The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-05-22
WASHINGTON.
Prom Our Repulnr Correspondent.

Washington, May 70, 1909
The debate on the Philippine bill
is at last drawing to a close and,
while there are stlII number of Sena.
tors who wish to speak on the subject,
the end is regarded as IN sight. Sena-
tor Rawlins, who is senior democrat
on the Philippine Committee, told me
yesterday that there would be no fiji.
clustering on the part of the demo
Gratis and that all the sensational stor-
les to that effect had emanatec from
unreliable sources as such tactics had
never been contemplated by the par
ty leaders. When one or two more
democratic senators have expressed
their views on the policy of the ad-
ministiation. the minority will make
an effort to secure the amendment Of
the bill along lines calculated to cur
tail the autocratlc power conferred on
the Philippine Commission and to re-
serve to the Fllipinos larger share
of the special rights and privileges Of
their country. The mining law,
which was drawn up by sub commit
tee of which Senator Rawins was
chairman, is satisfactory to all con-
cerned The land laws, the minority
hopes to amend by substituting the
homestead laws of the United States
ha Nl
land granted to each individual to,
probably, forty acres, and they will
contend for the greatest possible re-
duction of the amount of land which
the commission will be empowered to
lease or sell to corporations. 1t is al
so hoped that the judicial provisions
regarding the right of appeal to the
Supreme Court OF the United States
and to accord to the Flliplnos the
right of trial by jury. "If cases are to
be tried by Filipino judges it certain
ly seems reasonable to assume that
Filipinos would be competent to
serve as jurors" said Senator Rawl-
ins, speaking Of this phase of the bill.
TX
1t is now M0ngM that the question
of Cuban reciprocity will take prece-
dence of the Nicaraguan Canal bill,
following Immediately after the Philip
pine bill Nothing so far disclosed
by the investigation of the Committee
on Relations with Cuba has shown
any ground for the belief that the
Sugar Trust will be benefited by reci
procity and the republican leaders are
confident that there will not be ser.
ious opposition to the bill which the
committee will report. While the
leaders are non committal on the sub
ject of the isthmian canal bill 1t is
manifest that there is decided dispo
sition on the part of certain republi
can senators to avoid all canal legis
lation. They fear the effect of a
large appropriation, which such legis
latlon would entail, on the Fall elec
tions and particularly is this true ot
the Western senators who have been
unable to secure any action In the
House on the irrigation bill.
The House of Representatives i.
now considering the Naval Appro
priation which it is believed will oc
cupy the remainder of the week. L
has been practically decided, though
not yet officially announced, tina,
nothing will be done during this ses
sion with the Crumpacker resolution
which provides for a Congressiona
investigation of election methods il
the Southern states with view to re
ducing the representation of thos'
states in which negroes have beer
dstranchised. The resolution will b,
permitted to remain on the calendar
however, for action at the short ses
sion. Judge Crumpacker is indlgnan
at the treatment he has received bu
like other insubordlnate republican
he can do nothing but make the bes
of his discontinue.
The President has finally listene
to the Establishments, or the threats