The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-28
Senator Hepburn Declares Such Conditions Are Known In
 the Islands
PLEA FOR RETENTION
 OF ANTI-SLAvERY LAWS
Senators Hepburn and Tilman Unite In Saying That Slaves Are Held In Certain Islands, But
 Lodge Denies 1t.

Washington, January 27.-Greatly to the surprise of everyone the subject of slav- cry was introduced in the Senate today. Secretary Taft was directly charged with having a knowledge of slavery in the Philippine islands. The debate was made pertinent by the sections of the bill re- vising the criminal code of the United States, which provide penalties for deal ing in slaves.
 MT, Hale asserted that such provisions should be stricken out as he regarded slavery as obsolete in the United States and he could see no reason for referring to it. Senator Hepburn, in charge of the bill, declared that not only is there im- moral traffic ins white slaves, but that coolie labor in the form of practical slav- cry does exist and asserted that actual human slavery is still maintained in the Philippine islands.
 Mr Lodge made a statement to dis prove the charges of slavery in the Phil ippine islands.
 At 4:30 D. m., the Senate adjourned.
 Debate Begins.
 The propriety of perpetuating in the penal codes penalties against persons en- gagged in the slave trade was the sub ject of an interesting debate in the Sen ate in connection with which there was considerable discussion of the question of the existence of slavery in the Philip pines.
 The old law against slave trade has been retained in the code by the commit tee reporting it with a change by which the word ''persons" is substituted for the words negroes. mulattoes, and col pred persons"
 Mir. Hale declared that slavery being thing of the past, all reference to it should be taken out of the code.
 MT. Hepburn, in charge of the bill, con tended for the retention of the provision, saying that there are forms of slavery other than those that were abolished by the Civil War. He cited coolie slavery and slavery for immoral purposes, which he said exists in this country, and said the prohibition would apply to such prac- tlces. He added that he had heard 1t charged that slavery of the old-fashioned kind still exists on one of the islands of the Philippine group.
 MT. Hale said he was glad the senator from Idaho had in his researches found so good reason for continuing this prohibition against slavery.
 Ut is strange" he said, referring to the charge that slavery exists in the Phil ippines "that such condition should eX- ist In view of the optimistic accounts from those islands that we have received. l am glad the senator from Idaho is one of those misguided being who objects to these conditions, and if the senator has brought it out in one instance, showing this whole melancholy condition, he has done something for the benefit of the Senate and for the country"
 ldr. Hale declared, however that he had never said slavery existed in the island after the American occupation.
 TlIIman to the Front.
 'I am surprised" said MT. Tillman who was quickly on his feet, ito hear any senator on the republican side. disclaim knowledge of what has been notorious since we took possession of the Philip pine islands, and is known to exist there"
 MT. Tillman said he was still more sur prised that "the party which had gathered so much glory from the destruction of slavery In this country and which has ab- solute control of foreign affairs,' had not put end to the slave trade In the Phil tppines. Why don't the men, he asked, ''who are responsible for the Philippine government enforce the law?"
 Senator Stone called attention to an agreement made by Gen. John C. Bates with the sultan for continuing slavery and @olygamy. s
 sWe have even gone further" Mr. Tills man said "and have given salaries to the sultan and his dattos'
 MT Hale again said that if these mon- strous conditions exist in the Philippines and receive the sanction of this govern ment or of the Senate. the fact had cer- tainly not been apprehended by him. N MT. Tillman suggested that the Philip pine Islands are governed by Secretary Taft under the President of the United States. He did not think that relation toward the islands would prevent the Secretary of War from reporting actual conditions in the Philippine Islands.
 T am not prepared" he said. ito say that the Secretary of War has suppressed important facts concerning the Philip pines. The presumption is that We have been told the truth"
 Question Postponed.
 Mr. Hale asked that the paragraphs Iating to slavery be passed over in order that full information might be received concerning 1t, and Senator Hepburn agreed to that plan.
 Senator Sutherland spoke in favor of re- taining the sections against slavery, say ing that on the Pacific coast it had been shown that Chinese women had been ac- tually sold into slavery
 MT. Lodge declared that it was well known that in the islands of Bolo and Moro what was known as debt slavery had existed. It was also a fact of com mon knowledge that General Bates made an agreement by which slaves might pur- chase their freedom but President Nc kinley refused to approve of that treaty and shortly afterward slavery was prac- tically abolished by active military order. Then the organic act of 1902 contained a clause against slavery, and on September H 1903, the Philippine commission provid- cd heavy penalties against persons who hold or sell slaves.
 The paragraphs relating to slavery were