The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-28
SLAVERY TALK IN THE SENATE Does It Exist in Philip
 piness SUCH CHARGES ARE MADE Old Law Against Slave Trade Re-
 tained in Code. The Conmittee in Charge of Measure Have Substituted Word "Persons,, - in Place of "Negroes.
 Mulattoes,, Etc.

Washington, Jan. 27.-The propriety of perpetuating in the penal code. penr aities against persons engaged in the slaves trade, was the subject of an in- teresting debate in the Senate today In connection with which there was considerable discussion of the question of the existence of slavery In the Phil ippsnes.
 The old law against slave trade has been retained in the code by the conn mittee reporting 1t. with a change by which the word persons" is substituted for the words negroes. mulattoes and coIored perosns."
 Mir. Hale declared that slavery, being thing of the past. all reference to 1t should be taken out of the code.
 Mir. Hepburn, in charge of the bill. cohtended for, the retention of the pro- vision, 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 practices. He added that he had heard 1t charged that slavery of the old-fashioned kind still exists on some of the Islands of the Philippine group.
 Mir. Hale said he was glad the Sena- GAACt1 found so good a reason for continu- ing this prohibition against slavery.
 .It is strange he said, referring to the charge that slavery exists in the Philippines, "that such a condition should exist in view of the optimistic accounts from those Islands that we have received. I am glad the Senator from Idaho is one of those misguided beings who objects to these conditions, and if the Senator has brought 1t out in one instance showing this whole melancholy condition, he has done something for the benefit of the Sem ate and for tho country"
 Mir. Hale declared, however, that he had never supposed slavery existed in the islands after the American occn- patton.
 TilimaR Surprised,
 fI am surprised.S said MT. Tillman, srto wse quickly on his feet. .s,;fo lseaI any Senator on the Republican side dis claim knowledge of what has been mo- torious since we took possession of the Philippine Islands and known to exist there" .x ,~
 Mir. Tillman said he was still more surprised that ''the party which had gathered onluch glory from the de- struction of slavery in this country 2 and which has absolute control of our foreign affairs, has done nothing to put an end to the slave trade in the Phil ippines.
 why don't the men," he asked. "who are responsible for the Philipine gov ernment, enforce the law"
 Senator Stone called attention to an agreement made by, General John C.. Bates with the Sultan of Sulu for con- tinuing slavery and polygamy.
 we have even gone further" Mir. Tillman said. ,"and have given salaries to. the Sultan and his Dattos."
 Mir. Hale again said that if these unonstrous conditions exist in the Phil ipines and receive the sanction of this or of the Senate. the fact had certainly not been appreciated by him. Ss,s
 MT. Tillnlan suggested that the Phil ippine Islands are governed by Secre- tary Taft under the President of the United States.
 MT. Hale said that he did not think that relation towards the islands would prevent the Secretary of War from reporting actual conditions in the Phil ippine Islands. ,-
 T am not prepared" he said. ito say that the Secretary of War has sup pressed important facts concerning the Philippines. The presumption is that we have been told the truth"
 Mir. Hale asked that the paragraphs relating to slavery be passed over m order that full information might be received concerning 1t and Senator Hepburn agreed to that plan.
 Chinese Women slaves.
 Senator Sutherland spoke in favor of retaining the sections against slavery, saying that on the P~cific Coast 1t had been shown that Chinese women had been actually sold into slavery.
 Mir. Lodge declared that 1t was well known that in the islands of Bolo and Moro, what was known as debt slavery had existed. It was also fact of cont mon Knowledge that General Bates' made an agreement by which slaves might purchase their freedom, but President Mckinley refused to approve of that treaty and shortly afterward slavery was practically abolished by executive military order.
 Then the organic act of 1902 con tained a clause against slavery and on September 24. 1903 the Philippine Commission provided heavy penalties against persons who hold or sell slaves.
 The paragraphs relating to slavery were passed over, but they will come up before the Senate for action at some later day.