Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1902-03-07
WHAT HAVE WE GOT.

the Filipino is but an illueive shadow
is plainly shown in n speech delivered
by Senator Hoar OF Massachu 'etts in
reply to Senator Spooner Of Wisconsin.
Spooner had made a carefully pre-
pared speech i'll which he laid great
stress up N the evidence OF Commission
er TAFT before the Philippine Committee
OF the Senate. In his reply Senator
Hoar said that the evidence OF the other
side had not been heard at all md That
the cross examination OF Mr.. TAFT was
incomplete. He then spoke rs follows:
That evidence, as far rs It has gone.
is not yet in print, or il il be in print
this morning, it has not come to us in
time for any purpose useful to this de-
bate. We only get what the gentlemen
who heard it tell US about it Oh what
has been filtered through the press,
which is generally favorable to that side.
And yet, Mr.. President. there are two
or three facts winch stand out already
which ought to be noticed now. One is
that that gentleman has declared i'll
subst Ince-and, il he be correctly re
ported, III words exactly what the
chairman OF the other great Commission
sent there to represent the Government
declared lately with 60 much emphasis,
that it would have been better for orr
country il we had never gone there.
What becomes OF the traitorous men,
who. thinking they were acting and had
a right to act for the interest Of the
United States; Mt least as American leg.
islators ana American citizens, dared to
oppose this policy when it's great de.
fender admits that all American ION.
siderations mako it appear that we
never should have gone there, and it has
been to no advantage to the country?
We have spent hundreds OF millions
OF treasure; We have sacrificed thous
ands Of American lives; we have slain
100000 Filipinos; we have given away
all the old ideals OF the country iu the
past. The human intellect for ue, so
far az righteousness and liberty are con
cerned, has changed masters. and yet it
has been no advantage to tins country,
according to Mr.. Taft, that we went
Their e.
Now then, what is the advantage to
the Fiipinosr You have got II condi
tic OF things there, according to the
same authority, where no party in the
island want your rule. The only party
that submits to it is a party that sub
mIts to it on a condition which Won all
say you will never grant, and that is
that they are to como iutc the Union us
nh Anne iran State. You have substi.
tuted Ia " tnr love; you have substitut-
ed despair ''r hope, you have substi.
tuted de p,asm for a republic. You
have been no advantage to us, according
to MIR. TAFT himself, and you have not rs
yet got Il single Filipino, as Far rs Mo
know, who ID reconciled to your rule as
d colony or as a province, but only in the
f~allacious hope. which no man will
stand on this floor aud encourage, that
they will come ID as an American State.
But look a little more, rs far as il has
gone now, ut the advantage to tho Fill
ptno OF this thing which ia Of no advan.
iage to us.
Mr.. Taft gives an account 0f schools
established, OF children eager to learn,
aud Of American teachers at work. All
those are good things. But, Mr.. Preei.
dent, Admiral Dewey sent through
those isl Inds just after we landed our
army there two officers who. ne says.
have given tho best account OF things
thore, who give mn account OF orderly
government, OF al eager desire To learn
on tho part OF those people quite M
good as thus. One OF our consuls dc.
scrihes his landing in the Philippine
Islands. and says that the people
thronged to him. as an American, with
expressions Of love and gratitude, eager
almost to kiss tho lem OF his garment
What have you got2 What have yoil
got in Mr.. Tatts report OF an eager de-
eiro to learn on the part OF thosc people,
or a readiness to learn, which il Il better
story than what you had tlienY You,
have slain a hundred thousand Of them
You have had -FOUR reconcentrado dis.
tricts; you have had q little water tor.
turc, not much; and those islands ARE
not 70 we'll of, except In the single fac,
that the schools they were then all ready
to establish havo been established
every n OF ihom at tho cost Of the
Filipino, not yours. That is all.
No, that ID not ali. You have, so far.
slain more parents than you have child.
rem in school.
Now, Mr.. President. what have you
got for them and for your Coming TO
the essence Of tho thing. you have no
advantage for us and no substantial ad
vantage Tor them. And what have YOU
got at the cost OF thousands Of Amed.
can young livcs, Of hundreds Of millions
OF TREASURE, OF the sacrifice Of cyery
ideal OF tho Republic.
My friend says no loves the Dcclara.
ton OF Independence. lilo can moi
state o doctrine OF tho Declaration Of Ia.
dependence that he will get Up IN the
Senate aud stand by-not tho right OF a
people TO establish their own govern.