The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1902-02-22
SPEAKS FOR TARIFF BILL
Becomes Involved in Heated Collo-
quies With Democrats.
Mr.. BATE HAD OPPOSED THE MEASURE
Tken Spooner Took the Floor. He Was Follow
ed by TilIman Who With Characteris-
tic Vim, ATaigned the Gov
ermgpt Colonial Policy.
erment Colonial Policy.
By the Associated Press.)

(By the Associated Press.)
Washington, Feb. 21.--For more than
six hours today the Senate had the
Philippine Tariff Bill under discussion
Mr.. Bate, Democrat, of Tennessee, deliv-
cred a carefully prepared speech in OPP
position to the pending measure, He
was followed by Mr. Spooner Republi-
CAM, of Wisconsin, in brilliant de-
Tense of the Republican attitude toward
the Philippine Islands. He became in
volved frequently in heated colloquies
with members of the minority. He con-
cluded with an appeal to Congress- to
stand by the policies of Mckinley and
Roosevelt.
Mr.. Tillman, (Democra), Of South
Carolina, began characteristic arraign-
ment of the administration in the i'hil-
ippines, but had not concluded when the
Senate adjourned until tomorrow.
Mr.. Bate asserted that the payment
of $20,000,000 for the Philippine Islands
was commercial rather than 4 senti-
mental transaction, and was the first
step toward colonial policy, antagonis-
tic TO the American form of government.
While he regarded the acquisition OF
the Philippine Islands as hurtful to the
American system as destitute of bere-
fit to the American people and as
wrongful TO the Filipnos, the present
was no time to continue that discussion
or to propose a remedy for the evils that
had sprung from the ratification Of the
Paris treaty.
Mr.. Spooner addressed the Senate in
support of the pending bill. The meas
ure he said, was entirely free from
complications. IT was simply revenue
bill Whatever difficulties Senators or
others had in reconcilinG the differences
CT the Supreme Courts decisions in the
insular cases, he was satisfied that the
proposed bin was constitutional as the
Foraker Porto Rican Bill was constitu-
tional.
Mr.. Spooncr 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 We're criticising the
government We're instrumental in placing
the problem before Congress. lie de-
6lared that Mr.. Bryan had come TO
Washington and advocated the ratifica-
tion of the Paris treaty and he ventured
the opinion hat If it had not been for
Mr.. Bryaus efforts the treaty woVfd~aot
have been ratified. A settlement Of the
Philippine question as presented 10 Con
gress and the country, was demanded.
not by any political party, but by the
people of the country. He claimed the
right of the majority TO deal with the
question as it saw fit, as by the people
it had been placed in responsibility and
was held to accountability by the Ameri-
can people.
Mr.. Spooner discussed at length the
ratification Of the treaty of Paris. In the
course Of his statement he was inter-
rupted by Mr.. Wellington, who said
Il would give ten years of my life to
recall the vote which l cast for that
treaty"
lie declared that the promises made
TO him at that time "by the Admins
tratiop" with respect to the treaty,
were broken.
Mr.. Spooner sharply arraigned the
Democratic party for the encouragement
which its utterance had given the rebel
lion in the Philippines. and declared
that the motive which actuated the Dem
ocratic leaders was a "blind greed" for
political power, which made them forget
for the once the army at the front"
Mr.. Spooner denounced the substitute
proposition made by the minority OF the
Senate Committee on tho Philippines as
the most mischieyous project that could
be devised by the wit of man in the
present status of affairs"
1T is" he exclaimed. "a bill TO raise
he'll in the Philippine a.rohipelago-4a
bill which has no merit whatever in it,"
Mr.. Tlllman addressed the Senate in
opposition to the pending bill. lie de-
clared that the expression of the mo-
tiyes for exacting the bill were a subter-
fugc and hunlbug and everybody knew
1t. He asserted that this Government in
It's treatment of the Filipinos had re-
turned to the policy of Great Britain.
which had been overthrown by our fore
fathers at Yorktown 1t vgas, he said
= a dampable doctrine. yet we called
ourselves liberty loving Americans and
declared our pride IN our ancestry.
He charged that the American author.
tiles in the Philippines were steering
clear OF the provinces in the islands
where war was real and pressing, aud
were ccnfining themselves to those
places where opportunity was Afforded