Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1902-06-13
THE PHILIPPINE BILL
WAS PASSED BY THE SENATE
ON A PARTY VOTE.
1t Will Now Be Forced Through the House by
Use Of Party Machinery Congress Will Now
Tackle the Tariff-senator Dietrich Of Ne
braska Has Cast Boom Into the Sugar
Camp.
From our regular correspondent
WASHINGTON, June 5, 1902.

WASHINGTON, June 5, 1902.
Late Tuesday afternoon. the Lodg e
Philippine bill was passed in the Sen
ate by vote Of As to 30. The only
Democrat who voted for the bill was
Senator McLaurin of South Carolina
| Senators Hoar, Mason and Wellington
Republicans, voted against the meas.
ure. The fifteen-minute speech de-
livered by Senator Mason on Monday,
in which he explained his reasons for
opposing the bill, was a manly utter
aucc replete with humanity and COM
nonsense and would have swaycd the
opinions OF any less partisan hearers
than his Republican colleagues. Speak.
ing of his position later, Senator Ma
son said to me al am afraid it will
hurt me but l could not conscientious.
ly support the policy of which the
Lodge bill is q confirmation" The
bill will now 60 TO the House for &C.
ton but the Republican leaders ex-
pect to report one OF their customary
drastic rules for its consideration and
anticipate that the power OF the party
whip will secure its prompt passage,
practically without debate.
Now that the tediously prolonged
Philippine debate in the Senate is con-
cluded, brief retrospect of the Demo-
cratic position should prove interest
ing. Going back to the time when
practically all Of the Republican and
many Of the Democratic Senators vot-
ed to ratify the treaty of Paris, it
should be remembered that at that
time it had not entered the mind of
any man in this country that the con-
stitution would not follow the flag.
Soon afterwards, however, the extreme
protectionists, fearing some curtail.
ment OF their profits rs q result of free
trade with Porto Rico and the Philip
pines, oeseiged the administration to
assess the full Dingley tariff rates on
| tilOSC CCuUtIItS. II
the islands were an integral part Of the
United States, protected by the provi-
sions OF the constitution, the levying
of tariff would be unconstitutional
but the administration yielded to the
opportunities Of the protectionists and
the tariff was collected. Immediately
test suits were brought and the Su-
preme Court practically decided that
the islands were mere possessions, not
entitled to the rights guaranteed by
tho constitution and entirely subject
TO the Legislative dictum of Congress.
From that time, practically every
Democrat opposed their permanent re-
tention on the ground that every prin-
ciple of liberty and every tenet of the
republic would be violated by the CO.
ercive subsection OF people who were
not to receive the came protection OF
their liberty as is guaranteed to every
citizen of the United States by the
constitution.
Coming down to the two bills which
have been proposed in Congress by the
Republican party. the Democrats have
opposed them because they were es-
sential combinations OF the imperial
policy of the party in power. In order
to bring to the attention of the people
the pernicious results of such policy
it became necessary to expose to pub
lie view the atrocities which had, per-
haps inevitably, accompanied the war
Of conquest which the United States
was waging in the Philippines and the
result has been that the Republicans,
absolutely unable TO present any logi-
cal refutation of the charges made
against their policy, adopted the posi-
ton Of defenders OF the army and ap-
pealed to the patriotism OF the people
against what they termed the "slan-
ders of the Democrats" Space will
not permit lengthy examination of
the Philippine debate but it is worthy
Of remark that there cannot be found
in the Congressional Record n single
speech which, when shorn of its ora
toricsl ornamention and vainglorious
exaggeratiOn, presents q common
sense, logical defense Of the imperial
policy of the administration. More
over there will be found the grossest
Misrepresentation OF the Democratic
position which has been, briefly ex-
pressed, simply a demand that a guar.
antee OF ultimate independence, at
such time rs the Filipinos may have
demonstrated their capacity to make
the proper use OF their liberty, be made
nor, and before the country is irrevo.
cably committed to the imperialistic
policy. The contention that the Dem
ocrats, while opposing military domi-
nation haze also opposed bill which
extends civil government is unworthy
the men who have advanced it for, as
they we'll appreciate, Democratic op-
position has been well grounded on
the fact that, while the Lodge bill os
tensibly extends the civil government,
it is simply a transfer of the autocra,ic
powers now exercised by the War De-
partment 10 the Philippine Commits.
sion and the comforting on that Com.
mission of an authority which is re.
Rpugnant to every American ideal OF
justice and liberty.
The Nicaraguan bill is now being
considered in the Senate and the
House has under consideration the
bill for the protection of the President
which passed the Senate some time
ago. The present prospects are that a
substitute bill will be passed or a.
least that many radical changes will
be made in the measure which passed
the upper chamber.
The Cuban reciprocity problem is
causing untold worry to the Presiden,
and the Republican leaders ard nu.
merous conferences have been held at
the White House. The latest and
most annoying complication is a sub.
stitute bill proposed by Senator Die.
trich OF Nebraska. The Senator'S plan
consists in abolishing the differential
on refined sugar, adding a similar per.
centage to the duty on raw sugar and
then allowing the Cuban planters a %
per cent. discount from the total duty.
This plan would give the Cubans q %
per cent advanfaoa in American mar