The Savannah morning news., 1902-04-23
A FOUL OLIGARCHY
RAWLINs DENOUNCEs THE PHILIP
PINE BILL.
AN IMPOSITION ON FILIPINOS
COMMISSION GIVEN TOO GREAT
POWER.

Seem to Have Arrive mt Point Where
Some Affect to Believe II SeditiOn
to Think and Treason to Talk.
Congress No Longer Has to De-
Can Do This Any Day I'm the Week.
Lives and Property of Inhabitants
of Philippines Placed In Control OF
Commission by the Bill.
Washington, April 22.-Formal dis
eussion of the bill to temporarily pro-
vide government for the Philippine
Islands was begun in the Senate to-
day. Mr.. Rawlins of Utah, the leading
minority member of the Philippine
Committee opening the debate with a
speech in opposition to the measure.
He, denounced the bill as an unwar-
ranted imposition upon the Filipinos,
declaring that 1t would establish one
of the foulest oligarchies in the his
tory of the world. He maintained that
the Philippine Commission was given
too great power by the bill, and under
it's provisions the islands would he ex-
plotted for private gain.
Mr.. Rawlins will conclude his re-
marks tomorrow. While he was
speaking two efforts were made to
maintain a quoroum, the second re-
sulting in a lively tilt among several
senators, Mr.. Scott of West Virginia
intimating that no argument that
could be made upon the subject would
influence any senator.
Eve seem to have arrived at that
point in our history" said Mr.. Raw
Inns, where there are those who af-
feet to believe that 1t is sedition to
think and treason to talk. For Gods
sake. let us keep silent until the war
is Overt! exclaims peripatetic hero
and graduate from the Philippines who
wants to make free speech treason
and to cart us away to the gallows,
although he might give the senator
from Massachusetts the ben
eft of clergy on account of his SYM
pathy for 'super-heated conscience
All, if we are to believe him, with the
approval of the President of the
United States.
Congress Loses Prerogative.
Congress no longer. has to declare
war. An Otis or a Chaffee are pre-
pared to attend to this any day in the
week. A few days ago a message came
to US that Malvar, the last of the in
surrectos had surrendered. The next
day it was announced that Gen. Chat
fee had declared a new war and had
dispatched an army to wage 1t against
two millions of people in the Island of
Mfndanan iG 70 ho the word
so long as there is any disturbance
anywhere within our borders or In any
one of the more than thousand Stands
beyond the seas.
This bill strikes its roots into and
derives its support from that excres-
cence upon the army appropriation bill
of 1901, known as the Spooner amend
ment. The qualification of the abso-
lutte power therein conferred, adopted
at the Instance of the senator from
Massachusetts, by this bill is elimi-
mated.
"All property rights in the islands
and the fate of their inhabitants are
turned over TO the control and dispo-
sition of the commission, without any
qualification of Importance.
The Commissions Powers.
1.-THE commission may declare war
and make peace; raise armies and pro-
vide navies; regulate commerce with
all sorts of discrimination between ISL
ands and ports; levy taxes without
limit and without uniformity 1t may
coin money and regulate the value
thereof. And may establish religion
and punish those who do not conform
to it's tenets. 1t may destroy free
speech and punish as an act of sedi-
ton the publication of the truth in re-
gard to their administration. 1t can
establish an inquisition devise and APP
ply methods Of excruciating torture,
compelling persons to witness against
themselves and disclose information
which the commission may desire TO
extort. 1t may practice any or all of
the acts of tyranny which history has
disclosed or genius may devise.
at is useless to say that this power
will not be abused. Attention viii be
invited TO some instances in the his
tory of our relations with the islands
showing the extent TO which our repre-
sentatives have gone in acts of per-
fidy, Injustice, oppression and cruelty"
Young CasteIlane's Name IL JAY.