The Washington times., 1902-06-24
Philippine Debate Tends
to Stir Up Old Sec
tional Feeling.
VIGOROUS SPEECHES MADE
General Grosvenor, Mr.. Mahon, and Mr..
0lmsted Justify Course of American
Army-Democrats Line Up in 0ppo-
sition to Measure.

Debate on the Philippine civil govern
ment bill in the House yesterday devel-
oped toward the close of the day into
a discussion OF the conduct OF the armies
of the North and South during the civil
war, and thereby considerable sectional
feeling was revived. General Grosvenor
and Mr.. Mahon OF Pennsylvania sought
to justify the course pursued by the
American army in the Philippines by a
statement of what was done on both
sides during the civil war, and to show
that the cruelties ard destruction of
property was vastly greater by the Fed
eral and Confederate armies than by the
troops in the Philippines. In fact, the
burden of both speeches was discussion
of what was done during the civil war.
rather than a consideration of any of
the features of the pending civil gov
ernment bill.
Death Rate in Civil War.
Mr.. Mahon's statements relative to
prisoners taken during the civil war
were frequently interrupted by Mr.. Rich
ardson CDem., Tenn), and Mr. Bart
lett Dem., Ga.), who insisted that the
records showed that a greater portion
of Southern soldiers died in Northern
prisons than Federal soldiers in prisons
OF the South during the war.
Mr.. Neville (Dem., Neb.) endeavored
several times to prevent a revival of
sectional feeling. and a "reopening of
old wounds" by illusions to the civil
war, but Mr.. Mahon declared that 1t was
necessary in order to convince the Demo-
Gratis that as General Sherman said,
War is hell"
General Grosvenor after making a re-
Ply to Representative Cushman for his
attack on the rules recalled the orders
of General Grant to Sheridan to make
the Shenandoah Valley barren waste,
arresting all men under fifty years of
age, and also read at some length from
the Life and Letters of 'Stonewall'
Jackson" by his wife. the plan of that
officer, which. he said, General Lee in
icrsed. to raise the black flag against
the Northern invaders and destroyers
ot Southern homes.
Representative Williams Dem, lid.
uho followed General Grosvenor, declar-
ed that the Ohioan had devoted two
thirds of his speech to replying to d
criticism OF q brother Republican on
the rules and the remaining one third
10 replying to an attack on the army
which had never been made. Mr.. Will
:ams delivered a vigorous attack upon
he Administration Philippine policy
and advocated the independence Of the
Filipinos.
Mr.. De Almond Opens Fire.
Mr.. DeArmond also delivered a strong
speech in opposition to the pending bill, |
discussing the fundamental principles |
Underlying the right of lf-government |
Mr.. DeArmond was the first speaker of |
he day. He denied the charge of the |
that opposition to their |
Philippine policy in criticising some of
he acts OF army officers in the Philip |
ines was slandering ard assailirg the |
lrmy.
Recalling Mr.. Kahn's statement last |
week that in giving up slice of north |
Western territory upon the occasion of |
he Oregon boundary line dispute we had
made a mistake which should not be re-
)eated now. Mr.. DeArmond agreed that |
he surrender OF the territory north OF |
Washington on the Pacific had been a |
but he pointed out that that |
erritory was contiguous to our border |
ind was capable OF furnishing homes for
'ur own citizens and eventually coming I.
nto the Union as State, while the |
Philippine Islands, already densely pop |
llated by an alien people. could never |
'e incorporated into the Union.
The Democratic party. he declared.
vas not opposed TO exansion founded |
pon American principles. Expansion
tas one thing, colonial empire was an
ther. The Democratic party was anx-
Gus to see the country expand as ex-
ansion was understood by the fathers.
A Democratic Idea.
Expansion upon the American con-
inent, north and south, he said, was the
idea of expansion: not hold
ng by subiugation 10000. 900 people
900 miles beyond our border.
Mr.. DeArmond argued In support OF
he bill offered by the minority propos-
lg to turn over the islands to their
eople within a few years. 1t was the
Continued on Eighth Psgel