The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-01-15
HOAR ON PHILIPPINES
THE SENATOR ASKS SOME PERTI-
NENT QUESTIONS.
CRUSHING OUT A REPUBLIC.
HE INSISTS ON AN INVESTIGATION
OF AFFAIRS.

to Reduce Philippines to Submis-
sion by Force, hut That Otis Sup
pressed the Order and Promised
the People All the Rights of Lib
erty.
Washington, Jan. 14.-For the first
time this session the Philippine ques-
ton appeared in the Senate and the
interest which was taken indicates that
it will occupy the attention of the up
per branch of congress for some time
when the tariff bill is reported.
The Philippines were the subject of
an address by Mr.. Hoar of Massachu-
setts, who spoke on his resolution in
troduced yesterday providing for the
appointment of a Senate committee to
investigate the administration of those
islands
Mr.. Lodge Mr.. Hoar's colleague, said
he regarded the resolution as a re-
Election upon the Philippine Commit
tee, of which he was chairman, and
said his committee was perfectly able
to handle any investigation which
might be conducted. Mr.. Carmack,
Democrat, agreed with MIN.
The discussion was leading rapidly to
an opening up of the whole Philippine
question, when it was agreed that the
resolution should go over until o-mor-
row. Mr.. Mason of Illinois, rlade a
speech in favor of reciprocity with
Cuba and discussed the protective pol
icy generally.
Mr.. Hoar claimed that we ought to
have some reliable informal ton regard
ing the war in the Philippines, which
he characterized as "a painful con-
troversy"
During the Civil War, he said there
was a committee which reported upon
their responsibility the facts which
were needed for the Senate and for
the country. There are many things
about which the public has been in
doubt, as for instance, the statement
appearing in the public press aud twice
made in the Senate that Aguinaldo mad
sold out his countrynien. I've want to
know who promised the Filiplnos inde-
pendence," he insisted.
Some charge that Dewey did, and
Dewey says they lie, and the matter
was allowed to stop there
Hoar Asks Many Questions.
was IL worth WTlle lot us, ne COLI
tinued, to be considering these great
questions which involve the proplfety
and, good faith and integrity of our
dealings with these unfortunate peo-
pie in the manner of their liberty when
we were in the dark. He said he
wanted TO know something about the
character of the Filipinos, he wanted
Gov. Taft to come before a Senate
committee 'where he could be asked
questions.
who began the war which is still
going on?" he asked. "There are those
who will tell you what happened on a.
certain night when there was an at
tempt to pass our pickets by some Fill
ipinos and a Scuff1e, and an outbreak,
and an appeal to us by Aguinaldo to
stop hositilities, that they did not want
war, and our answer was that the war
was going on and could not now be
stopped. The Senator from Wisconsin
(Mr. Spooner) had stated in the Sem
ate, as his reason for not adopting
some things that were proposed that
we would be making assurances of
pacific intention to men with arms in
their hands fighting against the Amer
lean flag, but the President had given
to military commander long before,
an order to proceed to reduce the peo-
pie of the Philippines by military force
u SuDHilSSlOu.
HOar Hears Bad Stories.
Gen. Otis said that would bring on
%er. and took. the liberty of suppress
ing it, and instead told the people they
should have all the rights of liberty
that belonged to the most favored peo
pie on earth. The original proclama-
tion had been sent by the President,
but is it not an act of war to order a
military officer to use military force
to subject a people? 1 do not know of
any one able to give a statement of
the truth as to the differences between
Gov. Taft and Gen. Chaffee. get some
dreadful stories from brave soldiers
and officers of high rank about the
manner In which the war is conducted.
/ have heard of an investigation now
going on in regard to one transaction
which, If true, has covered with foul
blot the flag which we all love and
honor. / think there should be a place
where any senator who makes such
a suggestion in his official responsible
ity can go and say L want two wit
nesses on that subject brought here
and then we shall know.
Gen. Otis had shocked the country
by saying that we should keep forty
thousand troops in the Philippines for
a considerable time. but instead of that
number we now have seventy thou
sand and" Mr.. Hoar asked, how long
are we going to keep them there?"
"If Gen. Chaffee is correct" he said,
there is not a man in those islands
who is not conspiring against the gov
ernment and eager for his liberty. Now
give us a little light Take the most
jealous men in this body and give us
a committee that will hear the evil
dence. put questions, hear both sides
and let us know what Is the truth. We
are engaged in the unholy office Of
crushing out a republic, the first great
republic ever established in the east
ern hemisphere. II we had dealt with
these people as we dealt with Cuba.
we should have had to-day a civilized
happy. peaceful republic sending their
youths 20 our schools, studying our
laws. initiating our example, animated
by love and affection and gratitude
such as no one people on earth ever yet
felt for another"
The Case of Japan.
one OF the great events of history,
he said, was the civilization of Japan.
Another was the adoption OF the
Declaration OF independence Japan
has Just celebrated the iiftleth anni-
versary OF taking her place among
free nations AZ which the declaration
he'd been made that everything that
Japan was she owed 10 the United
states, and yet In half century she
had encountered China as superior
and Russia a. an equal.
That came, Mr.. Hoar said, from the