The age-herald., 1902-01-22
SENATE DISCUSSES
 PHILIPPINE BILL

sltlon or preference until 1t shall have been voted on finally.
 1 The debate was opened by MT. Lodge of Massachusetts, chairman of the commit tee on the Philippines He sketched in a free-hand way the reasons which had act uated the majority in presenting the measure. and urged strongly its enact ment into law. He appealed to Congress l to deal with questions relating to the Philippines as they might arise and to keep clear of vague words and vague promises which were likely to be misln- terpreted and to raise false hopes in the minds of the Filpinos. In an impassioned peroration he besought Congress not to give mortgages on an unknown future.
 MT. Rawlins of Utah delivered vigor- ous speech in support of the minority. in which independence was promised to the | Filipinos so soon as stable government could be established in the Philippines.
 As a conclusion of the debate for the day, Mir. Bacon of Georgia sharply criti- cized the secretary of war for an alleged violation of the law in issuing an order permitting vessels flying a foreign flag to participate in the commerce between the United States and the Philippines
 The following bills were passed author 1 izing the construction of bridges: 1 Over the Missouri river at St. Joseph, Mo, over the Arkansas river in Arkan- sas by the Memphis, Helena and Louisi- ana Railroad Company, over the White river in Arkansas by the Memphis. Hele na and Louisiana Railroad Company NY C9atI Company the right to construct single railroad track across United States lands | in Independence county. Ark, extending | the time for the construction of a bridge across bayou Bartholomew in Arkansas by the Mississippi River, Hamburg and Western Railroad Company.
 | At 2 o'clock MT. Lodge called up the Philippine tariff bill and the Senate pro- oeeded to its consideration. The effect of Mir. Lodges motion was to make the measure the unfinished business of the Senate.
 MT. Lodge called attention to the ne- | cessity of coastwise legislation for the islands under decisions of the Supreme Court. He said that the tariff as fixed by the Philippine commission had been established only after the most careful investigations covering several months, and it was obvious to the committees of the two houses that they could not hope 1 to improve upon it.
 | MT Lodge said that to discriminate in | favor of the United States on products | going to the Philippines would not ,ii- minish the revenues and would break | down the policy of the "oper door" The United States had. by it's firmness and it's l excellent diplomacy, accomplished the i establishment of that policy in China, and 1 China would be for years the most im- l portant market for products of the Unit | ed States
 I. He explained the Senate committees resolution of the Dingley rate to the ex- tent of 25 cents, saying the committee had not felt it wise to make a further reduc- ton. The exaction of the remaining duty | could not be considered onerous in view of the fact that all the moneys in the United States collected would be returned to the Philippines.
 MT. Lodge said that the removal of the export duties did not affect the open door policy; if it did he would oppose it, nor could the policy give offense to Spain un- der the treaty between that country and this. He defended the policy of the free | importation of hemp as in the interest of the agricultural implement.
 MT. Rawlins, during his speech, said: "The Democratic proposition Is that tariff | should be imposed for revenue, the duties to be so adjusted as to operate equally | throughout the country and not to dis criminate between class or section.
 "The proposition which the minority submits, if adopted, will prove simple and effective remedy for the troubles which afflicts us. It proposes to relin- | quish the islands; it proposes that so long | in | lands there shall be freedom of trade be- | tween them and the United States. When | the United States withdraws from the | islands and they assume in all respects the attitude of a foreign government they will be subject to the provisions Of our general laws relating to tariff taxation"
 At the conclusion of MT. Rawlins speech, MT. Bacon, Georgia, referred to | colloquy bet ween himself and Mir. Lodge | concerning an order of the secretary of war to permit ships under foreign flags | to enter the United States and the Phil ippines after the decision of the Supreme Court that the islands were domestic ter ritory. No exigency of trade, in his opin- ion, was sufficient reason or such viola tion of the law. He protested against what he considered the ''hot haste" in pressing the pending measure, and against what he asserted was an effort to | withhold from the Senate information re- lating to the Philippines.
 Mr. Stewart, Nevada. took issue with Mr. Bacons argument that an executive officer could not set aside a law for the public good as being in contravention of the hostory and jurisprudence of England and America. He asserted that the rule had existed for centuries that statutory law must yield to great emergencies.
 At 4.35 the Senate went into executive session, and at 5:50 adjourned.
 THE HOUSE.
 Washington, January 21.-In the absence | of other pressing business the House managers are allowing the widest lati- tude in the debate on the urgent de- | ficiency bill now before the House. The irrigation of arid lands in the west and the advisability of retaining control of the | Philippines were the main topics under discussion today. The speakers were Mir. Sbley, Pennsylvania; Mir. Densmore, Ar kansas; Mir. Newlands, Nevada; MT. Mondell, Wyoming; MT. Robinson, h. diana Mfr Kerns, Illinois; Mir. Gaines, Tennessee; Mir. Vandiver, Missouri, and MT. Green, Pennsylvania.
 l
 METCALFE DENIES CHARGES.