The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-02-21

wv exception OF a few minutes given
to routine business, the senate
today devoted its entire session to the
Philippine question.
Mr.. Patterson of Colorado one Of the
minority members of the Philippine
committee, delivered his first extended
speech in the senate and was given a
most attentive hearing. He discussed
principally the sedition laws enacted
by the Philippine commission, vigor-
ously attacking the authority of the
commission TO enact and enforce such
laws He maintained thai congress
alone had the power to put in force
enactments of that character. He com
pareu information furnished by the ex-
ecEtlve departments of the government
with some of the statements of Gov
ernor Taft in mis- testimony before the
Phlippine committee, with respect to
the capabilities of the Philippine peo-
pie, and declared with some heat his
belief that Governor Taft misrepresent-
ed the true situation in the island for
motives unknown.
He asserted that if the 5000. 900 of
Christians in the Philippines were Prot
estant Christians, the cruelties prac-
tlced on them by the American author
tues would have to stop, as no men,
Der or congress would he able to with
stand the wrath of the Methodists.
Baptists and Presbyterians Of this
country.
Stamping Out Liberty.
dr. Nelson of Minnesota and Mr..
McCumber a. North Dakota supported
the administrations policy in the ISL
andS. Mr.. Patterson discussed at length
the report made to the navy Depart
ment by the two officers who made a
tour OF many Of the provinces of the
islands. The report, he insisted. re-
peated positively the statements that
the E1ipinOs were not fitted for indie
pendence and self-government.
sentiment for independence might be |
stamped out by great army, contin-
ued Mr.. Patterson, but such course !
wodlC be one of perfdity and infamy. |
statehood, he said, was what the fed |
efal party demendeo, and he asserted |
mat II vas by representations which |
led the liipinos to believe they might |
eventually achieve statehood that the |
intelligent Filipinos were induced to |
submit TO American control. The stu
alton now was. he said, that congress |
could york its own viii upon the Phil /
lpplne islands and their people.
In conclusion, Mr.. Patterson referred !
to the fact that 100000 of the people /
of the islands were Christians. But" |
he said. they are not Protestant Chris |
tons. Senator's may smile, but have
it in my mind that if the 100000 of /
Filipino Christians had learned their
consistently in the sanctuaries of the
Methodist. Presbyterian or Baptist
ehurcnes and were as well founded in
the cardinal principles of Christianity
as they are today, there would be such
an uprising of the Methodist. Presby-
terrain and Baptist denominations at
the cruel. unconstitutional and relent-
tss treatment of their people in the /
Fh1EnDines that few members Of con-
gress supporting that policy would face
their wrath. But the Filipinos are not
Protestant Christians"
Nielsen Makes Defense.
Mr. Nelson of Minnesota followed
with a legal argument. dealing with
various phases O. the Philippine oues-
ton. In beginning he took Mr.. Patter-
son sharply to task for injecting Sec
tarianism into the discussion, adding
that the sending of American teachers
to the Philippines to teach the FiIipino
youth the English language was an act
Of tyranny and despOtism. The foreign
born people of the northwest, he said,
might as well insist that it was tyran-
ny and despOtism to be afforded the oD-
portunity of sending their children to
the public schools.
In an extended argument Mr.. Mel
son maintained that a right of a trial
by Jury vas not necessarily a consti-
tutional right. In conclusion Mr.. Mel
son said the argument Of the minority
was based on an entire mizapprehen-
sion of the physical legal situation in
the Philippines. The Urited States gov
eminent was not in the Philippines pre-
cisely as it was in California from 1896
to 1850 The government was holding
these islands, not by legislative enact
ment bat by the executive powers of
the government. The president had the |
right to govern those islands until such /
time as the congress should provide for
their control The Philippine commits
sion, he said, was simply an executive {
aid to the president and it was idle for J
senators 10 regard il in any other light
If it were SO desired, he maintained. I
the United States had ample authority t
10 hold the islands precisely as they are 7
being held today.
Mr.. Nelson declared it was q Islander
upon America TO assert. as the minor I
ity die, that this government was not s
fully competent to give the Philip I
pines good government.
We are there" said he, land want
to tell senators on the other side that
else they may do) will never consent
to abandon those islands. When did it /
come to pass that the American PEOPLE
became a set of tyrants? When did it
come to pass that the American SOL
dieTs became 3ashi BaZOuks over those {
islands? 1t is SANDER upon the y
American nation {
Mr. McCumber Of North Dakota pre- 7
scented a carefully prepared address in
support OF the administration policy
Cn the Philippine question. He cid e
think that congress had the moral right !
10 bind the hands of the American peo- {
pie for the future by pledging them to {
any particular course .
In conclusion he said that the COM C
mercial advantages OF the Philippines e
should be considered. but they we're y
overshadowed by three duties-dut,- to |
the people of the Philippines to the
people of the world. and to the people
Of the United States.
The senate adjourned after short e
executive session. u