The Washington times., 1911-02-27
PROMISES FIGHT ON .
PHILIPPINE LANDS
Representative Cooper Plans
to Continue Discussion
in House.
MAJORITY REPORT
WILL EXONERATE
Democrats and Insurgent Republi-
cans Draft Minority Reports on
Law Interpretation.

Law Interpretation.
''If the Committee on Insular Affairs
upholds the officials of the Philippine
government in their Interpretation of the
law governing the disposition of public
and friar lands in the islands 1 shall
fight 1t to the utmost of my ability on
the floor of the House."
This statement was made today by
Representative Henry A. Cooper of Wis
consin, who was chairman of the House
Committee on lnsular Affairs which,
with the Senate Philippine Committee
drafted the Congressional act OF 1902 un-
der which civil government was estab-
lished in the Philippines and under
which large tracts of public and friar
lands have been disposed of.
1t was learned today that the Insular
Affairs Committee has adopted its re-
port on the Philippine land investigation.
The report will probably be submitted
TO the House today by Chairman Ohm
sted of Pennsylvania. The report exon
crates the Philippine Commission and
other officials of the Philippine govern
ment of all criticism for selling and
leasing public lands and friar lands to
persons not citizens of the islands and
in tracts greater than specified in the
statute of 1902.
To File Minority Reports.
The investigation just concluded was
made as a result of resolution offered
by Representative Martin of Colorado,
who charged that the commission and
certain officials of the Philippine gov
ernment had violated the law in selling
and leasing public and friar lands
These charges were reiterated before
the committee by counsel for the Anti
lmperialist League. 1t was also
charged that members of the commits
sion and other officers had violated the
law of 1902 by buying public lands for
themselves, and had thereby been guilty
of breach of trust by seeking to reap
a profit on property which they were
supposed TO handle as trustees for the
1t was learned today, further, that one
and perhaps two minority reports will
be submitted, signed by such number
of members of the committee as to
indicate the majority report will not be
adopted by the House without strenu-
GUS opposition. Three insurgent Repub-
nCans on the committee are working on
a minority report. They are Madison
of Kansas, Hubbard of Iowa, and Davis
of Wisconsin. The Democratic members
are also working on a minority report
1t is possible the insurgent Republicans
and Democrats will get together, and
that but one minority report viii be
filed. If they do, the committee will be
about evenly divided.
Representative Fornes of New York,
one of the Democratic members has al
ready agreed to the majority report 1t
Is understood Representatives RuCker of
Colorado, another Democrat, will also
agree TO it. The Republican members
who are understood to have agreed TO It
are Chairman Olmsted and Representa-
lives CrumpaCker of Indiana, Hamilton
- Michigan, Fuller of Illinois, Graham
ennsylvania, Parsons of New York,
Nc hinlay Of California, and Douglas of
Ohio.
Commentator and Condemnation.
The Democrats who will sign the
Democratic minority report are: Repre-
sentatives Jones of Virginia, Page Of
North Carolina, Garrett of Tennessee.
Denver of Ohio, Helm of Kentucky, ard
Larrinaga of Porto Rico. Represent |
ative Fowler of New Jersey, an insur- |
gent Republican, has not attended the |
hearings, but he may sign the Repub- |
liCan minority report
None of the reports will charge tile |
Philippine officials with dishonesty or |
intentional fraud The majority report |
will eXonerate them absolutely, will ap-
prove their Interpretation of the land |
laws, and Will indorse their policy Of |
lands to persons not citizens of the
Philippines and in tracts greater than
specified by act of Congress.
The Democratic minority report will |
charge the officials with an erroneou:
Interpretation Of the land laws and will |
severely crluCiSe their policy in dispOS-
ing of public and friar lands The Re
publican minority report will admit the
possible correctness of the interpreta-
tion of the land laws, but will condemn
the officials for making such an inter-
pretation and adopting the policy of
selling and leasing large tracts of land
to aliens.
The commissions Interpretation of
the Philippine land laws is nothing
more nor less than absurd said Rep
reSentatiVe Cooper today, in continu-
alton of his discussion Of the land in
VeStigation. Il was chairman of the
House Committee on Insular Affairs
when the land laws were framed, and
] can demonstrate beyond shadow Of
question that the intent of Congress
was to restrict the purchase and lease
OF agricultural lands to FilipinOs, ami
10 limit the amount sold in one tract
to 10 acres 20 an individual and 2,5UU
acres to a corporation.
Intent of Congress.
"It was also the intert of Congress
that the friar lands, when acquired,
should be treated the same as the pub
lie lands originally obtained when we
got the islands. che Philippine CON-
mission has permitted aliens to buy ard
lease public and friar lands, and it has
1lagrantly ignored the provision limit
ing holdings to 40 and $500 acres 1t has
permitted tracts of thousands of acres
TO be acquired, thereby violating the
two fundamental principles of the law.
This policy should not be permitted
10 continue. II amounts to an outra-
geous fouting of the will Of Congress.
l am astonished that a majority of the
committee excuses it, and l wish 10
give notice here and now that the COM
mittee's report will not be adopted by
the House-such conduct will not be ap-
proved by the Congress that prohibited
tiff ] can prevent 1t"