Evening star., 1902-02-22
IN HEATED COLLOQUY
MR.. SPOONER DEFENDS ADMINS
TRATIoN POLICIES.
Lively Discussion of the Philippine
Question in the Senate Yes
terday Afternoon.

an appear TO congress 10 SAhHo W the pun
cies of Mckinley and Roosevelt.
Mr.. Tillman Is. C) began characteristic
arraignment Of the administration in the
Philippines. but had not concluded when
the Senate adjourned until today.
In the course of his argument. MI
Spooner became involved in a controversy
with Mr.. Teller (Col), who had challenged
some of his statements.
Il think it is true said the Wisconsin
senator. that when a man leaves a politi-
cal party he is likely to think that party
is utterly bad
He leaves it because 1t Is utterly bad,
suggested Mr.. Carmack Crenn)
Il think" retorted Mr.. Spooner, that II
he waits until it is utterly bad before leav-
ing it, he is quite bad as the party. or
course, make no reflection upon the Sena-
tor from Colorado.
Mr. Spooner maintained in further
sponse to Mr.. Teller's criticisms that no
man had the right to impeach the republl-
can party and to launch into TRADES against
the President of the United States for was-
ing military campaigns against insurrec-
tionists against the United States. lie
pointed out that Mr.. Teller had voted for
army appropriations to support the Amefi-
| can troops in the Philippines.
when ne so votes = said he. "he votes to
enforce the authority of the American peo-
pie and to send troops against the fllipnos.
He votes to sustain the action OF the Amer,
lean people. No senator who votes 10 Send
| troops to the Philippines and then criticlses
the government because those troops are
used there can be said to be consistent.
Mr.. Teller thought Mr.. Spooner did not
discern the difference between senator
voting for proposition and his criticism OF
of the government for the manner OF car
rying the proposition into effect
Il may be ohtuse,'' replied the Wisconsin
senator, but l cannot see why senator
who has voted to send troops to the Philip
pines should complain II they fight when
they get there. l would not. however.
hover around the flag and yet carp ana
critcse and raise false issues as to the
situation which / had helped to create.
Further along MIR. Hoar interrupted to ex-
press his opinion that war never had ex-
listed in the Philippines, because war could
not exist without authority OF congress.
The American troops In the Philippines
now were being employed by executive
order Three times, he said. the minority
had proposed to vote for troops In the Phil
ippine Islands to be used for any reason
able time. but the proposition had not been
accepted.
Mr.. Spooner said there was no question
of the validity of the title of the United
States to the Philippines although differ
ences of opinion had arisen as to the tlti-
mate disposition of the archipelago. Ihat
question would be decided in good time,
and would be SatiSfa ctory to the American
people.
Seizure of Canada.
Further along in his address Mr.. Spooner
said in support of his argument that the
United States had acquired the Philippines
rightfully: that this country wanted no
war, for instance. with Great Britain we
are welded" said he, ito the arts of peace.
A war with Great Britain would be an un-
speakable calamity, but do you suppose
that the people Of the United States would
be willing TO enter into an agreement that
h1r I1rh hnn
some time in the distant future come war
between Great Britain and the United
States we would at the end of the war
leave the British possessions and Canada
from ocean to ocean the property of Great
Britain? Is 1t to be supposed that the peo-
pie of the United States would be unwilling
in such an untoward event to hold their
government unable on account or the Dec
laration Of Independence to occupy and to
keep the territory to the northward of MS
from ocean to ocean without the pleDlsclte
of it's people? / think not.
Mr.. Spooner sharply arratgned the demo-
cratic party for the encouragement which
it's utterance had given the rebellion in the
Philippines, and declared that the motives
which actuated the democratic leaders were
blind greed for political powers" which
made them forget for the nonce the army
at the front.
Every patriotic impulse he maintained.
suggested that anything that would tend
to give aid and comfort to the enemies OF
the United States ought to be withheld. The
question of Imperialism did not enter into
the discussion, and would not for a long.
long time to come. But" said he there
is no question of the attitude of the demo-
cratic party of this country or of its effort
to obstruct the government in bringing to
the Filipino people the blessings OF liberty
and of peace.
Mr. Spooner read the full text of General
Iswton's letter 10 Mr.. John Barrett speak
irg OF the effect upon Philippine affairs of
criticisms in the United States, together
with a note from Mrs. Lawton vouching for
the genuinenesS of the letter. He comment
ed sharply in this connection upon the
course of the minority, which, he said, had
done great harm and absolutely no good.
Mr. Spooner said no one could believe
that President Mckinley, the late COM
mander-n-c chief If the army. would issue
any order that vas cruel ana tyrannouS.
He had been sneered at for his belief in
destiny in these matters. hut no one who
believed in the Deity could doubt that He
does exercise supervisory power over the
affairs of man. President Mckinley was
behind the army and a tenderer heart had
never beaten in human breast. No kind
lier or more considerate man had ever
lived and no more considerate state paper
had ever been written by any man in pub
lie office than Mckinleys letter of instruc-
items to the Taft commission
He denounced the substitute proposition
made by the minority of the Senate COM
mittee on the Philippines as the most mis-
chievous project that could be devised by
the wit of man in the present status of
affairs
1T is" he exclaimed. "a bill to raise hell
in the Philippine archipelago-a bill which
has no merit whatever in 1t.
Mr.. Tillman in Opposition.
Mr. Tillman addressed the Senate in OPP
position to the pending bill. He declared
that the expression of the motives for en-
acting the bill was a subterfuse and a
humbug and everybody knew it. He as
serted that this government in it's treatment
of the Filipinos had returned to the policy
of Great Britain, which had been over
thrown by our forefathers at Yorktown.
1t was, he said "a damnable doctrine
vet we called ourselves liberty-loving Amer
leans and declared our pride in our ances-
try.
He charged that the American authori-
ties in the Philippines were steering clear"
OF the provinces In the islands. where war
was real and pressing. and were combining
themselves to those places where Oppor-
tunity was afforded to secure ''pelf' and to
rob the people. They were following he
declared. the same methods pursued in
South Carolina after the war Of the rebel
lion 1t was a carpet-bag government, he
insisted
.''The first thing" he said. (which the
carpet-bafs vermin in the Philippines would
do (as they did in Cuba) would be to get
their hands into the pockets Of the people
and steal all they could. l expect Cover