The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-02-22
Speaks Against the Philip
pines Bill.
sPoONER FOR MAJORITY
Arraigns Substitute Proposed
by Democrats.
Says It II Designed to Make Mischief
in the Philippines - Tillman
Begins One Of His Char.
aetsristic Speeches.

washington, Feb. 2f.-For more than
ak hours today the Senate had the
Philippine tariff bill under discussion.
Mr.. Bate CDem.. Tenn.) delivered a care
fully prepared speech in opposition to
the pending measure. He was followed
by Mr.. Spooner (Rep., Wis., in bril-
liant defence Of the Republican attitude
toward the Philippine Islands. He be-
came involved frequently in heated col
loquy with members Of the minority. He
concluded with an appeal to Congress
to stand by the policies Of Mckinley and
Roosevelt. Mr.. Tillman Dem., 8. CD
began a characteristic arraignment of the
administration in the Philippines, but had
not concluded when the Senate adjourned
until tomorrow.
MI. Bate Dem., Tenn.) today deliv-
cred an extended speech in which he
covered pretty fully the general Pnihp-
pine question. Few things has occurred
in the Senate chamber, he said. more Mt
full or involving more delicate issues ano
greater results than the ratification OF
the treaty of Paris. He asserted the
payment of s2o,OOo.O0o for the Philippine
Islands was a commercial, rather than
sentimental transaction, and was the
first step toward a colonial policy, anta8-
onistic to the American form or govern
ment.
While he regards the acquisition of the
Tohiiippine Islands as hurtful to the
American system, as destitute OF penent
to the American people and as wrongful
to the Filipinos, the present was not tne
time to continue that discussion or pro-
pose q remedy for the evils that mao
sprung from the ratification Of the Paris
treaty. He declared that 1t was only
after the ratification Of that treaty thar
apprehension arose that the Republican
marty had bit off more than 1t could
chew. -
Then IL was that the new idea had
blossomed out that only Congress could
extend the constitution beyond the States
and 1t was held in addition, that Con-
gress would not extend the provisions OF
the constitution to the people OF the
Philippines except with the string to II
which denied equality of administration,
taxation and citizenship How many
million of dollars had been expended In
the sentimental program of exploitation
was unknown to the American people,
but thus far there had been no money
return of this war for trade spoiliation
The present tariff bill, the Tennessee
Senator said, would become a law, but
II would not bridge the chasm that
separated a people struggling for inde-
pendence and the Republican party,
..bent upon conquest, exploitation and
commercialism." 1t was not given to
finite wisdom to distinguish the form
which retribution for that trade at Paris
would take; but when the tariff bill had
been passed, the Republican party again
might he heard to exclaim: Erring
lister. depart in peace" for there would
q no more money to be made out OF the
Filipinos, and they might then take their
place again among the nations OF the
world.
Mr.. spooner Cwis3 addressed the Sem
ate in support of the pending bill. The
measure, he said. was entirely free from
complications. 1t was simply a revenue
bill. Whatever difficulties Senators or
others had in reconciling the differences
of the Supreme Courts decisions in the
insuiar cases, he was satisfied that the
proposed bill was constitutional as the
Foraker Porto Rican bill was constitu-
tional. Mr.. Spooner referred to some re-
cent statements by william ]. Bryan In
his newspaper in support of the minority
in the Senate. He pointed out that these
very gentlemen who now were criticizing
the Government were instrumental in
placing the problem before Congress He
declared that Mr.. Bryan had come to
Washington and advocated the ratifica-
ton of the Paris treaty, and he ventured
the opinion that II II had not been for Mr..
Bryan's efforts the treaty would not
have been ratified. A solution of the
Philippine question as presented to Con-
gress and the country now was demand
ed not by any political party, but by the
people OF the country He claimed the
right of thu majority to deal with the
question as II saw Mt, as by the people
1t had been placed in responsibility and
was held to accountability by the Ameri-
can people.
Mr.. Spooner discussed at length the rati-
fication OF the treaty of Paris In the
course of his statement he was inter.
rupted by Mr.. wellington who said: IT
would give ten years of my life to recall
the vote which I cast for that treaty"
He declared that the promises made to
him at that time 'by the administrator
with respect to the treaty were broken.
Mr.. Spooner sharply arraigned the
Democratic party for the encouragement
which its utterances had given the rebel
lion in the Philippines. and declared that
the motive which actuated the Demo-
cratic leaders was blind greed for
political power which made them forget
for the nonce the army at the front"
Mr.. Spooner denounced the substitute
proposition made by the minority of the
Senate Committee on the Philippines as
the most mischievous project that could
be devised by the wit of man in the pres
emit status OF affairs"
TT Isl he exclaimed, "a bill to raise
hell in the Philippine archipelago, a bill
which has no merit whatever in it."
Mr., Tillman addressed the Senate in
opposition to the pending bill. He de-
ciared that the expression of the motives
for enacting the bill were subterfuge
and a humbug. and everybody knew 1t.
He asserted that this Government, in it's
treatment OF the Filipinos, has returned
10 the policy of Great Britain which had
been overthrown by our forefathers at
Yorktown 1t was. he said, "a damnable
doctrine" Yet We called ourselves lib
ertv-loving Americans. and declared our
nride In our ancestry.
He charged that the American auth"ri-