The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-04-23
PHILIPPINE ::
 BILJyS UP.
 -$ RaWlinS OpenS Attack on Measure. DENOUNCES ITSPR0vISI0NS Unlimited Power Conferred on Proposed Commission. Senator Scott Thinks That Not Vote Will Be Changed by Argument Sharp Colloquy Follows His Statement.

washington, April 22.-Formal discus sion of the bill temporarily to provide government for the Philippine lsiahos was begun in the Senate today MT Rawlins (Utah). the leading minority member of the Philippine Committee oe- no,,pced the bill as an unwarranted im- nosition on the Fiipinos. declaring thaI H would establish one of the fouiesI o"- sarchies in the history of the worio' ne maintained that the Philippine Comn'is- sion was given too great power oy 'ne hill. and asserted that under its proVis- ions the isands would be exploited for pri- vate gain.
 While he was speaking, two efforts were made to maintain a quorum, the second resulting in a lively tilt among several Senators. MT. Scott tW. Va.) intimating that argument could not influence any Senator We seem to have arrived at that point in our history" said MT. Raw lins. where there are those who anec. to believe that it is sedition to thinK anu treason to talk.
 "for Gods sake lei us keep silent until w
 hero and graduate from the Philippines who wants to make free speech treason' and to cart us away to the galloWs, ai- though he might give the Senator rom Massachusetts, the benefit of clergy on account of his sympathy for superheat- ed conscience All, If We are to believe him. with the approval of the Presiaeht of the United States.
 The Impotency of Congress.
 congress no longer has to declare war An Otis or d Chaffee is prepared to attend to this any day in the week. A few days ago a statement was seh. ~ the United States that MaNar, the ias. oi the insurrectos. had surrendered. me next day it was announced that tsBnsfaI C.haff had declared a new war ana nao despatched an army 10 wage IL against 2 900 900 of people In the island or Minoi- anao. But mum Is the word so long as IN here Is any disturbance anywhere with- in our borders or in any one or the more than a thousand islands beyond the seas There are facts which cry out TOT ut terancc. There are 100000 of suffering people across the water, silent, unhearo, hut whose very souls cry out against wrongs. cruel unspeakable. beyond the ken of mortal language to describe. There are more than 70. 900 on this side ot the water wanting to know the truth. hefe- tofore stified and suppressed.
 Mir. Rawlins said the bill femoved thc qualification of absolute power when hao been adopted at the instance Of the sena- tor from Massachusetts when the opoo"e' amendment was adopted
 Mr Raw,ins continued: "At property rights in the islands and the fate ot their inhabitants are turned over to the control and disposition of the commission' without any qualification of importance Power of Commission,
 "rhs commission may declare war and | make neace: raise armies and proVloe navies. regulate commerce with all sorts l of determinations between island ports | Iev,, taxes without limit and without uni | formity. It may coin money and resu- | late the value thereof, and may rStap"oh religion and punish those who u' not | conform to it's tenets. It may destroy | free speech and punish as an act oi sedition the publication or the truth III | regard to their administrator It can | astablish an iuuuisltion; devise and apply methods of excruciating torture coin. | neIing persons to be witnesses against thamselves and disclose information which the commission may desire to eXtort. | ..Jt is useless to say that this power will not be abused.
 | During Mr. Rawlins's speech two CT l forts were made to maintain a quorum | Finally Mir. Money (Miss.) moved that the Senate adjourn, only five Repuniicar | Senators being present when the motion | was made. The vote on the motion was | I2 to 23--less than quorum lhe ron was | then called and a quorum was secureu' l Mir Money. in withdrawing his motion | said he had no disposition to delay con | sideration of the measure, but he believed Inc Senate ought to give proper consider 1 otion to 4 measure which Involved tns 1 life. liberty and happiness of ten millions
 of neople and he would insist upon sucf
 consideration. ,.., ,,.
 Does the Senator think" inquired MT
 Scott w. Val that any Senator on thi'
 floor will be influenced by any argumen l that may be made on this question?
 A Shot at Scott
 NIr. Rawlins replied tartly that h' 1 never indulged the thought that the Sena
 tor from West Virginia tMr. Scott 1 would be influenced by any argumen that might be made on any question. Al l oligarchy as foul as any ever established 1 was about to be fastened upon the Fill
 ninos by the pending bill yet said he 1 ..whiIe this measure is under considera ton Senators sink away. declaring tha no argument thay may be made can nave any effect upon them"
 MT. Hoar requested Mir. Rawlins t' | withdraw the expression sling away urging that no unworthy motives ougn to be imputed to any Senator MT | Rawlins said he would change the eN
 pression to walk away" or go away
 Mir. Teller had said there was nothlhs
 rnrcb more dlscourteous to a Senator than for an entire body of Senator's rep
 resentine one side of the chamber tt
 leave inc chamber while he was speak ,na Nr RawIins continued his remarks
 for brief time and then. desiring t' conclude his speech tomorrow. the Senate at 4:2o D. m. adjourned