Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1909-06-18
WOULD FREE ISLES.
PLEA FOR INDEPENDENCE OF
PHILIPPINES is MADE IN
THE SENATE.
FINANCE COMMITTEE RAPED
Bmrkett Declares That Leading Spir-
its of Upper Branch Play Petty Pol.
tics-says Members Cannot Leg
islate on Unfit Measures.

81
Washington, June 16.-The question
of the independence of the Filipinos
received attention in the senate.
Senator Borah started the ball roll.
ing. Saying he proposed to cast his
votes for "loosening the bands which
tie the Philippine people to the United
States government" he declared him.
self in favor Of giving the Filipinos an
independent government
The declaration aroused immediate
attention, being apparently unex.
pected.
when speak that sentiment"
continued Mr.. Borah, II am aware
that express a view contrary to that
of the president. for whose opinion
and services to that great people ]
have a profound regard. Neverthe.
less, have conviction that the first
duty of the people of the United
States is to prepare this people for
supporting an independent govern.
ment. I do not believe it is in ac
cordance with the spirit Of our con
stitution or institutions that we
should continue the policy of having
colonial possessions. While I must
differ to some extent with my party
and with the president perhaps. it ia
a conviction that l cannot put aside.
] regret that the committee has not
seen fit to wipe out the clause re.
ferring to the free entry of sugar."
Game of Petty Politics.
That the senate committee on fin.
ance has been engaged In playing 80
game of petty politics" was defiantly
charged in the senate by Senator Bur.
kett of Nebraska The assertion was
made In connection with report by
the committee reducing from Isl, OO0,.
900 to 100000 the number of cigars
which may be imported free of duty
annually from the Philippines. This
change had been arrived at by the
committee at a meeting held early to-
day and was the result of the repre-
sensations of Senator Buckley of Con
necticut, with an important product
of whose state the Philippine tobacco
importation would conflict. Senator
La Toilette had previously presented
an amendment reducing the number
to 75,000,000, and the Nebraska sena.
tor found in the action of the com.
mittee discrimination in favor of
Buckley against La Toilette. This
was the reason for his outburst, and
he spoke with apparently strong feel.
ing.
La Toilette Takes Floor.
AS soon as the committee had
brought in its amendment Senator La
Toilette took the floor.
Expressing qualification that the
finance committee had reduced the
number of free cigars to the extent of
100000 less than was called for by
his amendment, Mr. La Toilette said
he was encouraged to change his
amendment, Mr.. La Toilette said he
was encouraged to change his amend
ment SO as to provide for the admis-
sion of only 60,000,00O, and he did SO.
1t was then that Mr. Burkett took
the floor. Roundly denouncing the
finance committee, he declared that
its atcion in making changes in the
Philippine amendment was sufficient
to cause senators to loss confidence
in it. The original amendment, he
said, had been brought into the senate
as approved by the president, but in
face of that fact the committee had
brought in its recommendation for
reduction to 100000 in accordance
with Mr.. Bulkeleys request.
New Cause for Complaint.
He pointed out that the number was
100000 below the reduction called
for by the La Toilette amendment,
and in this circumstance found cause
for complaint. "This," he said, sis a
matter too important to juggle with
and it looks to me like game of
petty politics.
There is no mystery about It," pro-
tested Mr.. Aldrich, and no politics
except desire on the part of The
committee to do the right thing and
aobve everything else to pass this
bill"
1T was also another effort to hang
the senator from Wisconsin up in the
air somewhere" suggested Mr.. Bur-
,kett.
No disposition of that kind"
promptly responded the chairman of
the finance committee
ut would not be possible for the
committee to do that" said the Wis
consin senator.