Evening star., 1902-05-07
AGAINST PHILIPPINE BILL.
Senator Turner Says No More Unjust
War Was Ever Waged.

iEgs in the Senate was closed yesterday af
ternoon Mr.. Turner CWash.) spoke upon
the Philippine bill. He referred to the
speech of Mr.. Lodge Monday as being the
best that had been made against the pas
sage Of the bill, and, therefore, his purpose
would be to supplement that speech and
to drive home the conclusion that it is un-
wise unpatriotic cruel and inhuman to at
tempt. in view of the facts, to make the
Philippines a permanent part of the terri
tory of the United States
He then criticised the refusal of the Sem
ate committee on the Philippines to summon
Asuinaldo Mabini, Major Gardener and
Others He would feel constrained. he said,
II the present methods of the Philippine
committee are continued in declining to
summon certain witnesses to declare that
1t does not want the truth. but that it is
determined to strangle the truth, as our
armies under the compulsion of superior
authority are strangling liberty in the Phil
ippines. We ought, he declared, in justice
to our people, to abandon the design to per-
manently hold the islands, while we may
do so without too great loss of prestige and
reputation.
If any senator, said Mr. Turner, had con-
ceived at the time the treaty with Spain
was pending that it would lead us into war
with the Filipinos, would that treaty have
received a single vcte?
Gen. Smiths Order.
Mr.. Turner referred to the order Of Cen
eral Jacob H. Smith and said that it re-
mained for the American soldier, the high
est type of civilization in a quarrel not
having the single element of religious diff
ference, prosecuted upon professedly hui
manitarian grounds, to raise his name to
the height of bloody infamy. He charac-
terized General Smith "a monster in hui
man form,' who had devoted an entire
province to a merciless determination.
In response to an inquiry by Mr. Dollver
as to whether any women or children had
been put to death under that order, Mr..
Turner replied that evidence showed that
twenty men had been taken out and shot
Mr.. Dolliver declared that the men had
been shot not under the order of General
Smith, but upon other grounds.
Mr.. Turner urged that Major Waller had
pleaded the order of General Smith as JUS
tification for his execution of the Samar
guides, and had been acquitted on that
plea.
Mr.. Turner asserted that it would be i'm
possible, despite the fairy tale of amity
which constantly is being dinned into our
ears for the United States TO govern the
islands without the constant presence there
of a great army. This country would be
confronted in the Philippines as Spain was
for 800 years with a continuous revolt
There never would be peace in the islands,
he maintained. so long as our present policy
was pursued.
Mr.. Turner referred to a special dispatch
which appeared yesterday under date line
of Lynn, Mass. and which on the authority
of Rev. w. H. Walker, told of the eXecu-
ton of 1000 Filipino prisoners by a bat
talon of American troops because there
was not sufficient food for them Rev. DR.
his son. j. B. Walker, a private in Com
pany l., 10th United States Infantry
Mr.. Turner said he did not vouch for the
truthfulness of the story, but felt that it
ought to be investigated.
Mr.. Lodge replied that he would inyesti-
gate the matter, although he felt it was
utterly without foundation
No More Unjust War.
In conclusion Mr.. Turner said he "felt
keenly the perfidy involved in our con-
! duct in the Philippines. No more unjust
war ever has been waged than that which
we are waging against those people" The
government. he declared had been driven
by reckless men into fight which the
United States had no right to make
Lust of dominion" said Mr.. Turner
greed OF conquest, overruled the sober
judgment of the American officials and
the Philippine committee to summon every
witness who could possibly throw any
light on 1t. Speaking earnestly to the
| committee, he said: I'm view of the bloody
| stain on the American ensign, if you do
not shed light on this situation it will be
because you dare not. You cannot escape
the responsibility If you would. but you
can make partial atonement if you will
The Committee Defended.
Mr.. Hoar (Mass), who introduced the
| resolution providing for the investigation
which the Philippine committee is now
making, defended the committee In the
conduct Of its investigation. He said that
| vast amount of valuable information
already had been furnished by the conf
| mittee. and he doubted not that other in
| formation still would be furnished. He
urged that in fairness and justice some
Filipinos ought to be called to give their
testimony before the committee in defense
of the charges which had been made
against them. He was assured that the
investigation was in the hands of honora-
BILE and humane American senators who
were just and WISE and he hoped that be-
fore the conclusion of the investigation they
would give a hearing to the Filipino side
of the constroversy,
The resolution of the House announcing
| the death of Representative Joshua 8.
Salmon of New Jersey then was laid be-
fore the Senate, and Messrs. Kean, Dryden,
Burnham Beveridge, Heitfeld, Foster Ua.)
and Bacon were appointed a committee to
attend the funeral.
AS an additional mark of respect the
Senate then, at $40. adjourned