The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-06-20
DEBATE ON PHILIPPINE
Cooper of Wisconsin Delivers Lengthy Speech
in the House.
(Bv the Associated Press


washington, June 19.-The opening day
of the weeks debate upon the Philip
pine Government bill was signalized by
a strong and exhaustive speech by MI
Cooper, (Wis.), chairman of the Com
mittee on Insular Affairs. He spoke for
almost three hours and was given close
attention by both sides of the House.
Mr.. Jones (Va), the ranking member
of the Minority of the committee, made
an able presentation Of the Democratic
position, but he yielded the floor after
speaking about an hour and Will resume
tomorrow morning. These were the only
speeches made today. The order under
which the House is operating provides
for night sessions until "Wednesday, LOT
debate only, but as no one was prepared
to speak tonight the order for the session
the seats were vacated.
Mr. Cooper in his speech declared
that the session of the Philippines had
brought the United States forward to-
arena of world politics. 1t had given us
a foremost place in the adjustment OF
Chinese affairs. Viewed in its CONNER
cial aspect, it had placed us at the gate
way of the Orient, where the world
commercial conflicts of the future are to
be waged. uBt our mission in the arch
ipeIago was he said, one for transcend
ing business and commercial considera-
tions We are in the Philippines to per-
form a duty, to expand the bounds or
freedom, to carry the blessings OF civil
lization to a benighted race, to establish
in the place of decrepit old monarchy
an invincible young republic.
Mr.. Cooper drew the fire of several
when he said that Mr.. Bryan and coun-
selled the ratification of the Paris treaty
and declaring that both parties became
responsible for the inevitable and neces-
sary consequences and obligations 1t
imposed. 1.-THE Democrats endorsed the
ratification of that treaty" said he,
s'when subsequent to it's ratification,
partly at Mr.. Bryan's insistance, they
re nominated him for the presidency"
Republican applause)
Mr.. cooper did not deny that the in
stances of cruelty may have occurred in
the conduct of the war in the Philip
pines But" said he, earnest is the
demand for justice and deep as is the
indignation, the people of the United
States who see the true proportion 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 administration"
Amid tremendous applause on the Re-
publican side, Mr.. Cooper contrasted the
present denunciation of the administra-
tion's policy and the platform declara-
tions of Democratic conventions with
htose of 1864. Now, he said, the Demo
Gratis spoke of Roosevelt as the imam on
horseback" then they described Lincoln
as 1.-The emperor at the other end of the
avenue"
Mr.. Jones replied to some Of Mr.. Coop
ers arguments. He laid special stress
upon the absolute incredibility of Beun-
canine, whose testimony Mr.. Cooper
had quoted. Buencamino, he said was
first a Spanish soldier, afterwards an in
surrectionist, and now supporter of the
American administration. The "rege-
made" he said, was the only Filipino
who had ever appeared before the COM
mittee of Congress in advocacy of the
cSourse the United States was pursuing.
Continuing, Mr.. Jones said that his pur-
pose was to discuss, first, the present
political conditions in the islands, and,
secondly, the features of the bill to prove
that the people of the Philippines would
be in worse condition than they were to-
day under the present despotic govern
ment.
The chief question involved, he said,
was whether under the guise of the forms
of civil government a policy unjust and
cruel to the people of the islands and
injurious and dishonoring to American
citizenship should be indefinitely, if not
perpetually continued, or whether imme.
date proclamation should not be made
of our pupose to set up an Independent
government there and withdraw from
the islands.