Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1902-01-28
57th CONGRESS.
Continued from page ~

ion, concern the Senate The only point
was whether n general of the United
States army had criticized the Senate.
1t did not appear from the dispatch
that Gen. Wheaton had referred to the
Senate at all. He had a perfect right
to comment upon Prof. Schurman's ut
terances if he wished to. 1t would be
Il most unusual proceeding to assume
that Gen. Wheaton was guilty of any
indiscretion until he had been heard
from.
In response to inquiries by RaWlins,
Utah, Lodge said he did not know
whether newspaper dispatches sent
from Manila We're censored or not and
did not know whether the war depart
ment had or had not taken steps to as
certain whether Gen. Wheaton had
made the statements attributed to him.
Carmack, Tenn, questioned the right
of any officer of the United States army
to criticise either the actions or the ut
terances of any private citizen.
Hoar tMasS.) cOntended that no unsup-
ported newspaper report on a matter of
this kind ought to be accepted by the
Senate. He therefore deprecated the in
PRODUCTION of the Manila dispatch into
the Senate proceedings. He thought the
whole matter ought to be eliminated from
consideration as he believed it entirely
likely that Gen. Wheaton would be re-
proved if he had made any statements
he ought not 10 have made. For the time
this closed the incident
Nelson, in charge of the department of
commerce bin, read a long letter from
John w. Hayes, general secretary-treas-
n the X 1ipbts pf I.nh in
of the bill.
Jones (Ark) read a protest from rail-
road engineers. firemen and other en-
ployes against the transfer of the depart
ment of labor to the proposed new de-
partment of commerce.
The bill went over and the discussion
of the Philippine tariff bill was resumed.
Lodge said thst he desired to apologize
for referring to anything Teller might
have said as silly" and pointed out that
the statement of Gen. Wheaton did not
crticise the minority of the Senate but
simply President Schurman. He insisted
that there was no disposition on the part
OF anybody to suppress news or views.
He instanced the circulation of a letter
urging the soldiers in the army of the
Philippines not TO continue to serve.
.'Who sent ont that CIRCULAR inquired
Jones (Ark.).
at was sent out, think" replied
Lodge. by Edward Atkinson It urged
soldiers not TO serve in the Philippine
| war. The letter was widely circulated
and attracted attention.
Rawlins insisted that the suppression
of opinions and Information in the Phil
lippines was so notorious that one could
not depend on the statements coming
| to the United States from the islands.
The Philippine commission, he asserted.
had arrogated to itself the functions of
Congress. Indeed. the commission had
done many things which Congress never
would have done The dispatch under
! consideration. he said, indicated that the
| ,,i. in, hn yrar nra
pared even to define and punish what
they considered reasonable acts and ut
| teranCes.
Dubois insisted that the dispatch he had
presented bore evidence of accuracy on
| it's face. I'VE have been threatened and
| bIackmailed, he said 'as long as we
ought to endure it. Such utterances as
have been instanced are offensive to US
and they ought not to be permitted to
pass without a reprmand by the Presi-
| dent of the United States. They are
coming from officers of the army, in eX-
Ceedingly bad taste.
Spooner deemed it the part of wisdom
| to ascertain first whether Gen. Wheaton
| has made the statements attributed to
him before any attempt was made to Sc
| cure his censure.
Tilman IS. c. interrupted to inquire
who would furnish the proof that the dis
match read had not been inspired.
Spooner replied that he did not believe
Int was either inspired or censored but he
| felt that the Senate ought 10 await dell
mite information Gen. Wheaton he add
| ed, was a fine officer of high character
and notable achievements.
Yes" interjected Tillman, he is
brilliant officer doing some very dirty
work. That is my opinion"
well. il is not mine. replied Spooner.
| Money made an extended speech IN crit
icism OF the governments policy in the
| Hale interrupted him to say that the
situation in the Philippines will grow
worse instead of better and that it Is
fanomalous to mix the military and civil
government.
In replying to a question Of Hale as
to what he would do with the Islands.
Money said: Let them go to the devii
and take care Of themselves so far as the
American people are concerned
| In answering Hoar. Money said that
| before the United States declared war
there were village governments1peaceiu
| and successful oles-in the Philippines.
| Hoar replied that Washington had de-
clared that that was the test of capacity
| for self government.
| Platt (Ct) said he did not want to let
| this occasion pass without expressing
| his emphatic dissent from the principle
or which Money remarks were founded
Plat contended that if the United
States had the right to acquire territory
and hold sovereignty over 1t. 1t would De
| "A stultiticatiol of ourselves to yield our
rights to that territory as soon as the IN,
habitants of the territory might demand
their independence. -
Foraker conquered with Plat and quot
ed from authorities in sustaining the po-
sition.
In concluding The debate and in REFER
| ing to Spooner'S remarks, Dubois said he
was entirely satisfied that The Associat-
| cd Press dispatch was correct. No AS
! ISOLATED Press reporter. said he. ever
put won DIS into a mans mouth that ne
! did not urer. | have every reason 10
! believe the dispatch is accurate.
| But he said that ii the statements re-
garding Gen. Wheaton were not true
then the reprimard of the general which
I he proposed would not lie against him.
| on motion of Cullom the Senate went
! INFO executive session at AS o'clock and
at SIS il adjourned