The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-01-31
BIG PHILIPPINE STORM,
Is CENTRAL IN THE SENATE
CHAMBER FOR NEARLY
THREE HOURS.
LOOKS SERIOUS AT TINES

Not Since the Discussion Preceding
the Spanish War Have Such Scenes
occurred-one Encounter Happens
Between Teller and Lodge and An.
other Between spooner and TiIIman.
Senator Nelson's Bill Passed.
Washington, Jan ga Philippine
storm was central in the senate cham.
Der for nearly three hours. but was
devoid of definite results. At times it
looked very serious and the spectators
who thronged the galleries watched it
with GREATNESS interest.
Acrimony in senate debates Is not
lnfrequent, but old senators say it has
been years since there has been such
q hurricane of bitter vituperation, of
personal taunt, of ugly charges and of
unmodified criticism as was witnessed
during the day. Not since the discus.
sion of the resolutions leading up to
the Hispano-American war have any
such scenes occurred in the senate.
Even that debate lacked the personal
bitterness manifested at times in this
one. Irritation was aroused on both
sides of the chamber and once or twice
personal encounters between senators
seemed imminent. Once when Sena.
tor Teller tainted the Republican sen.
ators by declaring they knew the
statements made in recent dispatch
I from Manila, In which General Whea-
ton was represented as criticising the
opponents of the governments policy
In the Philippines, were true, a half
dozen Republicans were on their feet
| In an instant. Senator Lodge, at whom
the taunt seemed to be aimed particu-
larly, hurriedly crossed from his seat
In the center of the Republican side
| to the main aisle of the senate. and
white to the lips, passionately chal
lenged the statement of the Colorado
senator and demanded that he with
draw it. Senator Teller so modified
the statement that further hostilities
at that time were averted.
One of the sharpest colloquies of the
session was between Senators Spooner
of Wisconsin and Tillman of South
Carolina. The race problem. involv.
ing the lynching of negroes, was inter
jected into the controversy and
Much Feeling Was Manifested
by both senator's. In the course of the
colloquy Mr.. Spooner declared that if
the same rule were to be applied to
the colored people in the Philippines
as Mr.. Tillman referred to in the
South, then God help the colored
man in the Philippines"
God help him in the Philippines
now" shouted the South Carolina SEN
Rtor passionately You have already
butchered in three years three times
as many as the Spaniards did in three
centuries"
ut is one thing" retorted Mr..
Spooner. 'to kill men with arms in
their hands against the government
and against the flag. 1t is another to
burn them" -... 80
Senators in their excitement seemed
Tor the moment to have forgotten the
subject of debate.
;, The chair (Mr. Frye) was able with
difficulty to maintain order. When
the discussion finally was ended for
, the day the chair felt called on seri'
ously to admonish senators that the
rules of the body had not been OBJ
, served and, after reading the rule
, which had been violated, he expressed
the hope that in the future senators
would have care to observe it. Such
an admonition has not been made by
| the presiding officer of the senate in
many years.
Prior to the outbreak on the Philip,
pine question the senate concluded the
consideration of the bill establishing
department of commerce and passed
, 1t. The name of the new department
was changed to that of the depart
ment of commerce and labor.