The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1902-02-27
CONGRESS.

senate continued the consideration of
the Philippine tariff bill today. the
main speeches being made by Bur-
rows of Michigan, for the bill, and
Money of Mississippi. against it, al
though Mitchell of Oregon, Foraker
of Ohio, Mallory of Florida and Till
man of South Carolina all -ook more
or less part in the general debate on
the subject.
House.-Again today the general de-
bate on the Indian appropriation bill
was devoted almost enLlrely to ex-
traneous topics. AS on yesterday, the
issue raised by Wheeler, of Kentucky,
a few days ago, came in for consid-
cradle attention and was the feature
of the session. Bromwell, republican,
of Ohio; Boutell, republican, of Illi-
nois; Kern of Illinois, democrat, and
Fleming, Georgia democrat, added
their views to the literature on the
subject.
Washington, Feb. -Senate.-With
the exception of few minutes given
to routine business, the senate today
devoted it's entire session to the
Philippine question. Patterson, of
Colorado, one Of the minority men,
bers of the Philippine committee, de-
livered his first extended speech in
the senate, and was given a most at
tentive and careful hearing. He dis
cussed principally the sedition laws
enacted by the Philippine commits
SION, vigorously attacking the au-
thority of the commission to enact
and enforce such laws. He maintain
ed that congress alone had the power
to put in force enactments of that
character. He compared information
furnished by the executive depart
ments of the government with some
of the statements of Governor Taft in
his testimony before the Philippine
committee with respect to the capa-
bilites of the Philippine people, and
declared, with some heat, his belief
that Governor Taft misrepresented the
true situation in the islands for mo-
tives unknown. He asserted that if
the 100000 of Christians in the Phil.
ippines were Protestant Christians,
the cruelties practiced on them by the
American authorities would have to
stop, as no MEMBER of congress would
be able to withstand the wrath of the
Methodists, Baptists and Presbyter-
| lans of this country. Nelson, of Min
nesota, presented legal and constitu-
tlonal argument in support of this
governments action in the Philippine
archipelago, and sharply criticised
Mr.. Patterson for injecting into the
| controversy the question of sectar-
| ianism. McCumber, of North Dakota,
urged that congress should not bind
the future now by declaration of a
definite policy regarding the Philip
pines, as it was desirable that all pos
s1ble information should be in hand
before permanent policy was deter
mined upon.
House,-The house spent the day
working on the Indian appropriation
bill. Forty-two of the sixty-two pages
were disposed of Several amend
ments were adopted, but none of much
Importance.
Washington, Feb. 21.-Senate.-For
more than six hours today the senate
had the Philippine tariff bill under
consideration. Bate, democrat, OF
Tennessee, delivered a carefully pre-
pared speech in opposition to the pend
ing measure. He was followed by
Spooner, republican, of Wisconsin, in
a brilliant defense of the republican
attitude toward the Philippine Islands
He became involved frequently in
heated colloquy with members of the
minority. The tariff bill, he said, was
entirely free from complications. 1t
was simply a revenue bill. Whatever
| difficulties senators or others had in
reconciling the difficulties of the SUI.
preme courts decisions in the insular
cases, he was satisfied that the pro.
| posed bill was constitutional as the
Foraker Porto Rican bill was consti.
tutional. Spooner referred to some
recent statements by William ]. Bryan
In his newspaper in support of the
minority of the senate. He pointed
out that those very gentlemen who
now were criticizing the government
were instrumental in placing the prob
lem before congress. He declared
that Mr.. Bryan had come to Washing
ton and advocated the ratification of
the Paris treaty, and he ventured the
opinion that if it had not been for Mr..
Bryan's efforts, the treaty would not
have been ratified. A solution of the
Philippine question, as presented to
congress and to the country now, 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 American PEG.
pie. Tillman followed in an address
in opposition to the bill.
House-The house today passed the
indian appropriation bill. No amend.
ments of Importance were attached
to it. The latter part of the session
was devoted to the consideration of
private claim bills, a number of which
were passed.
Washington, Feb. 24.-Senate.-Af.
ter eight hours of tumultous debate to.
day the senate, shortly before Z O'Clock
this evening, passed the Philippine
tariff bill by vote of 46 to rs, a
| strictly party vote. Tillman and Nc.
Laurin, the two senators from South
Carolina, who on Saturday last were
declared by the senate to be in con.