The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-04-24
WASHINGTON.
From our Regular Correspondent.
Washington, April I8, 1907.


"The Civil Government bill, which
will come up for consideration in the
Senate tomorrow is an iniquitous
measure, said Senator Carmack OF
Tennessee, yesterday, when | asked
his opinion. "As member of the
Philippines Committee" continued
the Senator, 81 have had an oppor-
tunty of listening 10 the testimony at
first hand and there IS no ground
whatever for postponing the establish
ment OF permanent government in
the islands. Neither is 1t necessary
that a census be taken in order that
Congress may act intelligently. The
Filipinos are an intelligent people
quite capable of, at least, local self
government. the educated people
of the islands, and by that term
refer to those who can read and write
Spanish, are of a particularly high
class, many of them having enjoyed
the advantages OF higher education
and their fathers before them for two
hundred years. Generals, Macarthur
and Whittier, DIR. Schurman, Hon.
John Barrett, Minister to Siam,
Admiral Dewey and the educators
now in the islands have all given testi-
mony as to the education and intelli
gence of the people and have all
practically declared them capable of
representation in a legislative assem-
bly, Of their own; and this would be
particularly true were their govern
ment to be organized with an upper
chamber, the members of which were
appointed by the President. The
claim that it is necessary to take
census is simply ruse to permit the
disposal, to favored capitalists, of the
franchises and grants in the islands
before the people have a voice in
such disposition. AS an example of
the methods which are being followed
there, the first railroad, which will be
built with the Filiplno's money, is to
be constructed from Manila up to a
place in the mountains which viii! be
used solely as place of recreation by
the American residents during the
heated term. 1t will serve no indus.
trial purpose whatever. 1t is all dis
tressing. The exploitation of the
islands by favored corporations, if the
Administrators policy is successful,
will be disgrace to the fair name of
this country. Yes, shall make
speech on the subject as will num-
Der of democratic senators.
*
GAS to the conduct of the Ameri.
can troops on the islands, that too is
disgrace. Take the report of the
governor OF Batangas IN which he
shows that one-third of the popula-
tion of acclImdted natives has died
during the last year OF "malaria
am afraid that if the administration
were not Systematically suppressing
the facts that form of malaria would
be spelled IS STARVATION"
*
eyes, l shall offer one amendment
which sincerely hope will be adopt
ed. 1t will provide that any Ameri-
can corporation, company or indivi-
dual who shall make any contract TOR
slaves or slave labor. shall forfeit all
its rights, grants and franchises. l am
credibly informed that there are
American syndicates which have con-
tracted with the Moro chiefs for the
performance of labor on certain rub.
Der plantations by the slaves belong
ing to such chiefs"
Xxx
The action of the Senate in dis
carding the Chinese Exclusion bill re-
ported by the Committee on Immi-
grafton and re-enacting the Geary
law was in accordance with the pre-
dictlon made in my letter week ago.
The influence of the large corpora,
tions on the Pacific slope, which fear
ed that the stricter provisions of the
Chinese bill would necessitate their
paying higher wages, proved all-suffi-
cient to induce the republican sena-