The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1902-05-30
MORGAN FAVORS
PHILIPPINE BILL
Says FiIipinOs Are Not Fighting
For Liberty
MERELY TOOLSOF The JUNTA
Takes Those Sharply to Task Who
Have ExtoIled AgulnaIdo In the
Senate-ouotes Editorial
From Local Paper.
MERELY TOOLS OF The JUNTA

Philippine debate Is increasing ds the
discussion draws to, close. Today the
Senate galleries were thronged WITH au-
ditors and the attendance on the floor
was larger than 1t has been for some
time Mr. Lodge of Massachusetts, in
charge of the BILL offered on behalf of the
com mittee several amendments to the
measure, the most important being one
extending to the Philippines the provision
of the bill of rights of the constitution
of the United States, excepting only the
right to bear arms and the right to
trial by jury. All the amendments were
agreed to.
Mr.. Morgan of Alabama delivered an
extended speech in which he supported,
In the main, the bill as presented by
the committee. He said 1t looked toward
peace and toward just and peaceful gov
ernment in the islands. Some changes
were necessary, In his opinion. but these,
he thought, would be made. He declared
that there never had been a pretense of
organizd Filipino government in the Is
lands. and said had Dewey recognized
Aguinaldo's claims he would not have CIV
en- aid and comfort to the declared enemies
of the United States. He took sharply
to task those In and out of the Senate
who had extolled Aguinaldo and asserted
that the Filipinos were not fighting for
liberty, but simply as the savage tools
of the Hong Kong junta.
Reads Local Editorial.
He read an editorial from the Birmlng-
ham News which he adopted as his own
sentiment That editorial held that as
the United States had put its hand to
the plow, it could not turn back. The
insurrection in the islands, Mr.. Morgan
said, was broken and the duty was left to
this government to provide just and
equitable government for the people.
Division In the councils in this country,
he believed, kept the Bolomen and
Ladrones in the field. When that divi-
sion was settled. peace in the ISLANDS IN
a practical way would be assured.
"If Aguinaldo had in fact driven Spanish
dominion from the islands or had de-
stroyed the power of the United States
to hold Manila under the peace protocol.
he said that he had worked a miracle In
the development of national power that
no other man ever attempted.
Beyond His Power.
"If Spain was unable to cope with his
forces" he said, 'it does not follow
that Aguinaldo could dc stroy by an edict
these military and naval forces of the
United States.'
II excuse those who now see fatal
mistake" continued Mr.. Morgan, in
the fatal policy of the peace treaty; still
excuse them for not trying to repeal that
concession when We know that the sue
cess of such an effort would throw the
Philippine people back into the arms OF
Spain, whose tyrannies have made her
their unforgiven enemies.
ITO have crowned such war, waged
with such generous pun pose with such
result" said he, would have dismayed
stronger hearts than those that beat in
the bosoms even Of his Democratic col
lea gues."
Clay Opposes Measure.
Mr. Clay of Georgia opposed the pend
ing measure in a carefully-prepared
speech. He regarded the action of the
United States since the ratification of the
treaty of Paris as a great mistake and
urged that this government ought to de-
clare it's purposes in the Philippines.
Such action. In his opinion. would put an
end 20 the trouble In the islands. He
maintained that the bill ought not to he
passed, as It would confer greater power
on the Philippine commission than had
ever been possessed by king or potentate,
Late in the afternoon Mr.. Spooner of
Wisconsin began a speech In support Of
the bill and the administrations policy in
the Philippines, which is to conclude the
general debate on the measure by the Re
publican side. He reviewed the situation
In the islands and said the responsibility
for II rested not on any one party, but
on all alike. 1t appeared strange to him
that a measure intended to exalt civil
government and to subordinate the mill.
tary power should create such adverse
criticisms, ard he declared that on the
Democratic side there had been nothing
hesrd but pessimism sm the gospel of de-
spair, suspicion, distrust and imputation
of the motives of the Republican Sena-
tors. He paid a brilliant tribute to
Presid mt Roosevelt and to the PERSONAL
ity ans policy of the late President Nc
Kinley. He declared that never in the
annals Of time had an army carried to a
people SO much of amelioration, so much
of upbuilding so much of kindness and
tenderness as the American army had
carried to the Filipinos by direction of
Mckinley.
Referring to the speech of Mr. Car
mack of Tennessee, who had said of the
President that his natural gait was run
ming away" Mr.. Spooner said tina inten-
tion OF Mr. Carmack was to intimate that
President Roosevelt was a man of i'm
rulse.
Praise for President.
THE President of the United States"
ha of oil rrrba I Inn