The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-02-26
ON GARpET-BAGGERs.
Debate on Philippine Tariff Friday
Was Interesting---Sp De-
fends Government Policy.

Ino YnlIpplne GarlH DILL UnOoT DISCUS
sion. Mr.. Bate, Democrat of Tennes-
see, delivered carefully prepared
speech in opposition to the pending
measure. He was followed by Mr..
Spooner, Republican of Wisconsin,
in a brilliant defense of the Republi-
can attitude toward the Philippine
islands. He became involved frequent
ly in heated colloquies with members
of the minority. He concluded with
an appeal to congress to stand by the
policies of Mckinley and Roosevelt.
Mr.. Tillman, Democrat Of South
Carolina, began characteristic ar
raignment of the administration in the
PHILIPPINES, but had not concluded
when the senate adjourned until to-
morrow.
Mr.. Bate asserted that the payment
of $50, 600. COO for the Philippine ISL
ands was commercial rather than a
sentimental transaction, and was the
first step toward a colonial policy
antagonistic to the American form
of government.
He said he regarded the acquisition
of the Philipina Islands as hurtful
to the American system, as destitute
of benefit to the American people and
as wrongful to the Filipinos, the pres
ent was not the time to continue that
discussion or to propose remedy for
the evils that had sprung from the
ratification of the Paris treaty. Mr..
Spooner of Wisconsin then addressed
the senate 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
reconciIing the difficulties of the su-
preme courts decisions in the consul
lar cases, he was satisfied that the
proposed bill was constitutional, as
the Foraker Puerto Rican bill was
constitutional.
Mr.. Spooner referred to some re-
cent statements by VIM. j. Bryan in
his newspaper in support of the minor
ity in the senate. He pointed out that
these very gentlemen who now were
criticising the government were instru-
mental in placing the problem before
congress. He declared that Mr.. Bryan
had come to Washington and>advocated
the ratification Of the Paris treaty,
and he ventured the opinion that if it
had not been for Mr.. Bryan's efforts
the treaty would not have been rati
fed. A solution of the Philippine
question as presented to congress and
TO the country now was demanded not
by any political party, but by the
people of the country. He claimed the
right of the majority to deal with the
question as it saw fit, as by the people
it had been placed in responsibility
and was held to accountability by the
American people.
Mr.. Spooner discussed at length the.
ratification of the treaty OF Paris. In
the course of his statement be was
interrupted by Mr.. wellington, who
said: 81 would give 10 years Of my
life to recall the vote I cast for that
treaty.
He declared that the promises made
to him at that time "by the admins
tration'' with respect to the treaty
were broken.
Mr.. Spooner sharply arraigned the
Democratic party for the encourage
ment which its utterance had given the
rebellion in the Philippines and
declared that the motive which actu-
ated the Democratic leaders was ;.
blind greed for political power, which
made them forget for the nonce the
army at the front. "
Mr.. Spooner denounced the substi-
tute proposition made by the minority
of the senate committee on the Phil
ippine as the "most mischievous pro-
iect that couId be devised bv the wit
of man in the present status of
affairs -
..It is.'' he exclaimed, ga bill to
raise hell in the Philippine archi-
peiago-a bill which has no merit
whatever in it.
Mr.. Tillman addressed the senate in
oppositionto the pending bill. He
declared that the expression of the
motives for enactirg the bill were
subterfuge and humbug and every
body knew it. He asserted that this
government in its treatment of the
Filipinos had returned to the policy
OF Great Britain which had been
overthrown by our forefathers at York
town. It was, he said, damnable
doctrine, yet we called ourselves lib
erty-loving Americans and declared
our pride in our ancestry.
He charged that the American au-
thorities in the Philippines we're
steering clear' Of the provinces in
the islands where war was real and
pressing and were confning themselves
to those places where opportunity was
afforded to secure 'tpelf'' and to rob
the people. They were following, be
declared, the same methods pursued
in South Carolina after the war be-
tween the States. Il was a carpetbag
government, he insisted.
The first thing" said be, (Which
the carpetbae verInin in the Philip
pines would do fas they did in Cuba)
would be to get their hands into the
pockets OF the people and steal all they
could. | expect Gov. Taft has already
caught some Of TIE scoundrels but
that would not be a good thing to
ventilate in the United States Just
now
He said the Filipinos now were being
pacifed off the face Of the earth .
Mr.. Tillman had not concluded
when the senate adjourned.