Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-13
seth CONGRESS-.
Continued from page one.)

was glptttu Win applause ana
attention vas given his castigation Of the
F'ilipino character. He favored the bill
as the best means of developing the Fill
ipino into a condition of sclf-government,
ut which r.oment he would be more than
glad to drop the islands. AS to the argu-
ments which had been made in favor Of
the bill he said they We're SO full and
complete that he was somewhat embar-
rassed for subject matter without dupli-
cation. What was to him overwhelmingly
embarrassing was the necessity oil differ
ing with his colleague, Gen. Grosvenor
in his opinion that the island: had
brilliant future and as to the noble char
acter of the Filipino people.
II cannot bring into my mind that
there is any brilliant future for the Phil
ippine islands, and with the sole eXcep
ton of the love of family and the home
that the average Filipino possesses, l can
see nothing bright in the Fiiipno's char
acter" he declared.
The passage OF the bill, he said, would
not damage one iota any American indus
try or any american labor employed in
that industry. No one after smoking our
native cigar he said. would want anOth-
er, ard with only one island on which
sugar could be raised. and that without
= harbor, he saw no danger from that
source.
Il for one continued Longworth, lam
! not in favor of holding the Philippine
islands as a part Of the United States a
moment longer than we absolutely have
to-"
This statement was met with general
applause, but particularly Democratic.
Il am in favor of turning those islands
over to the Filipino people" continued
Longworth. ito govern themselves at the
very first moment that they have proved
to us they are capable of governing
themselves. How soon that time may
be Providence alone knows. but say the
: sooner the better" Gpplause).
ITO speed that moment l am in favor
of this nation doing everything it can
do to give them material benefits. to up
lift them mentally and morally
There were. he said. two prominent
characteristics of the Filipino mind
which made self government remote. The
Filipino was absolutely incapable of
forming 4 conception of the duty of 4
public Office, and just as incapable of
comprehending the dignity of labor. 1t
was an imrossibility said Longworth, to
| translate into the Filipino languages the
idea contained in the words "A public
office is 4 public trust" AS an index to
the present native conception of self-gov-
ernment Longworth read. much to the
amusement of the House. this extract
from q native memorial for self-govern
! nent, which he likened to the French
translation Of Mari. Twain's jumping
Frog"
1T is undeniable that there exists In
the Philippines, in sufficient numbers. the
so-called directing class. q small portion
| of which is employed by the present gov
eminent in all the branches of admris-
tration, cooperating actively ard effec-
lively with the government in its guber
material labors.
eff the Filipino archipelago has 4 gov
crnable popular mass called upon to obey
and 4 directing mass in charge of lead
ing. it then has conditions to govern it
self by itself. There are only two fac
tors. without counting the casual&. who
determine the popular capacity of
country. The directing class is the entity
| that knows how to lead and the popular
| mass is the entity that knows how to
obey. The grade of culture in which the
directing class and the popular class Of
the Filipino people finds itself IS strictly
and rela lively comparable between itself,
from one to the other"
Crumpacker. who followed, advocated
the hill and said he was not only in favor
of free trade with the Philippines hut
would go further and restore to the Fill
pnos the $50 per ton export duty on
hemp
In n brief speech Pou. N. G.. declared
that the s1,aO0oOO campaign fund of the
Republican party at the last election had
made it sure that there would be no sat
isfactory railroad rate legislation nor any
revision of the tariff.
Turning his attention to the incident
of the election OF Mrs. Minor Morris from
the executive offices of the White House.
Pou expressed great regret that hysteria
had been INDUCED in to magnify that in
cident.
Il was at the White House that day"
he said. land was reminded of the fact
that we have had 81 Presidents of the
United States. There were there nor
traits of three of them who had fallen
at the hand of an assassin-abOut one in
every eight.
II 10 not believe that gentlemen should
be too swift to criticize the acts of those
charged with the duty of protecting the
President
1T is possible things may have &C
CURED which should not have occurred.
but do not believe the President of the
United States should be criticized be-
cause some of his subordinates may have
gone little too far. 1t is an unfortunate
| and melancholy reflection that out of p
Presidents three of them have lost their
| lives at the hands of an assassin"
The debate for the day was closed by
French. Idaho, in opposition to the bill
! because of its danger to the American
beet sugar industry.
At 4.55 the House adjourned until to-
morrow at IL o'clock.
ROBINSON IN DlSFAVOR.