Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1902-02-28
PHILIPPINE BILL PASSED
Senate Agreed to Tariff Measure
by Strict Party Vote.
ONLY ONE AMENDMENT ADOPTED

South Carolina Senators Were Not
Permitted to Vote, Which Caused
Sharp Debate-Mccomas and Wei
lington Had Lively Tilt.
Washington. Feb. 25.-After eight
hours of tumultuous debate yesterday
the senate shortly before z o'clock last
evening passed the Philippine tariff
bill by vote of 46 to 26, a strictly
party vote. Mr. Tillman and Mr.. Nc
Laurin, the two senators from South
Carolina, who on Saturday last were
declared by the senate to be in con-
tempt because of their fist fight in the
chamber, in which Mr. Tillman at
tackled Mr.. McLaurin for denouncing
an assertion of his as a deliberate lie.
were not permitted by voice or vote
to participate in the proceedings.
The question as to their right to
vote precipitated a sharp debate last
ing nearly two hours. Mr.. Turner
CDem), of Washington, commended
vigorously for the right of the two
senators to cast their votes and he
was sustained by Mr.. Patterson, of
Colorado; Mr.. Bailey, of Texas. and
other Democrats. They held that
even though the two senators actually
were under arrest and in the custody
OF the sergeant-at-arms they could de-
mand that they be allowed to vote, as
the senate had not passed on their
case.
Mr.. Foraker, Mr.. Aldrich and other
Republicans held that the senators
clearly could not participate in any
OF the proceedings Of the senate until
they had purged themselves of CON
tempt and the senate had removed the
ban placed on them. President Pro
Tenn. Frye held that the two senators
could not vote, and he was sustained
by majority Of the senate.
During the debate on the Philippine
bill Mr.. McComas and M. WeHias.ssr,
of Maryland, became invOlvedGin a
controversy. Mr.. Ac~omas said Mr..
Wellington had said that he (Welling-
tom had been given assurance by
President Mckinley that the United
States did not propose to hold the
philippines as colonies. He referred
70 Mr.. Wellington's desertion from the
| Republican party, but was interrupted
| by Mr.. Wellington: 81 object, said
the latter ito my colleagues words
concerning my desertion from the Re-
publican party
Mr.. McCOmas said he accepted the
objection and continued. He said he
had been present at the conference
between the president and Mr. Vel
lington, and he denied emphatically
that the presidents pro1 aLseo y 2
been kept. It was absuIld IL
league, he asserted, for him to m
such a charge. He regretted, he S
sarcastically, that Mr.. Wellington h
forgotten the details of the conft
ence.
Mr.. Wellington answered with d,
| liberation and emphasis: Il will say
this If my colleague at any time will
reiterate outside of the chamber what
he has said in this chamber, then
will tell him that he is not correct,
and tell him what I will not say in
this chamber because of senatorial
dignity, because of parliamentary
rules, that he utters a cowardly and
malicious falsehood."
President Pro TEN. Frye ordered
Mr.. Wellington to take his seat. The
Maryland senator complied.
Many amendments were offered to
the Philippine bill, but except those
offered by the committee, only one, an
amendment restricting the operation
of the sedition laws enacted by the
Taft commission, was passed.