New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-05-03
REPUBLICANS LINE Up.
FIGHT FOR ADMINISTRATION
MEASURES
PLANS To NULLIFY THE INFLUENCE or
THE PROPOSED ALLIANCE IN THE
SENATE-LODGE AND SPOON
Err To SPEAK
Err To SPEAK.
rBr TELEGRAPH TO THE ru1urvE.I

Washington May 2-The Republican leaders
OF the Senate realizing the danger that turks
behind the quiet movement for an alliance be
tween various elements in the Senate opposed
to three we'll defined measures of the admin
istratiOn-the Philippine Civil Government bill.
the Isthmian Canal bill and Cuban rec procity--
have determined to push the fighting from now
on and line up the party for action at this ses-
sion on all of these propositions With this
object in view a programme has been agreed
upon after conferences at the White House last
night and to-day between the President and
several Of the recognized Senate leaders. The
initial movement to nuIlify the influence of the
combine now forming, information of which
given exclusively by The Tribune on Thursday
will be a speech by Senator Lodge. chairman
OF the Philippine Committee and author of the
BILL on Monday. Mr.. Lodge will cover the whole
ground in a general way and leave other Sem
ators his side of the chamber 70 handle ths
details. he will. however. diverge from this
line long 5nough to introduce for the enlight-
eminent of the Senate and the country testimony
developed at the investigation in progress
by his committee regarding the shocking atroci-
ties committed by Philippine insurgents on
American soldiers He will be followed in day
or two by Senator spooner. than whom there Is
no stronger or more convincing speaker in Con-
gress. and the battle for an early vote on the
Philippine bill will thus be opened and prosecut-
ed with vigor.
DEMOCRATIC INCONSISTENCY.
Senator Dubois of Idaho who really is the
head and front of the Democratic opposition to
the Lodge bill. said tonight that he was con-
hdent the measure would not pass and that IL
was agreed on his side Of the chamber to talk
1t to death and then adjourn Congress before
action can be taken any other measure ex-
cept necessary appropriation bills. Mr.. Dubois.
. like all the other Democrats, refuses to
knowledge that his party is displaying its char
acteristic inconsistency by opposing the estab-
/ Hshment of civil government in the Philippines
through the Lodge bill The Democrats of the
Senate, il win be recalled. opposed TO a
the adoption of the SpOoner resolution at the
last session Of Congress. under which the Phil
/ ippines have been governed and administered
wholly by the executive authority at Washing
/ ton. acting through the commission sent TO
Manila by President Mckinley. They based
their opposition to the Spooner resolution on the
plea that civil government ought TO be estab-
lished in the islands. and that the Spooner plan
smacked too much Of that form OF "imperial-
ISM which Is supposed To cause every Demo-
crat in the land 10 lose sleep O nights And
now Mr.. Dubois and his party associates are
/ lighting the scheme of civil government con-
taned in the Lodge BILL on the ground that il is
r r''ln-ATneriean. tyranncal," etc. and that IT
aims only TO give opportunity to syndicates in
I
In earnest" said Mr. Dubois tonight to a rep
resents tive of The Tribune when I tell you
that feel certain the Lodge bill Will be beaten
know. too, that it does not meet the approval
of the conservative element on the Republican
side of the Senate, and while do not pretend
TO know that any Republican Senator will vote
against the bill. do know that several of them
would rejoice if something should happen %
defeat it
FORMING THE COMBINATION
Republican Senators who are supposed 10 be
encouraging the formation OF combine for the
purpose primarily OF defeating action at this
session on the Isthmian Canal bill and the
Cuban reciprocity proposition naturally deny
all knowledge of such movement. and also
naturally condemn it. Nevertheless there is
excellent authority 10 assert again that the
/ combine or alliance referred to in these dis
patches Wednesday night has been proposed.
. that the initiative came Irom tne fsspuoHeah
side of the Senate and that the combine is now
in process Of formation How effective IT may
be is question which only developments can
[ answer. The fact remains, however, that an
agreement has been reached by the Democrats
and an element of Republican Senators 20 pro-
long the Philippine debate until the first week
In June with the expectation thar by that time
t'ongress will be ready to quit work and go
home. leaving Cuban reciprocity and isthmian
Gs 49,, &c. a,-s IL 1re cornb1ration sboUIa
be. strong enough to drag the Philippine debate
along until hot weather strikes Washington
and members of both houses eager to so
Aldrich. Platt of Connecticut, Allison. SpOOner.
Lodge. Mcmillan and Others-wOuld hold Con-
gresS here until the other two administrative
measures were passed II they should become
convinced that there danger of defeating
the Lodge bill this group OF men have the
power 10 dtSplaCe that measure AZ any tlIne ana
give the right of way TO the Canal bill and the
Cuban reciprocity proposition Thus il appears
certain that the combine could succeed only in
pOstponing final action the Philippine Civil
Government bill at this session, and that il
could not defeat action the other two ad-
ministration measures if the Senate leaders take
il into their heads 70 give visOroUs assertion OF
their power.