The Washington times., 1902-06-20
PHILIPPINES BILL
DEBATE IN TIE HOUSE
CONTINUED from Second page.)

to maintain good order. On the 18TH
instant the insular treasury contained
over $11,000, 600, subject to apIropria-
tion.
The treaty of Paris had been ratified
and ratified only by reason of the ar
duous efforts of the peerless Democratic
leader. and both parties were RESPONSE
bic for the natural and inevitable con-
sequences of that act, notwithstanding
that the policy of the Government in the
Philippines had been denounced by the
minority as party as policy of cruel
ty, dishonoring American citizens.
An Autocracy Under Aguinaldo.
The alleged republic which the United
States had been charged with having
killed, Mr.. Cooper said, was a mere
autocracy under Aguinaldo No de-
mand had ever been made for the in
dependence Of the islands. and the in
surrection morally died when Luna was
| shot at the door of Aguinado's house
1t had been charged that United States
| soldiers had been guilty of acts of
cruelty in the islands. Granted. that in
segregated and infrequent cases this was
true, 1t was not wise nor just to ex-
aggerate them into a general charge of
a policy of cruelty. I'VE sent postal
officers into Cuba" said Mr.. Cooper
| ''and they embeZZled postal funds. Can
| 1t be said that therefore our policy in
Cuba has been one of embezzlement?"
The few instances in which soldiers had
forgotten the duty they owed to their
| country and themselves, had not and
| could not bring disgrace upon the Ad-
ministration of William Mckinley and
the Administration of his successor,
who in season and cut of season was
| laboring and successfully to bring the
| blessings OF peace and order to the in
| habitants of those islands. They had
not brought disgrace upon the army,
nor tarnished the fame of any of the
heroes who have given their services
and their lives that the Filipinos might
| have liScrty. [Applause.l
In his treatment OF the issue of i'm
periallsm as raised by the Democracy
and announced by Democratic cnnyen-
| tions, Mr. Cooper manifested unusual
and unexpected powers of sarcasm and
humor. He alluded to the shrieks
against Imperialism, and the ignoring
by the Republican party of the Decla
ration OF Independence and that palla-
dunn OF our liberties, the Constitution.
Declarations of Democrats.
you can always get applause from a
mail. ne Sdlu, WLtu yOu We COuNluttu
him that there is something the matter
with his palladium He recalled the
declarations of Democratic statesmen
and conventions in 1S6i-6S denouncing
Lincoln as an emperor, Grant as a ty-
rant-willing to wade through slaughter
to throne, and shutting the gates of
mercy on mankind; declaring the war
for the Union a failure. and putting on
record their belief that II Grant were
elected in 1868, Congress would meet
amid the ruins of popular belief and
the scattered fragments of the Consti
tuition. He read these. he said, not in
a partisan spirit. for no one now be-
lieved these things, but to warn his
friends on the other side of the cham
Der how apt men are in the heat of po-
liticaI strife to insert in their platforms
prophecies not justified by subsequent
developments. "All parties" he added, |
have put into their platforms some |
wonderful and weird things. but the last |
one l have quoted. in my judgment, is |
unique for it's monumental asininity." |
Laughter and applause.j
Mr.. Cooper went on TO discuss the COM |
mittee's bill. and pointed out the differ |
ences with the Senate bill, and said the |
committee did not believe in the free |
coinage of silver in the Philippine Islands |
or in any other place under the iurisdic-
tion of the United States. Therefore 1t
had established the gold standard for the
silver. And on the other hand it had not
been deemed wise to introduce the full
monetary system of the United States
into the Philippine Islands. In conclu-
sion he said: When the islands shall
have become the abode OF peace and plen-
ty and the people have been led along the
pathway of the worlds civilization to its
highest point, we, who have taken part in
this initial legislation shall look back on
this hour with thankfulness and say,
Thank God. we, too, have had part In
a peoples redemption
Insular Political Conditions.
Mr. Cooper spoke for more than three
hours, and at the close was greeted with
applause and the congratulations OF his
fellow members, the ovation interrupting
the proceedings for several minutes. For
the minority the discussion was opened
by Mr.. Jones Dem, Va). who took up
first, the political conditions in the Phil
ppine Islands as they exist today. and
as they had existed since the United
States had occupied or tried to occupy the
Islands. and second. to show that the bill
by the Committee on Insular
tHdllS buEut uOl u w IdSScu ny iut |
House for II II passed, it would leave
even a worse condition than that they
-oday occupied under a despotic military
For the government by the present
commission. M. Jones said there was
10 prototype in history: the world would
)e searched in vain for a parallel of
;uch an autocratic administration. yet {
he pending bill proposed TO continue
he commission and Taft as governor.
While he joined with Mr.. Cooper in
,ulogizing Judge Taft. pronouncing him /
o be able, conscientious. and kind
,earted, Mr.. Jones said that If George (
Washington were 10 return to life he
would not trust him with the wholesale
md arbitrary powers vested in Gov =
.rnor Taft and that commission.
Without completing his remarks Mr.. {
ones yielded the floor, and the commit
ee rose. The order for a night session
vas vacated, there being no member
eady to go on with the debate. and I
It 4:55 the House adjourned until II t
'clock today.