West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-04-24
wAsHINeroNLETTER.
An Interview With Senator Car
mack Of Tennessee, on the Civil
Government Bill for the
Philippines.
Chinese Exclusion and Cuban Recipro.
city and tho Retirement or Gen.
Miles.

Miles.
Washington, April 81, 1902 -
'rhe Civil Government bill, which
will come up for consideration in
the Senate tomorrow, is an Ubiquitous
measure, said Senator Carmack of
Tennessee, yesterday, when asked
his opinion. GAS member of the
Philippines Committee" continued
the Senator, 81 have had an opportu-
nifty of listening to the testimony at
first hand and there is no ground
whatever for postponing the estab-
lishment of permanent government
in the islands. Neither is 1t neces-
sary that census be taken in order
that Congress may act intelligently.
The Filipinos are an intelligent
people quite capable of. at least,
local self-government. The ed.
ucated people of the islands, and by
that term | refer to those who can
read and write Spanish, are of
particularly high class, many of them
having enjoyed the advantages of
higher education and their fathers
before them for two hundred years.
Generals Macarthur and Whittier,
DR.. Schurman, Hon. John Barrett,
ex-Minister tc Siam, Admiral Dewey
and the educators now in the islands
have all given testimony as to the
education and intelligence of the
people and have all practically de-
clared them capable representation
in legislative assembly of their
own; and this would be particularly
true were their government to be
organized with an upper chamber,
the members of which were appoint
ed by the President. The claim
that tits necessary to take census is
simply ruse to permit the disposal,
to favored capitalists, of the franchi-
ses and grants in the islands before
the people have voice in such
disposition. AS an example of the
methods which are being followed
there, the first railroad which will
be built with the Filipino's money,
is to be constructed from Manila up
to place in the mountains which
will be used solely as place of
recreation by the American res
idents during the heated term. 1t
will serve no industrial purpose
whatever. 1t is all distressing.
The exploitation of the islands by
favored corporations, if the admin
istration's policy is successful, will
be disgrace to the fair name of this
country. Yes, shall make a
speech on the subject as will a
number OF democratic senators.
AS tn the conduct of the American
troops on the islands, that too is a
disgrace Take the report of the
governor of Batangas in which he
shows that one third of the popula-
ton of acclimated natives has died
during the last year of "malaria. +"
Of Lot & al
ton were not Systematically sup
pressing the facts that from of
malaria would be spelled "S-T- A r.
| V-A-T-I-O-N."
eyes shall offer one amendment
which / sincerely nope will be adj
opted. 1t will provide that any
American corporation, company or
individual who shall make any con-
tract for slaves or slave labor, shall
forfeit all its rights and franchises.
/ am creditably informed that there
are American syndicates which have
contracted with the Moro chiefs for
the performance of labor on certain
rubber plantations by the slaves
belonging to such chiefs"
III
The action OF the Senate in dis
carding the Chinese Exclusion bill
reported by the Committee on
immigration and re-enacting the
Geary lawtwas in accordance with
the prediction made in my letter a
week ago. The influence of the
large corporations on the Pacific
slope, which feared that the stricter
provisions Of the Chinese bill would
necessita,e their paying higher wages
proved sufficient to induce the
republican senators to vote down
the bill. Senator Hanna, who an
nounced himself as the friend OF the
American working man, repudiated
the idea that they would disapproye
the action Of the Senators who
favoreJ the Dtaft o,,o. 4 ..a...