New-York tribune., 1902-02-07
BATTLE IN THE SENATE.
PHILIPPINE .SEDITTON La WIS
HOTLY DISCUSSED.
MR.. FORAKER DECLARES THAT THE
AMERICAN ARMY WILL NEVER
COME HOME UNTIL 1T RE-
TURNS VICTORIOUS.

Washington. Feb. 6-For four hours to-day
the Senate had the Philippine Tariff bill under
discussion. The bill completed. so far as
the Philippine Committee Is concerned, all the
committee amendments being adopted. Several
other amendments, however will be offered, one
or two being pending.
Toward the close of the session the discussion
became heated. In response to a resolution
offered several days ago by Mr.. Rawlins, Of
Utah the Secretary Of War transmitted to the
Senate the sedition laws enacted by the Philip
pine Commission. They were read In full, and
Immediately drew the fire of the opponents
of the governments Philippine policy. Mr. Hoar
expressed his astonshment that such laws
should be enforced by the government authori-
ties.
Mr. Foraker had read from the Revised Stat
utes of the United States the laws of Congress
relating to the crime Of treason and similar Of
fences against the government. and said that
the acts passed by the Philippine Commission
were almost identical in their language with
the laws enacted by Congress in the days of
the fathers of the republic. and that there was
nothing unprecedented or unusual about them.
The Ohio Senator was interrupted continually,
and had several warm cooquies with Senators
who were opposing him. In one of them he
nounced with great earnestness that the Ameri-
can army never would return from the Philip
pines until IL returned victorious, and that
gentlemen in and out OF Congress. rail about 1t
as they might. ought thoroughly to understand
that fact
Mr.. Hoar finally poured oil the troubled
waters maintaining that men might we'll differ
any of the great questions now before the
country. but that all were thoroughly loyal TO
the country. and were doing their duty as they
saw it.
MR.. HOAR ON SEDITION LAWS.
In speaking on the sedition laws, Mr.. Hoar
! said he was sorry that the commission had had
| its act justified by reference to the only harsh
| and cruel provisions that were to be found in
! the statutes of the United States. Under this
| cruel provision in the Philippine Commissions
! acts, a mother having knowledge OF the treason
! Of her son must inform the authorities upon
| him; the must inform upon the mother, the
! brother upon the brother, the daughter upon the
| father, and He said the laws Of the
| United States were applied only to citizens Of
! this country-citzens by either nativity adop-
tion. In the case of this application of these
acts in the Philippines. he said, they were being
put into execution by allen authority RESPONSE
BILE only 10 an alien government command.
! The people there had nothing to do with them.
| Mr.. Patterson interrupted Mr.. Hoar to say
that one of the members of the Philippine Com
mission ought to be relieved from any odium
| attaching TO the enactment Of the Philippine
sedition laws. Governor Taft he said had in
formed the Philippine Committee that he was
Ill when these acts We're enacted by the
mission and that had he been present there
probably would have been some modification OF
the acts.
Il am quite ready" said Mr.. Hoar. Ito believe
what the Senator has said of able and hu-
name a man as Governor Taft"
SENATOR FORAKER REPLIES.
Mr.. Foraker SAID he never had heard the
! Philippine acts read until now. He was sur
prised, however. that the Senator from AIassa-
chusetts should be mentally and morally dis
turbed" by such provisions had been read.
When Mr.. Hoar had desired to know, he added.
whether it were possible that the United States
had enacted such provisions he had sent for
| the United States statutes and had had read
| the acts upon treason and offences against the
| country. Not only the provisions the
! same" he declared, "as those contained in the
Philippine acts but the wording in both is
practically identical The Philippine Commits
| sion adopted the language of the revised stat
| Utes, adding such matters as would make the
provisions applicable TO the Philippine Islands"
| He approved of them.
Mr.. Foraker said that the Senator from Mas
sachusetts seemed to have no objection 10 the
law enacted by Congress. merely because there
was little likelihood of it's being violated in this
| country, although he had questioned at first
| whether such law had been enacted under any
authority Of the United States. He pointed out
| that 1t among the first enactments of ar
| American Congress. For the protection of the
government in the Philippines the Taft Com
mission had applied that law to the Philippines
Senators were not warranted. he thought in
| saying that the act was unprecedented In the
history Of civilized countries.
TILLMAN GETS INFO THE FRAY.
At this point Mr.. Tillman interrupted Mr.
Foraker to denounce the sedition laws enacted
by the Philippine Commission as "damnable doe
trine."
1T might be in order" said Mr. Foraker
warmly, ito inquire Of the Senator from South
Carolina on which side of the struggle in the
Philippines are his sympathies.'
My sympathies with the Filipinos.
shouted Mr. Tillnan, pounding his desk en-
phatically.
Undoubtedly they are" retorted Mr. Foraker
and such a fiat footed and unqualified declara-
ton as the Senator has made would render the
revised statutes applicable to him If he we're
not protected by his position as Senator"
Mr.. Eoar, again interrupting Mr. Foraker and
directing attention TO the declaration in the
Senate chamber Of Thomas Corwin, of Ohio
during a debate on the Mexican war that If
he were Mexican he would welcome the Ameri-
cans with bloody hands to hospltable graves
inquired if the people of Ohio did not reverence
the name and memory of Thomas Corwn
Mr.. Foraker replied that the people of Ohio
did love to recall the memory of Thomas Cor
win, but they realized that in that great emer-
gercy he had made profound mistake