The Washington times., 1902-01-28
WHEATON MAY
BE CENSURED
Senators Object to the Gen.
erals Criticisms.
Mr.. DUBOIS URGES A RBPRIMAND
Mr.. Lodge Characterized Utterauccs
of senator Teller in Debate
AS "SiIIy.v

A lively tilt occurred in the Senate YES
terday during the opening hours over the
newspaper report from Manila of General
Wheaton's structures on Prof. Schurman' S
Boston speech The subject was brought
UP by Senator Dubois. who declared that
General Wheaton should be reprimanded.
The Creatures of Congress.
Officers of the army and navy, he said,
are creatures of Congress. He did not
know specially about General Wheaton
but he supposed that he had been "a
charity boy who had been appointed TO
West Point and educated by the Govern
ment,' and who now ventured to crlticise
the Senate in regard to legislation.
Such proceedings, he declared, were out
rageous and indecent.
DO you not think" interposed Mr..
Lodge, that it would be desirable, as a
preliminary, TO find out whether General
Wheaton said it Possibly he did not
There may be some mistake in the de-
spatch. 1t is desirable to know what he
did say before We proceed TO censure
him.
Mr.. Teller said it seemed as If the peo-
pie of the Unite! States were not only
to have their mouths padlocked, but that
the Senators must preserve silence upon
subjects affecting the Philippines. He
did not doubt that If some Senator
should read the Declaration of Independ-
ence in open session some member on the
opposition side would characterize the
action as one tending to excite rebellion.
Remarks Called "SiNy.v
Mr.. Lodge characterized the re-
marks of Mr.. Teller concerning the
Declaration of Independence as silly"
Mr.. NcComas said that General Wheat
on's statement referred only 10 Prof
schurman's Boston speech, and not to
the minority report of the Philippine
Commission.
The despatch was again read, and it
to carry out Mr. McComas' re-
mark.
Mr.. Carmack Dem. TENN argued for
action. and denounced attempts to sup
press the facts.
Wholesale Censure.
Mr.. Tillman, in noting the reprimand
Of General Miles by the President for the
formers expression of opinion on the
schley Court of Enquiry finding, remarked
everybody was to be censured. Laugh |
.er.l
Mr. Hoar (Rep.. Mass) thought this |
;ase not one to receive the attention of !
he Senate. II was one, he believed, for /
he attention of the President, who, he |
believed. would act properly if IL were
ound that General Wheaton had given |
to the criticisms attributed to !
lin
TIL me subject was brought up later
,y Sena tor Lodge, who apologiZed for the
'emark which ne had made In applying
he term silly" to Mr.. Teller's state
nent. He had not supposed that the Sen
tor from Colorado had made the remark
lad used the unparliamentary expression
Continued to Crop Up.
The Wheaton incident continued to
ankle in the minds of the Democrats,
pparently, for it continued to crop up oc-
asionally during the entire early part
4 the session.
Mr.. Dubois. getting on his feet a sec
nd time on the subject sLid that in his
pinion it was in exceedingly bad taste
nd offensive TO the spirit of American in
titutions for military officer to be criti-
Using the civil power and threatening
iiSssN NHO htit LuhIHS lit laws. ne !
espatch was true on its face. and Cen
raj Wheaton, for such language, ought
0 be reprimanded by the President.
clear Before You Strike.u
Mr. Spooner (Rep.. Wis., repeated the
Xiom: Hear before you strike" and
ave as an illustration of the folly OF
citing on newspaper statements. the res
luton offered last week by Mr. Teller
especting the sentence of death on a
oer commandant. He spoke of General
Wheaton, as man of magnificent record
nd said it was an unfair thing to assume |
nat the general had violated the rule,
nd to denouuce him as II it was known
nat he did
Mr. Tillman Dem, 6. c. remarked
lat General Wheaton was a very gal
mt officer but was doing very dirty !
ORR.
Mr.. Spooner said he did not agree to :
lie last part of the remark
1T is my opinion" Mr.. Tillman ex-
aimed. for which / am responsible to
lie American people, and TO nobody else" c