The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-02-06


mail routes than any other Represen
tative from this State, and his dis
tinguished successor has been equally
successful and has shown the deepest
interest in getting this great conven-
isnce for so manv of his constituents.
Special TO News and Observer.
WASHINGTON, ID. C., Jan. 22.-To-
day Representative f. W. Pou spoke
in opposition to an amendment to the
Urgent Deficiency Appropriation bill
appropriatins $500, 900 to establish an
army post at Manila. The talented
young member from the Fourth Dis
trict was in good voice and he held
the undivided attention of the House.
Twice during his speech he was liber
ally applauded by his Democratic col
leagues, and at the close there was
great applause on the Democratic
side. While this was a short speech
it showed that Mr.. Pou is moving 10
the front. Few embers have a more
impressive manner of speaking
With his great ability and untiring
energy he will soon come to the front
in the House.
Mr.. Pou said:
The wording of the amendment
offered by the distinguished Chairman
Of the Appropriations Committee in
duces me to submit few remarks be-
fore debate shall conclude.
If | believed that,the appropriation
of 100000 provided for by that
amendment was necessary for the
shelter and protection of the officers
and enlisted men in our army in the
Philippines, | would support it if
every other man in this chamber
voted against it, but | do not believe
the appropriation is necessary for the
purpose. 1t appears to me to be
mere subterfuge, an effort to accom-
plish something by indirection which
gentlemen fear to attempt in the
direct and usual way. How utterly
perverted are all the purposes of the
war anyway! In what strange sea
are we drifting? How unnatural
everything appears!
when war was declared, for one |
was for it. Under the same circum
stances | would be for it again.
Spain was numbering people strug-
Cling for liberty, just few miles
from our shores. Our great republic
had witnessed this until forbearance
made us almost guilty, and when our
battleship was blown up in Havana
harbor, as | believe by Spanish agen-
cies, the people of my State felt it was
our duty to ayenge the outrage, and
my district offered up the first young
life as sacrifice upon the country's
altar. We fought in the righteous
cause Of liberty, and God gave us the
victory. Did any one then believe
that when Caba was freed we would
use our soldiers and our ships to sub
iugate people struggling for liberty +?
The best shelter, the best protection
we can give to our officers and enlist
ed men is to bring them away from
scenes OF disease and crime and death
back to their own American homes.
Applause on Democratic side.
During the year 1900, Mr.. Chair
man, there were G4.832 men in our
army in the Pacific Islands. There
were more cases of sickness in our
hospitals than there were men, that
Is to say, that upon an average every
soldier in the service was sick twice.
OF course, many were not sick at all
while others were admitted To the
hospitals several times. The report
Of the surgeon general Of the army
shows that during the year 1900 the
r III
port in our army of 66. .8S2 soldiers in
the Pacific Islands reached the enor-
nous total of 1929. How many of
these died? do know that 397
American lives were sacrificed during
that year upon the field Of battle in
the Philippine Islands. And for what
cause?
Il will give YOU the answer out Of
the mouth Of the greatest statesman
Of the Republican party who but re-
Gently has declared that we are en-
gagged ia the 'unholy work 81 crushing
republic Statistics for the year
1901 nave not been given US. but
when they are they will furnish addi-
tional evidence Of the stupid biundcrs
We have made in attempting to take
over the Philippines as a part of our
republic Accurate figures are not
given us showing the number of lives
taken by our soldiers. II they were
the conscience of the republic would
revolt and demand that the war be
ended. Gentlemen seem 70 forget
the principle thai nation can do
wrong as well as an individual. that a
nation can commit crime even a an
individual can commit crime. The
responsibility Of continuance Of this
wretcbed state Of affairs rests upon
each gentleman in this chamber, and
he cannot escape it IL he would
.'And what an anomaly in govern
ment We have. Mr.. Chairman Re
publican, colonial aud monarchical
governments all under the Constitu-
tion OF the United States. The Presi-
dent is as absolute over the Philip
pines as the Gar is over Russia. We
were told that we needed these islands
- d. "A