The Washington times., 1902-05-30
Democrat and Republican
WheelhOrSeS Favor Phil
ippineS Bill.
BOTH SPEAK IN THE SENATE
Committee Amendment Adopted Ex
tending Bill Of Rights, Excepting
Right to Bear Arms and Jury Trial,
to the Archipelago.

The notable day in the Philippine de-
bate for those IN favor OF the Admins
tration policy and the pending bill,
came in the Senate yesterday, when
Senator Morgan, lifelong Democrat,
supported the measure, and Senator
spooner, the little giant of the major
ity. defended it with all Of his peculiar
and convincing eloquence. z.
Another of the important develop
ments yesterday that attracted mu'h
attention was that Senator OF such
conspicuousness in his party rs Mr..
Spooner. and the man TO whom, by com
mon consent. apparently the closing
of the Republican argument fell, should
announce in his speech stanchly. and in
no uncertain manner. that he is not in
favor Of the permanent retention of che
Philippine Islands.
Senator Spooner's speeches on ;he
question of the final disposition of the
archipelago have been quoted and cqm
mented on in the recent debate by fhe
Democrats with much JUNCTION. They
have believed apparently that the Wis
consin Senator has been caught chang
ing his mind.
Il did not believe then. and / do not
believe now" Mr.. Spooner said yester
day. "in the permanent retention OF the
islands, He prefaced this statersent
markedly with the announcement that
H. e,,I- F,- III i-,r ,,ai-f II
The Philippine bill was taken up q
few minutes after II O'Clock. the Sen
ate having met an hour earlier. than
customary in order to allow extra time
for the debate before the day fixed for
the vote-next TUESDAY.
Committee Amendments Adopted.
Mr.. Lodge secured the adoption of a
number OF committee amendments. The
most important of these was the ex-
tension to the Philippines OF the 80
called hill of fights offthe Constitn
tion Of the United States. with tho -ex-
ception of those provisions which giIar-
antee the right OF citizens to bear arms
and OF trial by jury.
ut saAN. AhA
withheld these two after careful consid
Grafton. and upon the advice OF Cover
nor Taft The right to bear arms. was
eliminated. because of the exciting dis
tGrbanc in the island. As to trial by
jury, it was shown conclusiveiy, he said,
that the Filipinos were not yet ready
for that
Mr Morgan then took the floor. The
venerable Democratic Senator approved
the purpose OF the bill. lie announced
that he wonla vote for it if certain
changes were made in some OF its minor
provisions. His only argument against
the administration policy was that it
lad not given to the Filipiros citizen
ship and the bill of rights.
Mr. Morgan referred to his vote for
the ratification of the treaty OF Paris,
and TO the attitude of many OF his
Democratic colleagues. and their charges
that nothing hut evil had come to the
islands as a result OF that ratification.
He might call their attention. he said.
TO their failure at the time the treaty
was ratified, or since, TO even attempt
the elimination or abrogation OF that
portion of the treaty which affected
the Philippine Islands.
II the treaty of Paris was a burning
torch. consuming fire that was de-
stroying the people OF the Philippines.
and was also threatening general con-
hagration IN the States. Mr.. Morgan said
Congress should eXtinguish il by re-
pealing that treaty so far as it related
10 the Philippines.
Execute the Treaty.
II we were not ready TO DO that. we
should go along in the simple duty OF
executing the treaty and creating good
government IN the territory it ceded to
the United States. AS the treaty pro-
1ided that for ten years Spanish citi-
zens should have in the Philippines the
same rights as Americans g. Was OBJ
vious that the people Of those Stands
for ten years At least must put up with
the alleged inferior quality Of liberty
and the slavish dependence that the
United States had bestowed on forty
five sovereign States OF the Union.
Mr.. Morgan said no one questioned
our rieht TO acquire Porto Rico. which.
like the Philippines, came under the
treaty Of Paris without consulting the
OF future autonomy. II IL vas the
duty Of the United States to pledge It's
faith TO Filipino independence, IL was
equally It's duty 20 make a like decla-
ration TO tho people Of Porto Rico.
"If the people Of the seeded States in
1861. he continued. could have ap-
pcalod % such q pledge on the part Of
the United States Government or the
pr'nciple upon which il must be based
that every people has the right to ordaia
for themselves The government they
choose-the American Union could not
have withstood the shock Of the seces- I
sion Of the eleven great States OF the /
South. That doctrine had been settled .
by the events OF the terrible war that 1
followed. and nearly all the States had |
since amended their constitutions and /,
expressly disavowed that right"
That action by the State OF Alabama |
compelled him TO deny 10 the peuple OF a
territory. when organized as a civil gov j
ernnent. the right to withdraw from
the sovereign Jurisdiction Of tho United |
States. He would 20 still further and |
deny that Congress could grant to any
State or 10 the people of any territory |
the right OF withdrawal from the Union |
or from the Jurisdiction OF the United |
States and still hold Alabama In ire |
yocable bonds 10 the American Union |
II that privilege were granted to one IL |
must be granted 10 all alike. He could |
IND no authority for conceding rights TO
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