Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-22
SIMPLY A REVENUE MEASURE
Philippine Tariff Bill is Thus characterized
BY Senator spOOnsr.
sAYs IT IS FREE FROM COMPLICATION,
wtseonsin Member Replies to Senate
bates, who Declares A~dmintstra-
ton is Bent Upon Conquest
in the IsIands.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 2l.-For more than
ak hours today the senate had the Philip
Pine tariff bill under discussion. Mr.. Bate,
democrat. OF Tennessee. delivered a care
fully prepared speech in opposition to the
pending measure. He was followed by Mr..
spooner, republican, Of Wisconsin, In a
brilliant defense Of the republican attitude
toward the Philippine islands. He became
involved frequently In heated colloquy with
members OF the minority. He concluded
with an appeal to congress to stand by the
policies OF Mckinley and Roosevelt.
Mr.. TiIIman, democrat, OF South Caro-
lima began a characteristic srralgnment OF
the administration in the Philippines, but
had not concluded when the senate ad-
iourned until tomorrow.
Not q osestion Of Sentiment.
Mr.. Bate covered pretty fully the general
Philippine question. Few things had oc-
cured In the senate chamber, he said, more
fatefui or involving more delicate issues
and greater results than the ratification OF
the treaty OF Paris. He asserted the pay
ment Of $40, 600, 900 for the Philippine
islands was a commercial. rather than a
sentimental transaction, and was the nrst
step toward a colonial policy, antagonistie
to the American form Of government.
while he regarded the acquisition OF the
Philippine islands as hurtful to the Amer
ican system, as destitute OF beneht to the
Ameflcan people and as wrongful to the
Filiplnos the present was not the time to
continue that discussion or to propose a
remedy for the evils that had sprung from
the rntlacation Of the Paris treaty. He de-
clared that It was only after the ratidca-
tion OF thai treaty that the apprehension
arose that the republican party had ''bittcn
on more than II could chew." Then II was
that the idea had blossomed out that only
congress could extend the operation Of the
constitution beyond the states; and II waa
held, in addition, that congress would not
extend the provisions OF the constitution to
the people Of the Philippines except with
the string to 1t which denied equality Of
administration. taxation and citizenship.
millions OF Dollars spent.
How many millions Of dollars had been
expended in the sentimental program OF ex-
ploitatlon was unknown to the American
people, but thus far there had been no
O returned OF this war for trade
spoIiation,
The present tarif bill, the Tennessee
senator said, would become a law, but IL
would not bridge the chasm that separated
a people struggling for independence and
the republican party, bent upon conquest,
exploitation and commercialism."
It was not given to finite wisdom to
distinguish the form which retribution for
that trade at Paris would take; but, when
the tariff bill had been passed, the re-
publican party again might be heard to
exciaim: 'Erring sister, depart in peace"
for there would be no more money to be
made out c. the Ffiipinos and they might
then take their place again among the ma
lions OF the world.
senator S~poOner'a Defense.
Mr.. spooner of Wisconsin addressed the
senate In support Of the pending bill The
measure, he said. was entirely free from
complications. IL was simply a revenue
bill. Whatever difficulties senator's or
others had IN r~econciiing the difhculties OF
the supreme courts decisions in the In
uular cases, he was satisfied that the pro-
posed bill was constitutional. as the Foraker
Porto Rican bill was constitutional.
Mr.. spooner referred to some recent
statements by William J. Bryan in his
newspaper in support OF the minority in
the senate. He pointed out that these
very gentlemen who now were criticising
the government were instrumental In piac-
Ing the problem Defore congress. tie de-
clared that Mr.. Bryan had come to WASH
inston and advocated the ratification of
the Paris treaty and he ventured the opin>
lou that n II had not been for Mr.. Bryan's
efforts the treaty would not have been
ratified.
Duty OF the People.
A solution of the Philippine question, as
presented to congress and to the coun-
try now, was demanded not by any po-
litical party. but by the people Of the
country. He claimed the right Of the ma
Jority to deal with the question as It saw
ht as by the people II had been placed in
responsibility and was held to ~accounta-
bility by the American people.
Mr.. Spooner discussed at length the rat
ihcation OF the treaty of Paris. In the
course OF his statement he was interrupted
by Mr.. wellington. who said;
II would give ten years OF my life to re-
call the vote which I cast for that treaty
He declared that the promises made to him
at that time ''by the ADMINISTRATION Will
respect to the treaty were broken. Mr.
spooner sharply arraigned the democrati,
party for the encouragement its utterance'