The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-02-14
"a A STIRRING DEBATE
;ETWEEN REPUBL ICAN SENATORS OVfR
PHILIPPINE MATTERS.
A HOT POLITICAL FAMILY FIGHT
Senators P1att, of Connecticut, and
Hear Lock Horns and Some Caustic
Remarks FOllow-Latter Ridicules
Claim of Progress in Pacifying the
FiIiPines and the Former Uses
Pretty Sharp Terms in RepIy-Sen-
ate Passes Resolution to Change
Inauguration Day.

Washington. February IA stirring
sebate on the general Philippine aues-
ton was precipitated in the senate late
today, the principal participants being
Senator Platt, of Connecticut, and Sem
ator Hoar of Massachusetts. Senator
Teller. of Colorado. had concluded for
the day his argument against the enact
ment of the pending Philippine tariff
bill
Early In the day the senate passed
passed a joint resolution submitting a
constitutional amendment changing the
the termination and commencement of
congresses from the 4th OF March to the
last Thursday Of April.
Senator Teller in his speech declared
the so-called enactments of the Philip
pine commission were a compendium of
tyranny and infamy.
Senator Foraker said that the sedi-
ton and treason laws enacted for the
Philippines were almost Identical with
those of Tennessee.
Senator Hoar interrupted to ask If the
order OF General Otis directing forced
submission was not itself an act of war.
Senator Teller answered that ten
years ago it would have been so con-
sidered.
Whereupon Senator Hoar declared
that the Filipinos could not be charged
with opening hostilities when the Unit
ed States had, by General Otis's order,
Ice
Senator Teller expressed the opinion
that the Filipinos never would consent
to our control of the islands
rs the senator entirely certain" in.
terjected Senator Platt. of Connecticut,
that majority of the Christian peo-
pie of the islands do not consent to
our government"
Senator Teller replied that if he could
trust the information which had come
to him, not one tenth of the people
wanted the United States government
In the islands.
Senator Hoar suggested that an or
der was said to have been ISSUED by tha.
Philippine commission prohibiting the
reading of the declaration of indepen-
dence at a Fourth of July celebration in
Manila and he inquired If that was not
inconsistent with the statements of the
ma ajority.
Promising to discuss that and other
points later Senator Teller yielded the
floor for the day.
Senator Platt, of Connecticut, reply
ing to some statements made by Sena-
tor Teller. pointed out that the Ameri-
can army in the Philippines had been
reduced from 10000 to less than 40, 000
He thought it very strange that the
American force thus could be reduced
II all the FilipinoS were struggling
against American control. 1--WE ou5hf
to consider facts" he urged I'VE
ought to take things as they are and
not things as they may be conjured up
We are getting along well in those is
lands Peace will come to them and a
government will he established there in
which the Fflipinos themselves will
have large part and which will prove
to be blessing to them" He pointed
out that elections were being held in
the Islands to choose municipal officers
and In the selections all the people had
part
At the instance Of Senator Galllnger,
or New Hampshire, the senate agreed
to conference on the pension appro-
priation bill. Senators Gallinger, Pritch-
ard and Turner being named as con-
ferees on the part OF the senate.
Senator Hoar ridiculed the elections
to which Senator Platt had referred. de-
cIaring that under the sedition laws en-
was penitentiary offense for anybody
In the islands to advocate a political
opinion or political policy. He referred
In fscetious vein to the schools es-
tabiished in the islands by the Ameri-
can authorities. asserting that in not
one OF them could the declaration of
independence be read and no patrlotic
speech delivered in safety.
Senator Hoar's remarks called forth
vigorous utterance from Senator
Platt, who said that the American peo-
pie would regret to note the 'sneers''
the efforts OF the government to edI-
cate the children OF the Philippine is-
lands.
Senator Platt paid a high tribute to
Governor Taft and his assistants on the
philippine commission.
Senator Hoar interrupted to inqu'rs
If Senetor Platt thought the Filip,nos
would have adopted the treason law en-.
acted by the Philippine commission hat
1t been submitted tn them.
The Connecticut senator replied thai
he could not say but Connecticut had a
law which the people OF that ate hat
never found inconsistent with thei,
rights and liberties He read the law
which proved to be not dissimilar tC
that which had been enacted in thu
Philippines. He pointed out as one
of the henef1cent results OF American
occupation Of the Philippines tha
schools had been established in the is
lands and that nearly one thousand
American teachers had gone to tn:
archipelago to educate the Filipino
children. Prior to the arrival Of thes:
teachers in the islands. he said. private
soldiers from the American army had
been detailed as teachers in many oi
the schools. Against this effort of the
American government TO educate and
elevate the people OF the Philippines
the senator from Massachusetts. he
said. was directing ''his sneers and his
denunciations."
Senator Platt then read the treesor
law referred to by Senator Hoar to show