Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-24
BITTERNESS IN DEBATE.
Acrimonious Discussion Of the Philip
pine Bill

| During the debate in the House yestcr-
day afternoon Mr.. Corliss Mich.) made
some remarks explanatory of the recent de-
| feat of his Pacific cable bill
W. w. Kftchin IN. c. opposed the Philip
pine bill and the Philippine policy of the
administration.
Mr. Mahon (Pa) maintained that the
Ffipinos were not fit fer independence.
Speaking of the cruelties charged against
some. of orr officers and men in the Philip
pines, he declared that they were not to be
compared with the barbarities Of the civil
war.
He read from official reports tales Of the
horrors suffered by the Union prisoners at
Andersonville.
do not official figures show" interrupted
Mr.. Richardson the democratic leader.
that greater percentage of confederate
prisoners died in northern than Union pris-
oners In southern prtsons?"
Il have the official figures here" respond
ed Mr.. Mahon, Il will put them In the
Record He read an order to shoot the
| prisoners at Andersonville if the Union
army got within seven miles Of the prison.
IF the north was justly indignant over
the atrocities at Andersonville," interrupted
Mr.. Neville (Neb). why should not the
brutallties in the Philippines. Why parade
the civil war horrors an excuse? Demo
cratic applauSe.) If the administration was
directly responsible for the atrocities al
ippines the republican party should be
swept out of power" Democratic ap-
plause.)
while the Union prisoners were suffer-
Ing at AndersonviIle,' interposed Mr.. Rich
ardson, did not the confederate govern
ment have up standing offer to exchange
those prisoners, officer for officer and man
for man? And was not that proposition re-
jected."
yes. But the men in Andersonville were
broken, emacated, many of them maniacs
The north refused to exchange able-bodied
men for men who could not perform mill
tary service replied Mr.. Mahon.
Il ask again. Interrupted Mr.. Richard
son, did not more confederate prisoners
die in Union prisons than Union prisoners
in southern prisons?'
Il deny it and will put the reports in the
Record"
at Is true and 1 can prove it," asserted
Mr.. Richardson.
You want the south to support the gov
eminent In prosecuting the war in the
Philippines" interposed Mr.. Neville, why
do you now seek to besmirch the south: ."
Il do not desire to besmirch the SOUTH"
responded Mr. Mahon. II only desire to
show, as Gen. Sherman declared, that
war Is hell"
LAS a republican" Mr. Mahon concluded
Il say that do not fear this assault upon
our army. The American people will stand
by the BOYS In blue when we go upon the
hustings for the control of the next
House." Republican applause)
At o'clock the House took a recess until
8 o'clock.
At the night session Mr. Bartlett of
Georgia replied to the remarks made at
the afternoon session by General Grosvenor
and Mr.. Mahon to the treatment of
Union prisoners detained in confederate
prisons. He read from a report made by
Charles A. Dana, assistant secretary Of
war; upon the conditions in the southern
prisons. saying that the condition of the
Union prisoners in the south was no worse
than that Of the confederate soldiers In the
mr. 10 ckoko
afternoon that a greater percentage of con-
federate soldiers died In Union prisons
than did Union soldiers in confederate
prisons he produced figures from Secretary
Stanton's report Of July 10 1866, showing
that of 220OOO confederate prisoners in
Union prisons, 2B,576. or over II per cent.
died. against g, $40. or about per cent, of
the 10000 Union prisoners who died in
confederate prisons. The other speakers at
the evening session were Messrs. Gibson.
Tennessee; Neville, Nebraska; Burnett,
Alabama: Gaines. Tennessee. and Mr..
Zenor, Indiana, At 1920 D. m. the House
adjourned until IL o'clock today