New-York tribune., 1901-12-19
PHILIPPINE BILL PASSED.
PARTY LINES CLOSELY DRAWN IN THE
HOUSE
THE VOTE WAS 1s3 TO 12s-THREE DEMO
Gratis FOR AND TWO REPUBLI-
CANS AGAINST 1T
[sr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

|
| BILL by q vote of 163 to 12S Three Democrats
| Messrs. Davey Brousserd and Robertson, of
| Louisiana-voted with the Republicans. Two
| Republicans-Mr. Mccall. of Massachusetts. and
| Mr.. Lttefeld Of Maine-voted with the Demo-
Gratis The vote shows that neither the result
of last years elections the decisions of the
| United States Supreme Court upholding the gov
| ernments colonial policy have sufficiently
| changed the views of House members to affect
| their votes on questions of legislation for the
| insular possessions. The Democrats, with the
| notable exceptions found in the Louisiana dele
| CATION are still declaiming Justify against "im
perialism" while the Republicans. save the two
| -Englanders, who voted to-day as they did
in the last Congress- are determined to maintain
unmpaired the colonial policy that was so over
| whelningly indorsed by the people at the polls
in 1900 and has been sustained by the Supreme
Court. In point Of fact. to-days legislation was
direct and remarkably prompt response to the
mandate of the Supreme Court in the only test
suit that has been tried involving the validity
and constitutionality of the governments ad-
ministration of Philippine affairs When 1t Is
remembered that the courts decision was rem
dered less than three weeks ago. the action OF
the House to-day shows how anxious that
branch Of Congress is to do the things that are
required for the just and proper government OF
the Philippine Islands and the promotion of the
welfare of the Filipinos. If the same celerity
were possible in the Senate, 1t could be expected
that the bill passed by the House to-day would
be acted upon favorably by the upper chamber
before the middle of January. and thus the
free importation into this country of merchan-
disc which is brought into competition more or
less inturiousy with domestic products would
be stopped. But under the rules of the Senate.
which permit debate to continue almost inter-
minabIy It is not thought that the law applying
tba rat 70
placed on the statute books before the middle |
OF February or the first Of March However, a n
effort will be made by the leaders Of the Senate
to limit debate when the bill is taken up for
consideration. and thus expedite its passage
THE OLD DEMOCRATIC ARGUMENT
The line of argument pursued yesterday, and
which In fact has been pursued by them from
the inception Of their so-called issue Of impe-
riaIism," was followed closely to-day by the
Democrats who spoke against the bill MI
Henry, of Texas. opened the debate for the
minority soon after the House met at noon
He not only declared that the foundation of our
institutions imperilled by the onward rush
OF Imperialism" but also boldly asserted that |
the pending legislation had been dictated by the
Sugar Trust The ambitious young Texan was
greatly surprised when. after the delivery Of his
carefully prepared grafton. he was informed that
the Sugar Trust would not object to absolute |
free trade with Cuba as we'll the Philippines |
and that the only interest which demands |
tariff on Cuban and Philippine sugar is the beet |
sugar industry. that produces less than one
twentieth Of the total consumption Of sugar in |
the United States.
Mr.. Henry was followed by Mr.. Williams. of |
Mississippi, who made about the same speech |
that Bryan used all through the campaign OF
1900 with the exception that the Mssssppian |
ssad he hal he would |
soon be traded to Great Britain for the British |
possessions in the West Indies Mr.. Williams
did not believe this country would be able |
to govern the Filipinos as they should be gov
erned and he was in favor of getting rid Of |
them on the best terms obtaInable.
ANSWERED BY REPUBLICANS
Mr. Hepburn OF iowa. replied to Mr.. Williams.
and aroused the first enthusiasm of the session.
He pointed out that for six years he lived under
Territorial government in Iowa. before that
Territory was advanced TO Statehood and that
the people there had appointed over them, under
Presidents Tyler and Polk Governors from Ken
lucky, Ohio, the Caronas and other parts Of
OF the country. The judges also, declared Mr..
Hepburn were sent to Iowa from the States at
the pleasure of the President. The people OF
Iowa thus were governed without the consent
Of the governed but they did not fill the world
with lamentations or go to war against the gov
ernment" Mr Hepburn argued that what
good enough for the people of Iowa the time
he referred to- certainly was good enough for the
people Of the Philippines In reply TO a
question from Mr. Shafroth. of Colorado. Mr..
Hepburn ELECTED a storm OF applause by declar- |
ing that In his opinion, the Cubans were no bet
ter prepared for self-government than are the
Filipinos: that the Democrats had forced the
Republicans to promise independence to Cuba,
and that the Democrats before a great while
would rue the day when they pleaded for inde-
pendent sovereignty for Cuba.
MR.. MCALL IN OPPOSITION.
Mr. Mccall of Massachusetts. Republican.
was pitted against Mr.. Hepburn. and spoke ff-
teen minutes in the vein familiar to those
who have heard him this subject. He was
encouraged during the delivery of his speech
by the presence of Senator Hoar. who seems to
hold fast to the views which he set forth so
at the last session of Congress. Mr..
would have spoken. too. If it had been
possible for him to get as much time he
wanted. but he obtained consent to print in
The Record" the speech he desired to deliver.
Mr.. Mcclellan. Of New-York, manager of the
debate on the part of the Democrats, closed for
the minority in the most pretentious speech he |
has delivered in Congress. It abounded in J
on the sugar business and he charged |
the Republicans with framing the bill merely to |
protect the beet sugar industry. When Mr. Nc |
Clellan finished he discovered that there were |
still eleven minutes due his side of the House, |
and begged that someb body occupy the time. He
had about given up hope of anybody accepting |
MIS- offer, when Mr.. Green. of Pennsylvania, who |
had to identify himself by announcing that he
not only was Democrat but had only recently
returned from the Philippines sprang to his
feet and told what he had seen while on a visit