The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-02-12
PLATT AND HOAR
LIVELY DEBATE ON PHILIPPINE
POLICY.
Mr.. PLATT DEFENDED 1T.
MIR. HOAR HEAPED RIDICULE UP
ON 1T.

Very Severe-He Rubbed 1t in With
the Charge That the Declaration
of independence Was Prohibited
to BE Read in the Philippines and
This Was Not Denied.
Washington, Feb. 11.-A string de-
bate on the general Philippine ques-
tion was precipitated in the Senate late
to-day, the principal participants be-
ing Mr. Platt of Connecticut and Mr.
Hoar of Massachusetts. Mr.. Teller of
Colorado had concluded for the day
his argument against the enactment of
the pending Philippine Tariff Bill. In
response to some statements he had
made, Mr. Plat directed the Senate's
attention to the situation in the ISL
ands, as he viewed it, maintaining that
great progress was being made by the
government in subduing the insurrec-
tion. Mr.. Hoar ridiculed the state
ments of Mr.. Platt and in a facetious
vein adverted to the efforts of the
American government to control the
Filipino people.
The remarks of the Massachusetts
senator aroused Mr.. Platt, who de-
livered a notable speech in the course
of which he referred to Mr.. Hoar in
pretty sharp terms. His speech was
listened to by senators on both sides
of the chamber with profound atten-
tion.
In his reply, Mr.. Hoar delivered an
incisive criticism of the action of the
Philippine Commission, declaring that
he had been taught to judge men
rather by their actions than by their
words. and by this standard he could
not judge the Philippine Commission
with any degree of favor.
Senatorial Rejoinders.
Senator Teller in his. speech declared
the so-called enactments of the Phil
ippine Commission were compendium
of tyranny and infamy.
Mr.. Foraker said that the sedition
ard treason laws enacted for the Phil
ippines were almost identical with
tl,ose of Tennessee. 81
Mr.. Hoar interrupted to ask If the
order of Gen. Otis, directing forced
submission was not itself an act of
war.
Mr.. Teller answered that ten years
ago it would have been so considered,
whereupon Mr.. Hoar said that the Fill
ipinos could not be charged with open
ing hostilities when the United States
had by Gen. Otis order issued a for
NAL act of war long before.
Mr.. Teller expressed the opinion that
the F'iliplnos never would consent to
our control of the islands.
rs the senator entirely certain" in
terjected Mr.. Platt (ConnecticuD. that
majority of the Christian people OF
the islands do not consent to QUE gov
ernment?"
Mr.. 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 A,ands.
Mr.. Hoar suggested that an order
was said to have been issued by the
Philippine Commission prohibiting the
reading of the Declaration of indie
pendence at a Fourth of July celebra-
tion in Manila, and he inquired if that
was not inconsistent with the state
ments of the ma jority.
Promising to discuss that and other
points later, Mr.. Teller yielded the
floor for the day.
Mr. Platt of Connecticut, replying to
some statements made by Mr. Teller,
pointed out that the American army
in the Philippines had been reduced
from 10000 to less than 10000. He
thought it very strange that the Amer
the Fflipinos were struggling against
American control.
I'VE ought 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
reasonably well in those islands. Peace
will come to them and a government
will be established there in which the
Filipinos themselves will have a large
part and which will prove to be a
blessing to them"
He pointed out that elections were
being had in the islands to choose mu-
nicipsl officers and in these elections
all the people had a part.
Mr.. Hoar Furnishes Mr.. PIatt.
Mr.. Hoar ridiculed the elections to
which Mr.. Platt had referred, declaring
that under the seaition laws enacted by
the Philippine Commission it was a
penitentiary offense for anybody in the
islands to advocate a political opinion
or political policy. He referred in a
facetious vein to the schools estab-
lished in the islands by the American
authorities, asserting that in not one
of them could the Declaration of Inde-
pendence be read and no patriotic
speech delivered in safety. Mr.. Hoar's
remarks called forth a vigorous utter
ance from Mr.. Platt, who said that the
American people would regret to note
the "sneers' Of the senator from Mas
sachusetts at the efforts of the gov
ernment to educate the children of the
Philippine Islands.
MIR. Platt paid a high tribute to Gov.
Taft and his associates on the Philip
pine Commission. That commission
had presented he said. remarkable ev-
idence OF the progress which was being
made in the archipelago toward peace
and toward a happy solution of the sit
uation there Civil government had
been established in thirty-fourip iprovices,
and that government WAS being oper-
ated to- the entire satisfaction Of the
people.
Mr.. Hoar interrupted 10 inquire "
MIR. Platt thought the Filipinos would
have adopted the treason law enacted
by the Philippine Commission had II
been submitted to them.
Connccticut'z sediiOn Law.
The Connecticut senator replied that
he could not say, but Connecticut had
a law which the people of that state
had never found inconsistent with
their rights and liberties. He read the
law. which proved 70 be not dlssimilar
20 that which had@ been enacted in
the Philippines. He pointed out az
one of the benehcent results " Ameri-
can occupation Of the Philippine lnl-
andf that schools had been established
10 the Islands ana fhot nearly l,99o