Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-05-01
DEMOCRATS IN HOUSE
REVOLT AT GAG RULE
IN PHILIPPINE BILL
Spurn Caucus Pledge and Force
Leaders to Abandon Plan
to Jam Measure
Through
CLASH ON INDEPENDENCE

WASHINGTON, May IA Democratic
revolt which threatened to cost the Ad-
ministraton temporary control of the
House of Representatives confronted Con-
gressional leaders today when the House
took up the Administration Philippine bill
At least 30 Democrats who refused to be
boune " the caucus pledge to support the
measure held the balance of power. They
forced the House leaders to abandon plans
for jammng the measure through under
a "gag-rule" without amendment, and the
Senate bill was laid before the House
without limitation on debate or amend
ment for the opposition to shoot at"
The revolving Democrats. including
virtually all of the Tammany delega-
tion In the House. we're opposed to the
provision inserted in the bill in the Sen
ate promising the Philippines independ.
ence within four years at the discretion
of the President They declined to &C.
cept President wilson's demand that the
bill be passed with this provision intact
They Joined the Republican opposition on
this point and threatened to defeat the
bill unless the Objectionable provision was
eliminated.
FINAL DEBATE ON MEASURE,
Revolution will result in the Philippines
IL the United States continues its present
attitude, Chairman Jones, of the House
lnsuar Committee, declared in final debate
on the bill designed to free the islands.
Jones fought hard to save the Senate
amendment whereby the independence
would he given in two TO four years.
The Clarke tSenate) amendment he
declared. would enable the President to
safeguard all rights and property of
Americans in the islands and protect bond
issues and investors in bonds Philip
pine bond issues aggregate s16,l25,000
THE altruistic arguments for retain-
ing possession of the Philippines. so elo-
quently voiced by Mckinley. Taft and
other Republican leaders are now giving
place TO those of commercialism," he said.
THE mask of benevolence has at last been
cast aside. We are now given to see that
the real animation of those who would
retain possession of the Philippines for
ever in cruel indifference to the God-given
rights of the Filipino people is based on
commercial greed"
VISION OF A REPUBLIC.
Comparing the situation in the Philip
pines to that in Mexico, Jones said:
"The great bulk of the Mexicans are
turbulent, vengeful. treacheous, cruel,
without respect for constitutional au-
thority and utterly callous to all human
rights. More than half the Filipino peo
pie are literate and more than 30 per cent.
civilized and Christianized They are an
intelligent. docile, kindly, generous, peace.
loving, Christian and law-abiding people"
The Islands. he said, arc costing the
United States annually more than their
total bonded Indebtedness.
There are now only 1900 soldiers on
the Islands, he said. "Who believes that
100000 will be sufficient to garrison the
forts that must be constructed?
My prayer Is that the day is not far
distant when we shall see arise in the
Far East free and independent Chris
ttan nation, to be known throughout the
world as the Republic of the Philippine
Islands"