The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-06-20
PHILIPPINE DEBATE.
COOPER of WISCONSIN EXHAUSTED
THE SUBJECT.
THE ADMINISTRATION VIEW
JONES OF VIRGINIA ABLY REPRE-,
sENTED DEMOCRATS.

The United States Brought Forward
in the Arena of World Politics by
CessiOn of Philippines, Declared
Mr.. Cooper-We Not Only Have I'M
mense Trade in Sight, but Will
Expand Bounds of Freedom and
Extend blessings of Civilization to
a Benighted Race-Mr. Jones Will
Conclude To-day.
washington, June 19.-The opening
day of the weeks debate upon the
Philippine government bill in the
House was signalized by an exhaustive
speech by Mr.. Cooper of Wisconsin.
chairman of the Committee on In
sular Affairs. He spoke for almost
three hours, and was given close at
tention by both sides of the House.
Mr.. Jones of Virginia, the ranking
member of the minority of the com
mittee, made an able presentation of
the Democratic position, but he yield
ed the floor after speaking about an
hour, and will resume tomorrow
morning. These were the only speeches
made to-day. The order under which
the House is operating provides for
night sessions until Wednesday for
debate only, but as no one was pre-
pared to speak tonight, the order for
the session this evening was vacated
Mr.. Cooper in his speech declared
the cession of the Philippines had
brought the United States forward to
the arena of world politics; it had CIV
en- us a foremost place in the adjust
ment of Chinese affairs. Viewed, he
said, in it's commercial aspect, it had
placed US at the gateway of the Orient,
where the worlds COMMERCIAL conflicts
of the future are to be waged. But our
mission in the islands was, he said,
one for transcending business, and
commercial considerations. We are in
the Philippines to perform a duty to
expand the bounds of freedom, to car
~ the blessings of civilization to be-
nighted race, TO establish in the place
of an old monarchy an inYincible young
republic.
Mr. Cooper brought out the fire of
several Democratic members when he
said that Mr.. Bryan had counseled the
ratification of the Paris treaty, and as
serted that both parties became re-
sponsible for the inevitable and nee
essary consequences and obligations ii
imposed"
1.-The Democrats Endorsed the ratif-
cation of that treaty, said he, when
subsequent to its ratification, partly at
Mr.. Bryan's insistence, they renomi-
mated him for the presidency"
Did Not Deny Atrocities.
Mr.. Cooper did not deny, he said
that instances of cruelty may have &C.
Cured in the conduct of the war in the
Philippines, but" he added earnest
as is the demand for justice and deep
as is the indignation, the people of the
United States who see the true proper
ton of things will not despair. They
know the great work of civilization
that has been accomplished. Certain
soldiers may have brought disgrace
upon themselves, but they have not
brought dishonor upon the administra-
ton"
.tmid applause on the Republican
side, Mr.. Cooper contrasted the present
denunciation of the administrations
policy and the platform declarations of
Democratic conventions with those Of
1864 Now, he said, the Democrats
spoke of Roosevelt as the man on
horseback" then they described Lin
coin as the emperor at the other end
of the avenue"
BuencaminO shown Up.
Mr.. Jones replied to some of Mr.
Coopers arguments. He laid special
stress upon the absolute incredibility of
Buencamino, whose testimony Mr..
Cooper had quoted. Buencamino, Mr..
Jones said, was first a Spanish soldier,
afterWard an insurrectionist, and now
a supporter of the American admins
tration. This renegade he said, was
the only Filipino who had ever appear
ed before a committee of Congress in
advocacy of the course the United
States was pursuing.
Continuing, Mr.. Jones said his pur-
pose was to discuss, first, the present
political conditions in the island, and
secondly, the features of the bill to
prove that, if passed, the people of the
Philippines would be in a worse con-
dition than they were o-day under the
present despotic government.
The chief question involved was
whether under the guise of the forms
of civil government policy unjust and
cruel to the people of the islands, and
Injurious and dishonoring to American
citizenship, should be indefinitely ii
not perpetually continued, or whether
immediate proclamation should not be
made of our purpose to set up an in
dependent government there, and with
draw from the islands.
He took up the bill and criticised its
features, dwelling particularly on the
methods adopted for the purchase OF
the friar lands.