The Holly chieftain., 1902-06-13
LATE WASHINGTON NEWS AND
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

senators who have been known in op-
position to granting concessions to Gu
ba on the ground that it Will interfere
with the interests of the beet sugar in
dustry of the country. He urged on
these senators united action or purpose
and expressed the hope that the Re
publicans would act together. The
President again assured the Repuhli-
cans that in urging action on reciproci-
ty, he would carry out the announce
ment of President Mckinley, uttered
in his last speech with such particular
approval throughout the country. The
President indicated that the adoption
of the Piatt amendment made it OBJ
ligatory upon the United States to
treat Cuba differently from other ma
tons.
Representative James NJ. Robinson
Of Indiana, one of the leading Demo-
Gratis in the House. has announced his
opposition to the national irrigation
bill now pending. Mr.. Robinson says
the bill, from the point of economical
administration, is one of the most dan
gerous measures that Congress has
been called to act on in years. He de-
clares the objections to it are SO many
and SO forceful that they can scarcely
be named within the compass of
readable article. He asserts that rail
roads subsidized by land grants, and
officeholders who want continuance of
Jobs and places for relatives and those
who expect to share In the exploitation
and jobs that will be necessarily Incl
dent. are promoting it: that agricul-
tural and mineral colleges in each state
will suffer and the taxpayers of the
larger states will suffer in contribut-
ing for an enterprise which in no way
affects them advantageously.
Senator Culbertson. who favors the
construction of the $4,000,000 dam at
El Paso. in order to compensate Mex
leo for damages on account of alleged
usurpation of the waters of the Rio
Grande, has given notice of an amend
ment he proposes to offer to the bill
authorizing statehood for New Mexico,
Arizona and Oklahoma. when it comes
up. This amendment will provide that
the government shall retain control of
the waters of the Rio Grande. 1t is
rumored that the Elephant Buttes
Dam Company. which is one of the
chief factors in opposing the construc-
tion of the international dam, will be
backed by the Santa Fe Railway Com
pany in the construction of its dam In
Mexico. 1t is proposed to make the
dam much larger than was at first in
tended and thus be able to grant to
the city of FL Paso water at the equit-
able price for which it has been con-
tending and provide for greater scale
of operations in the Rio Grande valley.
Felipe Buencamino former secretary
Of state in Aguinaldo's Cabinet, was
heard through an Interpreter by the
House committee on insular affairs,
Chairman Cooper asked Senor Buen-
camino why he had come to the United
States. He said he was here represent
ing the Federal party, and the infiuen-
tial element Of the insurgents and the
katipunan society. He said his coun-
try, the Philippines, was like sick
man convalescing from a dangerous ILL
ness. 1t was still bleeding from the
wounds of war. Its aspirations were
those of Washington. liberty with Jus
tice. under American society. which
they loved. They looked to Congress
to give them Just and liberal govern
ment. He detailed the facts connected
with the early uprising of the Filipinos.
Aguinaldo was an idol, and the people
believed him when he told them that
Dewey had promised them indepen-
dence. He revived all that had been
done since the outbreak, and spoke of
the gradual extension of American au-
thority and practical pacification of the
greater part of the islands. There
were now 800 municipalities estab-
lished. and they had proved satisfac-
tory. Under the Taft system, he said,
the Filipinos have greater liberty than
they would have enjoyed under the
Aguinaldo government had 1t been es-
tablished. Governor Taft now was the
idol OF the people. He said the people
of the Philippines would have their
political status fixed. whether they are
Americans or Filipinos He preferred
that they should be Americans. The
happiness of the people depended upon
American sovereignty I'VE would like
to know what we are" he said, with
emphasis Are we Americans or are
we Filipinos? This is the question i'm
pressed upon me by the Federal party
and by the Filipino people" He ap.
proved the plan of legislative assem-
bly, of the Filipino people. But" said
he, do not call 1t Filipino assembly;
let the members meet as Americans,
and let the assembly be American"
After showing his authority, Senor
Buencamino produced a large photo
graph showing fifty or more Filipino
leaders. with himself in the center. and
n large American shield above them.
He also said that he spoke for such in
the entire general staff of General NAL
war, and he presented statement
from General Trias Indicative of this