The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-07-01
LONG DEBATE ON
PHILIPPINE BILL

WASHINGTON, June 23--Sorne rou-
tine business preceded the resumption
today of the debate on the Philippine
|cfviT government bill.
a. resolution was adopted calling up
on the Secretary of War for fnforma-
ton as TO any payments made BIZ Gov
crnor General Wood to F. b. Thurbei
and any other persons or corporations
together with the dates and amounts OF
such payments, for advocating reci-
procity with Cuba.
The consideration of the Philippine
civil government bill then was resum-
ed and MIR. Diamond of Missouri mace
a general speech in opposition 70 the
policy of retaining the islands He re-
pudiated utterly the charge that the
opposition to the present Philippine
policy in criticizing some of the acts OF
army officers in the Philippines was
siandering and assailing the army
Recalling Mr. Kuhn's statement last
week that in giving UP a slice OF North
western Territory upon the occasion OF
the Oregon boundary dispute we mao
made a mistake which should not De
repaated now, Mr.. Diamond agreed
that the surrender of the territory
north of Washington on the Pacific
had been a mistake. but he pointed out
that the territory was contiguous 10
our border. and was capable of furnish
ing homes for our own people ana
eventually coming into the Union as a
State, while the Philippines, already
densely populated by an alien people,
could never be incorporated into the
Union The Democratic party, he de-
clared. was not opposed to expansion
founded upon American principles. Elk
pansion was one thing, colonial en-
pire was another. The Democratic
party was anxious to see the country
expand as expansion was understood
by the fathers. Expansion upon the
American continent, north or south, he
said, was the Democratic idea, of ex-
pansion, not holding by subjugation
ten million people. 1000 miles beyond
our border.
In conclusion Mr.. Diamond told of
his presence in Havana May goth, when
the American flag was lowered and the
flag OF the Republic of Cuba hoisted.
To him as an American citizen, he said,
the sight was inspiring-"far more in
SPRING he said, than if the American
flag had remained up IN Cuba, and the
faith of the American people been yio-
lated
MIR. Olmstead of Pennsylvania, who
succeeded the present Secretary of the
Navy as member of the insular Com
mittee, followed Mr.. D'Armond. He
summed up the situation in these
words:
1.-THE bill proposed by the minority
means a complete remuneration by the
United States of the duties and respon-
sibilities which in the providence OF
God have been cast upon US. 1t means
u cowardIy retreat. It means that we
shall be degraded and disgraced in the
eyes of all the world. 1t means some
thing that the American people VIII
never tolerate. On the other hand. the
bill which we present and propose to
pass maintains the honor and dignity
OF tee American people. enables us TO
carry out our treaty obligations. TO
maintain peace ond good order in the
Philippines and to be more instrument
tai and effective in maintaining peace
throughout the world. AT the same
time it ena bles the F'ilipinos to partici-
pate as fully as possible IN the bless
ings of our republican form of govern
ment: it gives to them more independ-
ence OF action, more of self-government
and more OF liberty than they have
ever enjoyed or ever expected TO
achieve. 1t is all that they demand and
when we have passed it, then, in the
language of the prophet Isaiah. let
them give glory unto the Lord and de-
clare His praise in the islands,"