The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-18
PHILIPPINE
 BILL DEBATED
 -S Some I,sS / Exchanges :. / ,le House. - vo- SEnL OCCUR TODAY
Mccall of Massachusetts to
 Speak Against Measure.
DeArmond of Missouri Declares in Favor of Granting Complete Independence to the Inhabi-
 tants of the Islands.

-
 Washington, Dec. H.-The bill to pro- vide temporary revenues for the Philip pine Islands was debated in the House today and will be voted on tomorrow at { o'clock. Several lively exchanges and an impassioned speech by MT. DeArmond (Mo,), who has just returned from q trip to the Philippines. In opposition to the retention of the islands. were the fea- lures.
 , Mir. Payne, the floor leader of the ma jority, opened the debate. Owing to the indisposition of Mir. Richardson. who has grip, the duty of opening for the minority devolved upon Mir. Swanson Wa.).
 The other speakers were MT. Grosvenor (Rep., O., and MT. Robertson (Dem., Lal for the bill. and Messrs Shafroth tSilver Rop., CoIo.), DeArmond Dem., Mol. Mr. Thayer Dem. Mass.). and Mir. Patterson (Dem.. Tenn.) against 1t.
 Mir. Robertson said he would support the bill because free trade with the isl- ands and reciprocity with Cuba, which was threatened, would destroy the sugar interests of his State.
 member of the Ways and Means Commit tee from Massachusetts, will oppose the bill, time having been granted him by the Democrats.
 MT Payne aroused enthusiasm as he described the great work of civilization which was going on along the line of ed- ucation.
 Our friends on the other side,'' said he, ''howI about our imperialistic Govern ment of the natives. We are trying to lift them up to the standard of American citizenship"
 Are you trying to it them for citizen ship in the United States or citizenship in the Philippine Islands?' asked MT. Gaines of Tennessee.
 "wc will cross that bridge when we come to it." replied Mir. Payne. But if you, on the other side, will cooperate with us, we will fit them for citizenship in the Philippine Island, the United States or any other country" Republican ap- plause).
 we will cooperate with you" replied Mir. Gaines when you carry the Con- stitution and the flag to the Philippines.
 "I am surprised" observed Mir. Payne "to hear the gentleman from Tennessee make that statement. He has just res turned from the islands. Is it possible he did not carry the Constitution and the flag with him?" Naughter).
 MT. Payne said the other side offered no substitute for this bill, and, having made reference to trusts in free trade England, MT. Wheeler of Kentucky inter- rupted to inquire whether the assurance which aggregate capital had in this coun- try that the Attorney-G General would not do his duty was not responsible for the great trusts now in the United States.
 "I will allow the gentleman to answer his own question: replied Mir. Payne Tt Is beyond me. Of course he does moi believe that any more than I do"
 'T do believe it," declared Mir. Wheeler, land I am quite satisfied the gentleman himself believes 1t.
 "If he does" observed MT. Payne, q don't know what he believes, and he don't know what believe" MT, Swanson CVa) deplored the fact that the Supreme Court had reversed its previous decisions and had seen proper to confer upon Congress absolute power to govern territories. He deprecated as pernicious the principle of the bill which fixed tariff duty on goods going from the United States to the Philippine Isl ands. He insisted that it was precisely the same power that British Parliament sought to exercise over the American colonies, against which they rebelled. He said that Philippine sugar to enter oui market must pay a duty of $36 per ton while our sugar could be sold In theiI markets upon the payment of $17 per ton l that hemp must pay duty of $2O, while l ours could enter the Philippines at $ll per ton; that our coal enters at % cents per ton, while theirs when sold here must pay 67 cents per ton; that our tobacco enters their markets on payment of g cents per pound, while theirs must pay here $l. .S5 per pound. He said a fit place for such a bill was in the Cortes oi Snain. and not in the Congress of the United States.
 He pointed out that the President ana the Secretary of War favored making generous concessions in tariff duties or | importations of sugar and tobacco Iron l Cuba. vet this bill failed to make any concessions on the same importations oi 1 the Philippine Islands He said that Il l inc policy of the Republican party wer, to prevail, it was better. in order to ge | trade concessions from the United States 1 to he subjects of Great Britain and there bv secure a reciprocity treaty. than tC he an inhabitant of the Philippines. H. ! said that a proper solution of the Philip pine Islands would be a declaration O | Congress that the inhabitants of the isl ards should be given independence al soon as safe and stable government coult l be maintained.
 Mir. Thayer Cdass,) declared that WI had overpowered the F1lipinos, but hat not conquered them; that the same spiri of liberty which led them to rebel agains l the tyranny of Spain still animate' | them Thie bill, which proposed to tal i them at both ends of the line would nov ! naturally arouse resentment. 4Lr. t1fUsNeHcr tC4I,J .alu he believe that if it had not been for the explosion of the Maine there would not have beel any war. but that all the results whici have followed would have been worEe' out except the acquisition of the PhAP pine islands"
 Mir. Grosvenor described the beneicien itl. result of similar bull on the condl.ioi | of Porto Rico. Turning to the qneStIol rn of reciprocity, he declared that 'hs i|s publican party was practically solu 1i to what should be done. Those "no er, VI |