The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-01-31

the senator's criticism"
Senator Tillman: "Oh, Not at ALL"
Senator Spooner: The supreme
court settled one thing and that Is that
there is distinction between the Unit
ed States and territory belonging to
the United States"
While Senator Spooner was proceed
ing with his speech. he was interrupted
by Senator Tillman and in an instant a
sensational colloduy was in progress.
Senator Tillman inquired: will the
senator allow me to ask him IL the
Platt amendment had been defeated by
dabate until the end Of the session
would that side have had courage to
have gone forward In it's philanthropy.
humanity. Christianity and liberty and
all that kind Of thing and to have call
ed an extra session"
Senator Spooner: 1--WE have courage
enough on this side to do anything on
earth
Senator Tillman: Except to defend
the negro"
Senator Spooner: I'VE have not cour-
age enough to lynch colored men or de-
prive them Of their rights
Senator Tillman: Does the senator
desire to discuss this race question
here? He seems to have left the prop
| nsition which he started on to throw
personal fling at me. / am ready to
| meet him here. in Wisconsin. or any
where else on the race question.
Senator Spooner: Whenever the
snator is willing to meet me on that
question or any other. he will find me
| there. so far as that is concerned. The
senator addressed to me an observation
rather offensive in it's character"
! Senator Tillman: "It certainly had
no allusion to lynchine."
! Senator SpQoner: NO"
Senator Tillman: "And the senator
| understands very we'll that come from
section Of country where lynchings
for given crime and for a good many
crimes are very prevalent. Now does
| the senator wish to leave the Philip
proposition in which he is dealing with
a colored people in a most infamous
and damnable and hypocritical way and
20 south and hold them up as examples
| that we are dealing with in a similar
way? I mean the colored people here
at home. Are we to have two rules of
conduct in regard to the colored peo-
| ple-one in the Philippines by which we
| butcher them and shoot Christianity
| irto them. and another in the south
| where we are not allowed to protect our
| wives and children?"
| Senator SpOoner: IF we had the
| same rule for the colored people in the
Philippines as the senator refers to in
| the south God help the colored man in
| the Philippines"
| Senator Tillman: God help him in
| the Philippines now. You have already
butchered in three years three times as
| many as he Spaniards did in three CEN
turies."
| Senator Spooner: "It is one thing to
kill men with arms in their hands
| against a government and against the
| flag. 1t is another thing to burn them. ?.
T. Senator TSllman: "You burned them
1 in Kansas. SIR -.
Senator Spooner: Wherever it is
| done it is an outrageous crime"
Senator Tillman: "Oh, it is a very
easy thing for a man who has not come
| in contact with them in close quarters
| to theorize and sentimentalize as to
| what other people ought to do.'
Senator Tillman was admOnished by
the president pro TEN. that he must not
| interrupt a senator without first OBJ
tanning leave. to which he replied tha,
he was 'taunted in way that nc
white man from South Carolina car
| submit to-"
After a little colloquy Senator Till
man said:
''Now I know that for a farmer like
me to discuss the legal points with E
giant in the law like the senator from
Wisconsin is a temerity that would lay
me open to the accusation of that ole
doggedel that Foods rush in whert
angels fear to tread and I am foo
enough to ask him when he quoted the
| constitution moment ago in reglrd K
the power Of congress in dealing will
territory and other property did he in
| clude men as other property whose lib
erty and lives and all rights are to b.
| jeopardiZed or to be destroyed in thi
country. and whether they are proper
ty; whether people are property? YoI
bought them at 81 head, it is true
but did you intend to give them thei
liberty as we propose. or do you propos
to hold them under the bayonet! unde
carpet-bag government more damnabl
than you put on US in 1862"
THAT is the old question" replie|
Senator Spooner. 1.-The power to occup!
Inhabited territory involves the powe
I suppose to change the allegiance. w
acquired louisiana No one ever pre-
tended that men and women wer
bought and sold in that transaction"
Senator Teller. of Colorado. offere'
the following amendment to the pend
ing bill as separate section:
"Be it further enacted. that the con
stitution and all laws OF the Unite'
States which are not locally fnapplica
BILE shall have the same force and effec
within the said Philippine archipelag
as elsewhere within the Unite'
States" l,,-.-. . '-'fI 4 r.
Senator Teller declared that the out
RACES and tortures committed in tn
| Philippines by the Spaniards had beer
1
J leans. There was not square mile o
territory in the islands. he said. outsid'
! Of Manila. where an American coua'
walk without the protection OF bavo
nets. He said that a private letter ha'
been received in WASHINGTON in whjc,
an army officer was quoted as sayini
with respect to the establishment O
! concentration camp. IF this thing Is Il
, continue / will have to apologize Z
!. Weyler." Another officer was quote.
as adding: '"The time has come whei
I'm ready to apologize to him now"
Senator Teller. in response to vol
ley of questions. replied that he did no
know the name Of the writer of the let
ter and would not mention 1t II he DIX
, know It As he was proceeding to dis
cuss the censorship Of press dispatches
| sent from Manila. he was interrupfe]
by Senator Foraker. who quoted from
|. | an interview with President Taft. OF tn
Philippine commission. In the course O
which he stated that there was no cen
? sorship Of press dispatches now.
fnCfgffnR that n,