The Washington times., 1902-05-16
Mr.. McLaurin Speaks in
Opposition to the
Measure.
URGES ABANDONMENT OF POLICY
Says Course of Republicans in the Phil
ippines Is "Damnable" and Merits
Condemnation of Every Man and
Woman in the World.

Mr.. Lodge. in charge of the Philippines
bill. in the Senate yesterday again at
tempted to secure an agreement on a
time for vote.
The bill was taken up at o'clock and
for time 1t seemed as IL no one had a
speech ready.
Mr.. Lodge expressed his earnest de-
sire to have time fixed for taking the
vote or else to have the debate on the
bill continued. Day after day had passed,
he said. with no Senator prepared to
address the Senate. He again intimated
a purpose to have the Senate sit for
longer hours each day unless some time
were fixed for voting
Mr.. Dubois, a minority member OF the
Philippines Commission. gave it as his
opinion that debate was kept up fairly.
and that there should be no pressure.
Mr.. Hale took the same view. Ho
suggested that Mr.. Lodge is in a most
embarrassing position. with Congress anx-
ious to adjourn and with so little prog
ress being made in the debate.
Mr.. Hale's Suggestion.
II he had his way. said Mr.. Hale. he
would have some days more given to the
general debate. and then have two or
three days more for ffteen-minute
speeches.
Mr. Cockrell said that the Democratic
side of the chamber had no interest in
delay and asked only for a fair and free
chance of elaboration.
Mr.. McLaurin of Mississippi then ad-
dressed the Senate In opposition to the
bill.
In the course of his speech Mr.. Nc
Lau:in was discussing the question
whether the Spanish government was not
for the acts OF Aguinaldo on
the 4th of February. 1899. when Mr.. Spoon
err (Rep.. Wis., exclaimed:
81 think We had a perfect title to whip
any body Of men who attacked our troops
anywhere under Gods heaven"
Had we," Mr.. McLaurin asked. ANY
title to the Philippine Islands on the 4th
of February. 1899? If so. when did We
get that title?''
Mr.. Spooner's Rejoinder.
Mr.. Spooner-we had perfect right to
occupy Manila and its suburbs under the
protocol We had not perfect title to
the archipelago till the treaty was rati-
fed.
Mr.. McLaurin-Thcn We did not have it
on the 18th of February. 1899?
NO." Mr.. Spooner replied.
THAT being So" Mr. McLaurin asked,
what was the necessity for our rushing
into war with that people? We were treat
ing with their sovereign at that time"
He defended Democratic Senators from
the charge OF slanderins the American
Army In the Philippine Islands and said
that the President, the Secretary of War,
and the Adjutant General had rendered |
themselves equally liable to the same
imaginary charge. in the order Of April |
I5 1902. directing the reports of cruelties |
by the army to be investigated.
Still Loyal to America.
He was asked by Mr.. Beveridge Rep., |
Ind) whether he disavowed championing |
the cause of the insurgents, and whether |
he was with them or against them. His |
answer was a quotation from a speech |
which he had made on the 22d of April |
when he said:
"As long as there is a fight between the |
United States and the Filipinos- my loyalty |
IS to the United States and my sympa- |
thies are with the Americans. regardless |
Of the causes which produced the strife" |
Before closing his remarks Mr.. Nc |
Laurin declared that it would be to the |
credit OF the Republican party to aban-
don its Philippine policy. This he de- |
nounced as ''damnable' and as a policy |
that met the condemnation of every man |
and woman in the world.
He had not finished when he yielded |
10 a motion for an executive session. and |
aftcrward the Senate adjourned.