New-York tribune., 1902-02-12
SENATE HELD SPELLBOUND
rTs BEST TRADITIONS RECALLED BY
THE DEBATE BETWEEN MESSRS.
PLATT AND HOAR
rEv TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE. !

s.ta-a between Senator Hoar OF Massachusetts
and Senator Platt of Connecticut It was a
contest Of intellectual giants. and the Philippine
hin was the cause Of il. No keener or better
trained intellecrs are 10 he found in the Senate
~. indeed i'm any other department OF the pub
liz service These fine old New England states
men have been IN the Senate nearly TWENTY-FIVE
Years and each is seventy-five years old Both
are hale and hearty physically. both are ia the
eniovrnent cf robust mental. strength that shows
che result Of careful discipline and both are
,ersrded on the Republican side of the chamber
&c leaders IL the highest sense of that much
abused term. The debate between them was
no- prearranged. II was unlocked for, and
easbsd on the Senate late this afternoon with
e., enulgence that drove the gloom scurrving
out Of the chamber. and held Senators and
snecrators spelhound for more than an hour
As q result OF their bout the Senate was kept
IN session unril nearly oclock-the hour when
most Senators are at home getting ready for
dinner.
COMBAT STARTED UNEXPECTEDLY
Mr Plat was drawn into the combat with
his lifelong friend from Massachusetts unex-
pectedly by replying to a violent assault made
on the governments Philippine policy by Mr..
Teller. Of Colorado. who has been speaking on
The question Two days, and suspended this after
his speech tomorrow. The Connecticut Senator
mildly resented certain insinuations thrown out
by Mr Teller and in the course Of his ex-
temporareous address extoIled the veracity. ca
pacity and patriotism Of the members of the
Philippine Commission, who, he declared, are
rspidly insciruting civil government in the ISL
Ands and VIII soon have the spirit of insurrec-
ton completely subdued and the Filipinos en-
fhusisstic to- American sovereignty. He told
Of the establishment Of civil rule in thirty-four
provinces, and Of the election by popular vote
Of native provincial governors. He also related
the progress that is being made in the educa-
Won Of the rising generation of Filipinos under
the tutelage Of American teachers, and other
examples showing that the islands were fast
becoming pacihed, peaceful and prosperous, with
s9couragins signs Of content and respect for the
sovereignty Of the United States.
This provoked a response from Senator Hoar
that had q cutting edge of .humor and set the
Democratic side Of the chamber in a roar of
laughter. lie disputed nearly every serious
Statement made by Senator Plat with biting
satire and sarcasm, and even the Connecticut
senator smiled at times at the Massachusetts
Senator's drolIeries.
Mr. PLATT'S BURST OF ELOQUEECE.
But when Mr.. Hoar sat down Mr.. Platt again
took the floor, and surprised even those who
admire him most by the virility of his utter
snees and the flash and flame of his eIoquence.
Although subjected TO severe cross fire Of ques-
tons from Messrs Hoar. Teller and RawIins,
Senator Platt never lost the thread of his argu-
ment or the spell Of his oratory, and for more
than half hour he spoke as he never before
has spoken in the Senate. his peroration being
burst of eloqUence that carried the "old
timers" back 10 the days Of Sumner and Seward,
Blaine and Conkling, Hill and Lamar, Vest and
ingalls,. When the Senate adjourned Mr.. Platt
was surrounded by his Republican colleagues
*ho sh0wered thanks and congratulations on
him for MS mastery effort and particularly for
the tIneliness Of his appearance in the Philip
pine debate in reply TO Senator Hoar's constant
and unysrying criticisms of the governments
colonial policy
Mr.. Platt aroused Nr. Hoar's ire by de-
claring that the Massachusetts Senator had,
with his usual inaccuracy," msquoted the
FnlIpplue Sedition law. and also by charging
M Hoar with sneering at a very grave and
very important question.
Ar. HCav resented both imputations with con-
E~,VeFable spirit and appealed so often to Mr..
Flatt TO say whether at particular point in
ctrtaln printed matter from which in his first
speech h had quoted he was committing his
usual Inaccuracies" b" that the Connecticut Sena-
'or nnally exclaimed laughingly:
fallble"
This had the effect Of bringing smile to the
even o. Mr.. HOar, and Of QiVerting the
H7nators remarks from the more serious lines
vi "nltA he at first projected them.
TINE OF FINAL VOTE UNCERTAIN
Il cannot yet be said how long 1t will take
ne Senate 70 reach final vote on the Philip
PINE bill The debate has taken such a wide
'ange that il now seems not improbable that
sae discussion may run on in a desultory way
~ ~ month Mr. Dubois and other managers
vi ne part Of the Democrats, however said
tpY-oay that far as they are concerned the
n-l can be brought to a vote within week
" y Ten days. At the same time ii is known that
t 1e minority has not yet exhausted it's oratorica
.es,tefles, and until this is done there IS no
= tllHs now much more time will be consumed
.osDate Now that Senator Platt has been
nt-Ieo against Senator Hoar, it is thought pos
sSl ~1is that vigorous reply, like that of to-day
~. ~ oe forthcoming every time the Massachu-
- - senator speaks against the governments
S.-lpplne policy. IL is not now known what
s.elof Hoars intentions are in the matter of
.ner speechmaking on this question though
IS thought that if he VIII hereafter be con
Nbto 20 allow the Democrats to criucise the
-. and oostruct its passage to the limit of their
sssety, vote can be had within two weeks.
-..sAalor Foraker, il is understood. is pre-
s..Ag an elaborate speech in advocacy of his
1ttlenoinent 10 increase the reductions on Philip
ts.le importations from - TO 10 per cent which
IS tnought he viii deliver this week 1t is
~ ~ believed however. that his amendment will
81 80 many votes, as the Democrats will refuse to
s1Yport II unless il is modified as 10 carry
ns.oylslon similar to the Porto Rican tariff bill
Fsseo ny the last Congress. which that
- traoe should be established as
- Forto Rican legislature declared its ability
- sIoVloe a local system Of taxation adequate
-, - me islands needs In point OF fact, il is
rn Ahown what support the Foraker amend
,b b.1 VIII get. and il is suggested possibility
- u VIII be Withdrawn by its author before
dnt.-aehes d vote. The amendment intro
Se.eQ with the fun knowledge and consent OF
alor Lodge, chairman of the Philippine Com
rreee, although il is known that il has at
sto ~ ~ no strength in that committee. Sem
ST. FORAKER introduced the amendment in re-
ne 49, - 70 an appeal for further reductions in
b,srln on Philippine importations that
tbs - mere by General Luke Wright, who in
0Dstnce of Judge Taft the chief civil Of