Evening star., 1902-05-07
DEMOCRATIC ATTITUDE
Proposed Filibuster Against
Philippine Bill.
VIEWS OF THE LEADERS
NOT YET INDoRsED BY THE
RANK AND FILE.
Enactment of the Measure Regarded
as Conducive to Welfare of
the Filipinos.
VIEWS OF THE LEADERS

The democratic members of the Senate
committee the Philippines have agreed
| among themselves to use every possible
method to prevent the passage by the Sem
ate of the Philippines civil government bill.
They are willing, it is reported. to filibuster
all summer if necessary TO accomplish that
end.
1t is not yet of record that this policy
has been indorsed by the rank and file of
the democracy in Congress. II is said that
the proposed plan of the minority members
of the committee will have to be submitted
to a caucus before 1t is definitely in
augurated as democratic policy.
Some senators are at a loss to under
stand what the democrats would gain by
preventing the passage of the bill. 1t is
not possible for them to substitute for IT a
measure of their own choice. The bill cer-
tainly proposes more generous, more bene-
fetal treatment for the Philippines and the
Filipinos than the status quo. IL the bill
fails existing law remains in torce.
1t is true that there are provisions in the
pending bill which the republicans would
like to have enacted into law. but they
claim that if the democrats were sincere in
their professions of soicitude for the Fill !;
pinos' welfare, they would aid rather than
prevent their ena ctment.
The Philippines can be administered with .
out this proposed law. but the republican
leaders claim they can be administered a
great deal better with il, and they de-
| pending upon a realization of that fact to
aid in its passage. inasmuch as the demo-
Gratis cannot hope to pass bill of their
own liking.
Some Provisions of the Bill.
The pending Philippines b1 is compre-
hensive measure. Mining regulations for
the islands occupy twenty-eight pages Of
the bill These was prepared by the ex-
listing Philippines commission and were
vised by a subcommittee of the Senate, con-
sistng of Messrs. McComas. Dietrich and
Rawlins Ii is claimed, they constitute as
excellent a system of mining law as exists
on any statute books.
The bill proposes to facilitate commerce
by furnishing trade dollar of silver. SINH
lar to the Bombay dollar. which Great
Britain uses to advantage in India and the
East. This involves no change in the none
tary standard of the islands. The Philip
pine commission is continued by the bill.
bat it is provided that its members shall
be confirmed by the United States Senate
when appointed by the President
Disposing of the Friars' Lands.
But the most important feature or
the bill, in the opinion of the well
wishers of the Philippines in the SEN
ate is the section relating ;c the dis
position of the public lands and the
lands by the Frars. Everyone is
agreed as to the necessity of disposIng or
the lands claimed by tie Fr:ars to the men
who live on them Tee possession OF those
lands by the Friars was one Of the bitter
est grievances Of the Filipino people
against Spain. The commission is author
lied to buy the lands of the Friars for the
purpose of Immediately selling them again
to the people who occupy them.
The provisions of the bill relating to TIM
Der lands were carefully drawn, permitting
the commission only to issue licenses to cut
timber and to sell only enough land for the
nSfa a1,1i Shr afc mil lie rAn ba
of roads into the forest.
There are also provisions in the bill
lating to franchises. but they are carefully
guarded and strict that complaint has
been made they do not permit the invest
ment of capital in the Philippines to con-
siderable extent.
The keynote of the opposition of the DEM
ocrats seems to be this question of fran
chses. They are afraid that the islands
are to be exploited by Americans to the
disadvantage of the natives.
The Democratic Hope.
1t Is said that the democrats cherish a
hope that "some day in the far distant
future perhaps, the Philippines win be
freed from the domination of the country
men of these democrats. and when that
time arrives the democrats want to turn
the islands over to the natives with every
stick of timber standing and every ounce
of mineral still within the hills
The republican leaders claim that the
Filipinos are protected under this bill and
that Just enough leeway for trade and en-
the islands and keep the wheels of COM