The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-05-30
MORGAN FAVORS THE BILL
Some Necessary Changes He Thinks
Will be Made.
CLAY OF GEORGIA OPPOSES THE MEASURE
Sp,oner Begins the Speech Which Will Bring
10 an End the General Debate. House
Passes Bill the Increase Sill
yer Coinage.
(By the Associated Press.) }

(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, May 29.-Interest in the
Philippine debate is increasing as the
discussion draws to a close. Today the
Senate galleries were thrOnged with au-
ditors, and the attendance on the floor
was larger than it has cen for some
time, including many members of the
House. Soon after the Senate convened
at IL O'Clock Mr.. Lodge (Mass.) in charge
of the bill, offered on behalf of the COM
mittee several amendments to the meas
ure, the most important of which was
one extending to the Philippines the pro-
visions of the bills of rights of the
Constitution of the United States, ex-
cepting only the right to bear arms and
the right to a trial by jury. All of the
amendments were agreed to.
Mr. Morgan (Ala.) delivered an eX-
tended speech in which he supported, in
the main. the bill as presented by the
committee. He said it looked toward
peace and toward a just and peaceful
government in the islands. Some changes
were necessary, in his opinion. but these,
he thought. would be made.
There never had been. said Mr.. Nor
gan, a pretense of organized government
in the Philippines. 1t was unjust to
criticise Dewey for refusing to recognize
Aguinaldo as president of the Philippine
Government
Had he done so.'' said he, "he would
have given aid and comfort to the de-
clared enemies of the United States
This was the legal attitude of Aguin-
aldo and every other Filipino, because
Dewey had no power to change declara-
h. Io
said, believed Aguinaldo was devoted to
the success of American arms, and has
no reason to feel that he was a self
seeking adventurer. 1.-THE laudations of
Aguinalros alleged patriotism and
heroism,'' said Mr.. Morgan, that have
been poured out in his honor here and
elsewhere in the United States are as
much out of place as if they had been
uttered in honor of the fox in Aesop's
Fables.
Aguinaldo, he said. was only a con-
venient instrument in the hands OF con-
spirators. Had he died, another agent
would have been found. for the Hong
Kong Junta had not committed their
fortunes perpetually to him.
THE Filipinos are not fighting for lib
erty,'' Mr.. Morgan continued, "but SIM
ply as the savage tools of the junta at
Hong Kong
He spoke of the religious freedom given
to the Filipinos by the United States, and
said that it was this he pleaded his ex-
euse to his Democratic brethren for in
sisting that this cardinal principle must
be permanent in the Philippines. 1t was
our arms that divorced church and state
III the philippines, which result Aguin-
aldo could not have accomplished had he
ever attempted it. 1--WE have dedicated
those islands, he said, "to the freedom
of religion; we have unshackeled them
from the dominion of an established
church, and no power will ever exist that
can undo our work through military
civil or any other agencies
Referring to the statements of cruel
ties of American soldiers toward Fill
pinos, Mr.. Morgan said that investiga-
tion by proper authority is demanded by
the entire army as a duty to it, and the
men of the army resent the discussion
of their acts in connection with bill
which does not call for such discussion.
Their mouths are closed" said he.
'and they are not permitted to appear at
the bar of the Senate to answer these
charges
Reverting to the question of citizenship,
he declared that If the Filipnos are not
fit to be citizens of the United States,
they are not fit to govern themselves.
He said that he could not believe that
any people will suffer harm through our
efforts to bless them.
Mr.. Clay Georgia. opposed the pending
measure in carefully prepared speech.
He thought that when the treaty of
Paris was made the United States ought
to have insisted upon the REIMBURSEMENT
and not upon the cession of the islands.
Such action would have enabled the
United States to take proper care of the
islands without looking to their per-
manent retention. He did not contend
that they had won their independence be-
fore the battle of Manila Bay. He did
not think the policy the United States
was pursuing in the islands was either
right or Just.
Mr.. Clay said that if when the SEN
ate had ratified the peace treaty it had
been declared that the United States
would grant the Filipinos the right OF
government, peace already would
have been restored. He said the Demo
cratic party never had declared in favor
of leaving the islands before the estab-
lishment of a stable government.
The Filipinos had a right to now what
the purposes of the United States We're