The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-05-30
SpO0ner Supports Measure.


as was conferred by this bill upon the
Philippine Commission
Spooner supports Measure.
Late in the afternoon Mr.. Spooner
of Wisconsin began a speech in sup
port of the bill and the administra-
tlons policy in the Philippines, which
is TO conclude general debate on the
measure by the Republican side He
reviewed the situation in the islands,
saying that the responsibility for it
rested not upon any one part.
but upon all alike. 1t appeared
strange to him, he said that a meas
ure intended to exalt civil govern
ment and to subordinate the military
power should create such adverse crit
1cism, and he declared that on the
Democratic side there had been moth
ing heard but pessimism, the gospel
OF despair, suspicion, distrust and i'm
putation of the motives of the Re-
publican senators. He paid a tribute
to President Roosevelt and to the
personality and policy of the late
President Mckinley. He declared that
never in the annals of time had an
army carried to a people so much
OF amelioration,. so much of upbuild-
ing, so much of kindness and tender
ness as the American army had car
ried to the Filipinos by direction of
Mckinley.
The MinOrity's Attitude.
Mr.. Spooner said the general attitude
of the minority senators was:
I'VE who voted against the Paris
treaty are men who observe the obli-
cations of the constitution; you who
voted for it violated the constitution;
we who are opposed to you stand for
the Declaration of Independence, you
disregard it; we are the friends of the
army, you assail it; we love the flag,
you dishonor it; we hate atrocities, you
defend them; we want liberty in the
Philippines, you want slavery there"
That" ne said lis a modest atti-
tude, but not altogether persuasive"
Discussing some references which
had been made to previous speeches of
his, Mr.. Spooner asserted he had an
nounced that he was not in favor of the
permanent dominion of the United
States over the Philippines, and he was
not HOW. Il would not he said, "buy
dominion at the cost of any mans lib
erty"
Il said" he continued, that our
flag in Cuba would come down in nom
or. as it went up in the interest of
liberty, and so 1t has. But that has
nothing to do with this bill"
Adverting to the beginning of hos
tilities between the Americans and
Filipinos, Mr.. Spooner described how
the firing began.
Mr. Hoar interrupted to say that
Aguinaldo had written to Gen. Otis
expressing regret at the occurrence
and had withdrawn his troops.
The Filipinos were not withdrawn"
interjected Mr.. Spooner vehemently.
THEY were driven back"
Further along, the Wisconsin senator
referred to a constitution prepared by
Aguinaldo in imita tion of the Mexican
constitution, with provision for pat
ents of nobility and large concessions
of land which he promised to his fol-
lowers. He presented a Photographic
| copy of the document which Mr.. Car
mack desired to examine.
With flourish, Mr.. Spooner hand
ed the parchment to the Tennessee
senator with the comment:
For you. You are decorated by
Aguinaldo."
Mr. Spooner insisted that there was
no parallel to be drawn between the
situation in Cuba and that in the
Philippines. The Cubans had been
| fighting for independence for ten years,
but no such struggle had occurred in
| the Philippines, he said.
| He declared that the opening of
hostilities in the Philippines was a
perfectly wanton attack upon our
! troops, VINO were rlSntIully around
| Manila"
Democrats Equally Responsible.
He quoted the vote in the Senate
| by which troops had been raised to
be sent to the Philippines. The DEM
ocrats, he claimed, knew when they
voted for the sending of troops that
there was to be a war and that there
| would be cruelties.
Are they" he asked, "in position
to turn upon us with vituperation and
! challenge? They voted for it on the
basis that we had acquired sover-
eighty in the Philippines from Spain.
that we had paid for it, and that we
must sustain it. They cannot prop
/ erly turn on us and assert that the
! present situation is the result of the
policy instituted by the Republican
! party
Mr.. Spooner will conclude on Sat
urday.