidently expect that their rude
weapons of warfare will fall from their
hands and that they will sue for peace
peace which they will know means more
for them than anything ever held out to
them or to their fathers in any genera
ton.
This declaration would now be oppor-
tune. 1t would be at this time a wise act,
which the government is strong enough
to perform without having its motives
Ques toned by friends or foe. Even the
most deluded Filipino could not
misunderstood it. It would go
to him, as he would know. and as ali
the world would know, in the day of our
triumph and his defeat. This declaration
by Congress now would go to the FiHpinos
as a great nations amnesty to them.
'Why not proclaim this to the inhab-
itants Of the Philippine Islands, and why
not proclaim il now? 1t may be answered
that this is about what we really intend
to do 1t may be asserted that as we
are now going, and without a pledge or
a word from u.s. the ultimate end of our
occupation of Filipino territory will be
Filipino freedom and Filipino govern
ment. But we have not said this to the
Filipinos. We have carefully and studi-
ously refused to say this to them"
Ir. Brown also referred to the talk fav-
orable to holding Cuba, and said:
1--WE hear it said now-it is almost COM
mon talk-that it was a mistake for our
government to give assurance of a pur-
pose to leave Cuba. Men assert, without
any apparent sense of shame, that while
it was all well enough for us to go to
war for the sake of humanity and in hu-
manity's name, we should have left our
selves free to bring the Cuban people
their island into our keeping and hold 1t
our property. Deep regret is expressed
because of the fact that before the world
we pledged ourselves to the people of
Cuba, and that we would not make con-
quest ON their island, but that we would
leave it to them. the man who says we
should have resorted to this double deal
ing in April. 1898, now very logically and
very naturally goes a step further and
says we ought to violate the pledge we
then made and take Cuba, whether she
wants to come to us or not. What more
miserable, more inhuman, more unpatri-
otic course could be advocated? 1t is
the climax of greed without one spark of
conscience. 1t is the acme of aVarice
without single redeeming feature. 1t IS
the doctrine of a freebooter of the world.
1t is the code of a pirate of all the seas"
The consideration of the diplomatic and
consular bill went over at o'clock and
the rest of the day was given to eulogies
to the late Representatives DAILY of New
Jersey and Wise If Virginia.
Those who pronounced eulogies upon
the life and character of the late Mr.
Wise were Messrs. Lamb, RiXey, of Vir-
ginia; Weeks of Michigan, Linney Of
North Carolina, Aldrich of Alabama and
Lloyd Of Missouri.
At 5:25 p. M as a further mark Of re-
spect the House adjourned.