Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-05-21

difficulty III getting army hIll'Ei7 w
testify regarding the situation
The days debate was closed by Cidpp,
Mimi. gotta, IN an eloquent speech in
which ne urged that the Filipinos ought
10 be taught to admire and respect the
United States, a nation which always
had stood for liberty and progress and
never had broken its word to any peo-
pie, great or small.
A resolution offered by Stewart CNev.j.
yesterday, providing that compilation
Of all treaties. regulations and laws re-
lating to Indian affairs be made, was Land
b fore the Senate.
Hale (Maine) withdrew his amendment
previously offered providing that no eX-
pense should be attached to the prepafa-
ton OF the work and the resolution was
adopted.
eggs Of game birds into the United States
for propagation was passed.
A resolution offered by SpoOu"r CNis.)
was adopted. providing that Hon. Q. Il
platt senator from Connecticut. designat-
ed by the President protein to perform
his duties in his absence, should be en-
powered to sign enrolled bills ana that
The President be informed Of this aftiOn.
Consideration Of the Philippine bill then
wac resumed, Bacon (Ga.), addressing the
senate in opposition to the measure.
government now established In the Phil
ippines under the war power, which was
as full In all Its powers az was conferred
by the pending bill Under inc proposed
measure greater power In the eXplOita-
ton Of the islands could be exercised. II"
rad a paragra PHI in the bill to show tina t
1t contained "A broad grant to the Phil-
ippin- commission to dispos" in unlimited
fashion of the public domain in the phil
iupineS He declared that an examination
ii tho oil would show that a corporation
al,
easily as it could get $50 acres.
Lodge, chairman of the committee, in
t.rrupted to say that Section 4 Of the blil
restricted the ownership Of land by Il
corporation to 5000 acres
THAT restriction" said Bacon. lis con-
fined to corporations engaged In agrlcul-
IAN other corporations" replied Lodge,
"are limited in the holdings Of their lands
necessary to their purposes
Bacon thought a corporation might he
organized to control all the mineral lands
IN that Philippincs-that would be an in
FAINT as compared to the great steel trust
On 20 grave a matter as the disposition
ny tH. rubliC lands in the Philippines he
thought there ought 10 be the direct &C
ZION ~ Congress, or Mt least the approval
81 Congress, instead Of tntruSting the
matter to the Philippines commission.
'Is IT," Bacon asked. the purpose of
the United States to retain the Philip
pine islands in colonial dependency or 70
grant to them government OF tht II
own" That, he thought, was the great
central question around which an other
questions relating to the islands must re-
solve. The "CrueltIes," atrocities ana
''barbarities" pcrpetratod In the Philip
pines. he said. were mentioned by MIN
only to point out that they We're the re
suit of the Philippine policy of the gov
eminent.
lie declared the responsibility for the
Misunderstanding the outraGes commit
ted. the burning of towns and the recon
centration Of tillpinos-must rest up"t,
those who have authorized and justified
the policy of the government.
Foraker said that Bacon had likened
tha concentration camps in the Philip
vines to those in Cuba established under
Gen. VIEWER He made comparisons OF
case. The establishment OF these camps,
Foraker said, was an act OF mercy ana
Foraker declared his purpose to accept
the word of Gen. Bell and Gen. Wheaton
and other officers concerning those camps
rather than that of man whose name
not given.
Hoar' said everybody knew. aud it was
useless to try to disguise the fact. that
II was difficult to get the army officers
10 testify as to matters which reflected
on the administration of a war. They
were brave men, but they tlinched from
making such criticism. They were apt to
fear that their promotion. for winch they
were constantly striving, would be at
fected.
Does the senator think" inquired For
aker, that it is difficult to get American
army officers to tell the truth in political
reports?'
Il do not question the veracity Of these
men at an replied the Massachusetts
senator. He did not think 1t fair, how
ever that we should accept as conclusive
the evidence of persons under investiga-
ton. He declared that the guerilla war
fare in the Philippines naturally followed
the attempt of the United States to i'm
pose its authority upon the Fflipinos. He
protested against concentration camps
and the "outrages which had been per-
petrated upon the Filipinos and the at
tempt to crush Filipino independence,
concluding as follows:
"Barbarities on the one side or on the
other are the legitimate fruit of the tree
You planted when you ratified the Span
ish treaty"
Clapp CMinn) delivered a forceful
speech in support Of the pending meas
ure
After some discussion of the message
OF the House on the army appropriation
bill the Senate went into executive ses-
sion at $50 and soon afterward adjourned.