Evening star., 1902-01-30
THE FIGHT ON AGAIN |
ANOTHER SPIRITED DEBATE IN THE
SENATE.
Question of Censorship of Press
Dispatches at Manila
Discussed.

The question of censorship of press
dispatches at Manila was discussed in the
Senate yesterday afternoon for an hour.
While no such turbulent scenes were enact
ed as were Witnessed during the previous
days session the debate for time was
very spirited. The Secretary of War was
quoted as saying that no press censorship
now existed in the Philippines, and a letter
from Gen. Greedy, the chief signal officer of
the army; was presented by Mr. Beveridge
of Indiana. making the statement officially
that there was no censorship of press dis
patches and that "the press Is entirely
free On the contrary it was contended by
the opposition that press censorship did
exist in the Philippines and that copies of
every news dispatch filed with the cable
company was filed with the military au-
thorities. That 1t was maintained, consti-
tuted a virtual censorship.
Gen. wheaton's Criticisms.
Referring to the remarks of Mr.. Dubois
about General Wheaton day or two pre-
viously Mr. Lodge said he regretted that
the Idaho senator had referred to General
Wheaton charity boy He then pre-
sented the record of General Wheaton, say
ing that it was IAN honor to him and to
his country" Mr.. Lodge said that care
1uf examination Cne Associated freSS
dispatch showed that General Wheaton had
not criticised the Senate, but had confined
his comments to the utterances sof DR..
Schurman, whom he had a perfect right to
criticise, in Mr.. Lodges opinion.
Mr.. Gallinger read an extract from the
Associated Press dispatch from Manila pub
lished yesterday as follows:
General Wheaton's vigorous criticisms
speech at Boston, though he holds the pro-
fessor in high personal esteem
Il do not think said Mr.. Gallinger, that
the senator from Idaho will contend that
General Wheaton has not the right to crti-
else private citizen
What 1 contend" replied Mr.. Dubois, lis
that it is in exceedingly bad taste for an
army officer to criticise the utterances of
Prof Schurman, a man who was sent by
this government to the Philippines in re-
sponsible official capacity to ascertain the
facts Of the situation over there.
Question of Censorship.
Il am glad" continued Mr.. Dubois, that
the gentlemen on the other side of the
chamber are forced now to admit the accu-
racy of the dispatch I introduced here.
That dispatch itself was censored. 1 will
say there is a censorship in Manila in my
Judgment. No newspaper man can file a
dispatch with the cable company in Manila
without filing an exact copy or duplicate of
it with the military authorities. You may
quibble over that fac.. In my opinion that
Is a censorship
Mr.. Lodge said that he had called upon
the Secretary of War the previous even
ing and had been assured by him that
there was no censorship of press dispatches
in the Philippines.
Now said Mr.. Lodge, 'I give my au-
thority. Let the senator from Idaho give
his
My statement is made upon my RESPONSE
bility as senator" replied Mr.. Dubois
Our committee (the Philippines committee)
can ascertain the facts if they are desired
After Mr.. Foraker had said his informa-
tion from the Secretary of War was the
same as that received by Mr. Lodge, Mr..
Beveridge said that because of the extend
ed discussion of the question of press CEN
sorship he had requested an official state
ment upon the subject from General Greedy,
chief signal officer of the army. He pre-
sented letter from General Greely the
essential portions of which are as follows:
Censorship in the Philippine Islands has
been removed entirely between these islands
and Europe and America, save in the case
of code messages Of unauthorized firms
having no standing. The press lis entirely
free I
Necessarily limited censorship is main
tanned over messages in the Philippine ar
chipelago, and to dtacent points where
insurgent troops and agents are in active
hostility against the United States. Press
messages are not censored to any place in
Europe or America, but only to points
where insurgents are actively engaged
through juntaS or other agencies such as
in Hong Kong Singapore"
Mr.. Wellington thought it had been dem
onstrated that there existed in the army in
the Philippines a decided spirit to criticisc
senator's who were opposed to the war in
the Philippines. He denounced the war as
''unrighteouS and unjust
Mr.. Stewart delivered a brief speech in
which he maintained the policy of the ad-
ministration and declared that the people
never would consent to relinquish the
Philippines. He believed they would prove
of immense value to this country in many
ways.
MIR. Bacon Critfcises Mr.. Lodge.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Stewards re-
marks Mr.. Bacon gained the floor. He
criticised Mr. Lodge for declining to yield
to him at the time he desired to proceed
insisting that according to the usages and
proprieties of the Senate he had had a right
to the floor, but Mr.. Lodge had seen fit to
deny to him that courtesy. He then pro-
ceeded to discuss at length the historical
question which had been raised by Mr.
Money. concluding with a tribute to Mr.
Hoar for his loyalty to free institutions
and expressing the hope that the people of
Massachusetts soon would prove themselves
to be in harmony with him.
As Mr.. Cullom was about to move an ex-
ecutiye session. Mr.. Hoar suggested that
the Senate now might have little discus
Scots and amid laughter the Senate, at
4:3o 7. M, went into executive session and a
few minutes afterward adjourned.