Omaha daily bee., 1902-05-21
SAYS DEMOCRATS SEEK COVER
Senator olspp Declares Minority is Forced
to Retreat in Face Of Facts,
WARM DEBATE ON CONCENTRATION CAMP:
Bacon of Georgia Fears Establish
ment of Them In Philippines VIII
Bring Results Similar 20
Those in Cuba.

WASHINGTON, May 2O.-The subject OF
the concentration OF the Inhabitants Of the
Philippines into camps was a leading topic
Of the discussion Of the Philippine bill in
the senate today. Mr.. Bacon Of Georgia
attacked the policy Of concentration, liken-
Ing 1t to the reconcentrado camps estab-
lished by General Weyler in Cuba.
Mr.. Foraker Of Ohio defended the action
Of the military authorities in establishing
the camps in the Philippines as wise and
proper and as a means Of protecting friendly
Filipinos from assassination at the hands
of rowing bands Of insurgents. He read a
description Of the camps to show that they
really we're camps Of instruction and sanl-
tation.
Mr.. Hoar of Massachusetts, spoke briefly
In line with Mr.. Bacon, criticising the con-
centration camps and pointing out the diff
hculty In getting army officers to testify
regarding the situation.
Eloquent Speech by CIapp.
The days debate was closed by Mr.. Clapp
OF Minnesota in an eloquent speech, IN
which ne urged that the F%1lipinos ought
to be taught to admire and respect the
United States as a nation which always
has stood for liberty and progress and never
had broken it's word to any people, great
or small.
Mr.. Bacon, addressing the senate on the
Philippine bill said that there was, in part,
civil government now established in the
Philippines under the war power which was
as full in its powers as that conferred by
the pending bill.
He read a paragraph in the bill to show
that It contained a broad and unlimited
grant to the Philippine commission to dis
pose in unlimited fashion, Of the public do
main in the Philippines. He declared that
an examination Of the bill would show that
a corporation could obtain 1000. 900 acres
Of land as easy as it could get 5000 acres.
This, he declared, was an "enormity."
Five Thousand the Limit.
Mr.. Lodge, chairman Of the committee,
interrupted to say that section II of the
bill restricted the ownership Of land by a
corporation to 5000 acres.
rs It," Mr.. Bacon asked, 1.-The purpose
Of the United States to retain the Philip
pine islands in colonial dependency or to
grant to them a government Of their own %
That he thought, was the great central
question around which all other questions
relating to the Islands must revolve. "If,"
said he, I'VE have the high and noble pur-
pose of giving the Filipinos a free govern
ment-whether partial or absolute-then
now Is the time for congress to act upon
that purpose.
who is Defender of Army.
who is the defender of the army?" he
queried." THE man who d~enounces the
outrages in the Philippines and declares
they are unworthy of the army, or the man
who defends the outrages and makes no dis
tinction?" Senators who denounce these
outrages and the preparation of them were,
he thought, the real friends Of the army.
Mr.. Foraker said that Mr.. Bacon had
likened the concentration camps in the
Philippines to those In Cuba established
under General Weyler. He made compare |
isons Of the camps to show that such was
not the case. The establishment OF these
amp Mr.. Foraker said, was not an act
Of brutality, as had been charged, but an
act Of mercy and kindness and as a means
Of protecting the people from the rowing
bands OF bnnditti.
Mr.. Hoar said everybody knew, and II
was useless to try to disguise the fact,
that 1t was difficult to get the army officers
to testify as to matters which reflected on
the administration Of a war. They were
brave men, but they fiinched from making
such criticism. They were apt to fear that
their promotion, for which they were con-
stantly striving, would be affected.
Senator CIapp's View.
Mr.. Clapp OF Minnesota delivered a
forceful speech in support of the pending
measure. He Gaid that the initial inquiry
into the consideration Of the bill was
whether the United States should with
draw its forces from the Philippines or
should remain in the islands. No consi1-
cradle number Of Americans, he believed, |
favored a policy of retreat.
A responsibility rested upon this govern
ment, he said. which could not be lost sight
of. The Filipinos, in the circumstances, must
await the result of the developments in the
islands, and they ought TO be assured from
the history of this country that the results
eventually would inure to their advantage.
He tainted the democrats by declaring
that in the beginning Of the present debate
they had warmly attacked the army. tell
ing. as he said, only one side of the situ-
alton in the Philippines as to outrages
and barbaritles. He asserted that since
the other side of that story had been told,
that since the outrages and infamies prac-
ticed by the Filipinos on the American
troops had been laid bare a storm OF In
dignation had arisen among the American
people, which had caused the democratic
minority to seek shelter by declarations
that their attack was not on the army,
h,.t an kha naItov Of uyhich fha aru,v ma |