Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-02-21
DOUBTS TAFT'S WORD
Senator Patterson Accuses the Governor Of
Misrepresenting Facts.
CHARGES FALSE REPORT ON PHILIPPINES
Says He is ACtuated by Motives Unknown
to Outsiders.
NELSON MAKES A STRONG DEFENSE
Quotes Facts to DisprOve Allegations of
Colorado Member.
NELSON MAKES A STRONG DEFENSE
SAYS he ISLANDERS AMERICAN NATION
Minnesota Statesman Declares Gov
ernment VIII Never Abandon the
Islands-FuIly Competent
10 Control Them.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 20.--with the ex-
ception Of a few minutes given to routine
business the senate today devoted it's en-
tire session to the Philippines question.
Mr.. Patterson Of Colorado, one Of the
minority members OF the Philippines com
mission, delivered his nrst extended speech
in the senate and was given most at
tentive and careful hearIns. He discussed
principally the sedition laws enacted by
the Philippines commission, vigorously at
tacking the authority OF the commission to
enact and enforce such laws. He main
tained that congress alone had the power
to put In force enactmsnts Of that charao-
ter. He compared information furnished
by the executive departments of the gov
ernment with some OF the statements OF
Governor Taft In his testimony before the
Philippines commission with respect to the
capabilities OF the Filipinos and declared
with some heat his belief that Governor
TAFT misrepresented the true situation in
the islands for motives unknown. He as
serted that II the 100000 Of Christians In
the Philippines were Protestant Chriatians
the cruelties practiced on them by the
American authorities would have to stob
as no member of congress would be able 70
withstand the wrath Of the Methodists,
Baptists and Presbyterians Of this county.
Question of sectarianism.
Mr. Nelson Of Minnesota presented legal
and constitutional argument in support of
this governments action In the Philippine
archipelago and sharply criticized Mr.. Pat
terson for injecting into the controversy
the question Of sectarianism-
Mr.. McCumber OF North Dakota urged
that congress should not bind the future
now by declaration Of a DEFINITE policy
regarding the Philippines, as It was de-
sirable that all possible information should
be in hand before permanent policy was
determined upon.
Mr.. Patterson maintained that under the
enactments Of the Philippines commission
any person found distributing the Congress
sional Record containing speeches OF any
member of the minority upon the Philip
pine question would be liable to nne and
imprisonment. -
Discussing the testimony OF Governor
Taft before the Philippines commission,
Mr.. Patterson said that seldom had a peo-
pie been held up to greater coutumely
and scorn than had been applied to the
Filipinos by Judge Taft. who literally. at
least, is their ruler"
Sentiment for independence might be
stamped out by great army. said Mr.. Pat
| terson. but such q course would be one Of
infamy.
Six Million Christians.
In conclusion Mr.. Patterson referred to
the fact that 100000 Of the people Of
the islands were Christians. But" he
said, they are not Protestant Christians"
On motion Of Mr.. Lodge, the senate
\ agreed to meen at IL a. m. tomorrow.
Mr.. Nelson Of Minnesota followed, with
legal argument dealing with various
phases of the Philippine question. In be-
ginning he took Mr.. Patterson sharply to
task for injecting sectarianism in the
discussion, holding that 1t was unwar-
ranted and inexcusable. 1t had remained
for Mr. Patterson, too, he said. to declare
that the sending OF American teachers to
the Philippines to teach the Filipino youth
the English language was an act OF tyranny
and despotism.
Mr.. Nelson declared that 1t was a slandsr
upon the American people to assert. as
the minority did, that this government
was not fully competent to give the Phil
| ippines a good government
sIAnder on American Nation.
I'VE are there" said he. land want to
| tell the senators on the other side that
| the people OF this country will never con-
sent to abandon those islands. When did
It come to pass" he demanded impul-
sively. "that the American people became a
set Of tyrants7 When did 1t come to pass
that the American soldiers became Bashi-
Besoks over those islands7 1t is a slander
upon the American nation"
bill authorizing the construction OF a
bridge over the Missouri river at Kansas
City was passed and the senate then, at
5:l3 p. m, went into executive session and
soon afterwaTd adjourned