Evening star., 1902-02-12
WAS AGAIN THE TOPIC
Philippine Question Debated
in thb Senate.
SHARP WORDS USED
MR.. PLATT (ooNNO REPLIES TO
MR.. TEELER.
Mr.. Hoar Enters the Discussion,
Which Becomes Very Animat-
ed at Times

The Philippine question was again the
subject Of stirring debate in the Senate
late yesterday afternoon The principals in
this war of words were Mr. Platt of Con-
necticut and Mr.. Hoar of Massachusetts
Mr.. Teller of Colorado had concluded for
the day his argument against the enact
ment Of the pending Philippine tariff bill
| In response to some statements he had
| made, Mr.. Platt directed the Senate's at
| tention to the situation in the islands as
| he viewed it, maintaining that great prog
| ress was being 1pade by the government in
! subduing the insurrection. He referred to
| the elections for municipal officers in vari-
| Gus cities of the islands and to the estab-
| lishment of schools for the education of
! Filipino children.
Mr.. Hoar ridiculed the statements of Mr.
! Platt and in a facetious vein adverted to
the efforts of the American government to
control the Filipino people.
| The remarks of the Massa chusetts sena-
| tor aroused Mr.. Pfatt. who delivered a
speech In the course Of which he referred
to Mr.. Hoar in pretty sharp terms. His
speech was listened by senators on both
sides of the chamber with profound atten-
| ton. In conclusion he paid an eloquent
tribute to the efforts of the United States
! to carry the principles of free government
| to every territory where 1t had control.
| In his reply, Mr.. Hoar delivered criti-
cism Of the action of the Philippine COM
| mission, declaring that he had been taught
| to judge men rather by their actions than
| by their words, and by this standard he
! could not judge the Philippine commission
| ers with any degree OF favor.
Mr.. Platt Replies to Mr.. Teller.
| After the Stars report of the proceedings
was closed yesterday afternoon Mr.. Platt
Of Connecticut replying to some statements
made by Mr.. Teller pointed out that the
| American army in the Philippines had been
reduced from 10000 to less than 10000. He
thought it very strange that the American
| force thus could be reduced if all the FIJI
! ipinos were struggling against American
| control.
| I'VE ought to consider facts" he urged
| I'VE ought to take things as they are and
not things they may be conjured up.
| We are getting along reasonably well in
| those islands. Peace will come to them
and a government will be established there
in which the Filipinos themselves will have
| a large part and which will prove bless
| ing to them.
He pointed out that the elections were
| being held in the islands to choose munich
| pal officers and in these elections all the
| people had part After he had read
| considerable number of declarations from
native Filipinos Indicating a growing APP
| probation Of American control and govern
| ment Mr. Platt declared that nothing the
| minority could say would convince him
| that the United States government was not
/
| toward peace and 3contentment.
Declarations Of Filipinos.
Mr.. Hoar Of Massachusetts, in reply to
Mr.. Platt. referred to the declarations Of
Filipinos which he had read as "a sweet
morsel" wrested from a conquered people
by great army. He had no knowledge Of
the methods by which these declarations
had been obtained, although he disclamed
| any reflection upon the American authori-
ties or the American army, without inyes-
| tigatiOn.
Mr.. Hoar ridiculed the elections to which
Mr. Platt had referred, declaring that under
| the sedition laws enacted by the Philippine
| commission, 1t was a penitentiary ofense
/ for anybody in the islands to advocate a
| political opinion or political policy. He re-
| ferred in facetious vein to the schools es
| tablished in the islands by American au-
| thorities, asserting that In not one OF them
could the Declaration OF independence be
| read and no patriotic speech delivered In
| safety He hoped that the roseate views
Of Mr.. Platt might obtain very soon in the
| Philippines, but Of that he entertained
4 great doubts
| Mr. Platt's Rejoinder.
| Mr.. Hoar's remarks called forth a Wig
| orous utterance from Mr.. Platt, who said
! that his respect for the long and distin-
| guished career OF the senator from Massa-
chusetts would prevent him from replying
as he would reply to some others. He be-
lieved, he said, that the American people
| would regret to note the ''sneers' Of the
senator from Massachusetts, at the er-
] forts of the government to educate the
| children of the Philippine Islands,
| Speaking Of the petitions for lndepend-
| ence presented to Congress year ago,
| to which Mr.. Hoar had referred. Mr.. Platt
| said they We're paraded here now, as they
had been at the time OF their presenta-
| tion, as positive proof that all the Fill
| pino people wanted independence ana 1ree-
dom from American control. he init
| mated that they had been prepared py the
| Filipino junta, "either in Hong Kong or
in Boston, and asserted that they bore
on their face evidence of being machine
| made
Mr.. Platt paid a high tribute to Cover
| nor Taft and his associates on the Phlllp-
| pine commission and inquired:
rs what these men say about the Phil
| ippine Islands to be whistled down the
| wind by our friends the other side. re-
| enforced by the Senator from Massachu
| setts? Personally, l propose TO trust the
| Philippine commission
That commission had presented. he said,
| remarkable evidence of the progress which
was being made in the archipelago toward
peace and toward happy solution OF the
! situation there. Civil government had been
| established in thirty-four provinces and
that government was being operated to
the entire satisfaction Of the people.
The Sedition Act.
! NH. iioar iHterrupleu ~ 'iia"ie = 49,
| Platt thought the Filipinos would have
| adopted the treason law enacted by the
| Philippine commission had 1t been SUBJ
| mitted to them.
The Connecticut senator replied that he
| could not say, but Connecticut had law
| which the people~of that state mad never
| found inconsistent with their rights and
liberties. He read the law. which proved
to be not dissimilar 70 that which had
been enacted in thS Philippines. He
pointed out as one " the beneficent re-
| 1fs Of