New-York tribune., 1902-05-08
TWO REPUBLICANS SPEAK
SENATORS MCOMAS AND BURTON DE-
FEND THE PHILIPPINE GOV
ERNAIENT BILL.
TBT TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE

Maryland made elaborate argument in favor
of a safe and gradual extension among the Fill
pinos of the forms and guarantees of self-gov-
ernment and deprecated as ill advised and
harmful, both to American authority and 10
native progress, the minoritys efforts to OBJ
struct the passage of the pending bill on grounds
not only irrelevant. but injurious to American
credit and military honor. Mr.. McComas drew
a picture of some of the seventies practised
on both sides in the Civil War. and expressed
surprise that Southern Senators who remem-
bered their own history should become so hys-
terical the isolated cases of reprisal and
violence now charged against American troops.
Mr.. Burton. of Kansas. closed the afternoon
with another able defence Of the policy outlined
in the Lodge bill, and a similar denunciaton OF
the unfair and eXtravagant methods pursued oy
the minority in their chosen task of besmirch-
ing the good name of the United States army
SENATOR MCOMAs DEFENDS THE ARMY
After declaring that the war with Spain had
been forced on the United States by the Demo
Gratis and that the Philippines had come TO
this country through that war, Mr.. McComas as
serted that in the debates on the Phi1ppine
question the Democrats ignored all history and
ignored the treaty they helped 10 ratify. They
proposed TO undo the glorious work OF the last
four years, to denounce the treaty to disgrace
the army and navy. TO throw away the SOW
ereignty over the Islands TO defy the verdict
of the people to reverse the Supreme Court, and
to scuttle amid the flouts and jeers of all the
nations of the world.
The benefit provided in the pending Dill was
being obstructed by the minority of the SEN
ate the members of which confined their
speeches to denunciations OF the army He
said that all humane men deplored the admin
istration OF the water cure by Americans. but
he insisted that 1t not patriotic to clutch
at every charge made against the army. He
warmly defended General Funston, and paid
high tribute to his courage and patriotism
Mr.. McComas eulogized President Mckinley
President Roosevelt and Secretary Root Blind
partisans abuse them" he said, 'pessimists
decry their work. cynics sneer. tdealists revile
and timid souls denounce them untrue to
liberty But all of them forceful and mas
terful men. OF whom the nation has reason to
be proud"
Discussing the cruelties said to be practised
by American troops in the Philippines Mr.. Nc
Comas alluded to many such instances In the
Civil War-instances furnished by both the
Union and Confederate forces. He referred to
Sherman's march 20 the sea. lighted by the
burning OF bridges and hamlets." and 10 the
horrors Of Andersonvlne and Libby prisons.
As TO those prisons he said. the Confederate
a
the acts of a few. He spoke in defence of the
soldiers Of both the North and the South. The
army In the Philippines no more justly 20
be charged with approving isolated instances
OF cruelty than were the armies OF the North
and the South in the Civil War. He paid
tribute to the humanity OF American troops in
the Philippines, and cited many instances Of
tenderness and mercy. Mr.. McComas said that
the policy OF the minority was one Of "scuttle.
and that they would steal away from the islands
and leave them to anarchism and Imperialism.
Referring 10 elections In the South. Mr.. Nc
Comas said that the Senators from South Caro-
lima and Mississippi CTillman and Money! cried
out against the small percentage OF voters in
the early elections in the Philippines. After
discussing the election methods in the States
referred to. he said: We behold Senators from
the two States where there is less popular lib
erty than I'm any others shouting loudest for
constitutional liberty on the other side of the
globe" In closing. Mr. McComas said: The
administration of President Roosevelt will not
haul down our flag in the Philippines. This ad-
mlnlstratlon viii follow the path wherein Presi-
dent Mckinley walked"
SENATOR BURTON ANSWERS TILLMAN
Mr.. Burton declared that he never had heard
a speech like that of Mr. Tillman. Every
body" he said. Judges others by himself The
man who upon this floor can defend slavery
and government by the shotgun. cannot be ex-
pected to think very we'll of Senators who are
trying TO carry good government to the Philip
pines. II is astonishing that a Senator in one
breath should make an appeal for unsullied gov
ernment in the Philippines, and In the next
breath boast OF crimes almost unparalleled in
history. The Senator from South Carolina may
enjoy a monopoly OF such speeches"
Mr.. Burton said that by all parties the pend
ing bill was conceded to be an excellent meas
ure. He sharply arraigned the minority mem
berS for their attitude on the Philippine situa-
ton, declaring that they were supporting the
Filipino insurgents while the majority Senators
wer standing for the American army and the
1t was he said. the evident purpose of Mr..
Tillman in his speech 10 give color to the state
ministration had inaugurated a policy OF bru-
tality unparalleled in history.
THE Senator has got my point exactly" in
terrupted Mr. Tillman. The nfamy rests upon
the Senators who helped to ratify the Treaty of
Paris" He said he might he called TO order for
rejecting upon Senators, but he would let the
II suggest" interjected Mr.. Clcpp. Of Mime
sofa, that you withdraw the reflections to
Senators and let them stand as they apply to
William ]. Bryan alone" Uaughter)
THAT TILT WITH SENATOR RAwLINS.
Mr.. Burton declared there were no authentI-
Gated instances of the intentional killing Of
women children by troops in the Philip
pines and then. reading extracts from speeches
of Mr. Rawlns. declared that they were false.
Mr.. Rawlins challenged Mr.. Burton to point
out fclse statement he had made.
Paraphrasing the remarks of Mr.. Rawlins Mr.
Burton incurred When the Senator asserts
that we are pursuing in the PhUippnes a bar
barOus policy-a policy that Is backer than that
OF Philip Of Spain the blacklist in fact in all
history; and when he says that Taft and Chaffee
and Wheaton and Macarthur and Funston are
carrying this policy Of barbarity into effect
what language does he expect me to use in char
acterizing the statement"