transcribed from the Wednesday, April 16, 1902 Cortland Evening Standard.
TO VISIT PHILIPPINES.
Senate
Likely to Send Committee
to
Islands.
CONDITIONS TO
BE INVESTIGATED.
Movement Comes From the Minority.
Philippines Discussion
Causes Much Ill Feeling.
Washington,
April 16.—[Special]— Although there has been a general protest against what came
to be known as "congressional junkets"—that is, visits of committees
to various parts of the country during the recess of congress on investigating
tours—yet there is a decided sentiment expressed that such a committee should
visit the Philippines to secure personal information concerning the conditions
there. The movement comes primarily from the minority members of the committee,
though some of the majority believe that much good could be accomplished by conducting
an inquiry in the islands. There is doubt expressed whether authorization for
such a visit could be obtained for the coming summer, as senators will wish to
take part in the campaign, but the effort for sending a committee during the
long vacation will certainly be made. The minority members of the committee would
like to go as soon as congress adjourns, but the majority members feel that
they will have earned a rest by the time congress adjourns.
III Feeling Shown.
The bad
blood which has been shown between the parties on the Philippine question in
the debates in congress continues to crop out In the hearings before the senate
committee. The Democratic members of the committee are young and vigorous. They
have found that the prominence of the Philippine question has given the
opportunities that seldom come to men new in the senate, and they are making
the best of it. For that reason they have been driving home questions of an
irritating character to those who have been in control in the islands, questions
which the Republicans do not like and which they do not sustain; consequently
there is considerable bitterness displayed at nearly every session of the
committee. The army
officers also come in for rather severe treatment, and they decline to answer
some of the questions.
As to a Senator's Vote.
Previous
to the vote on the Chinese exclusion bill a group of senators were discussing
the embarrassing situation in which they found themselves. They were receiving telegrams
from manufacturers and merchants, who urged them not to do anything which would
cause a loss of trade in China. On the other hand, they were receiving telegrams
and other communications from labor organizations demanding that they vote for
a drastic Chinese exclusion bill. "I suppose," remarked one senator,
"that there will be two or three senators who will vote on this bill as
they have a mind to." This created a great laugh, because it is well known
that many senators were not going to vote their sentiments. "This is a case,"
said one of the most distinguished senators of the body, replying to a man who
was urging him to make some change in the pending bill, "where a senator
cannot vote his convictions, but must give attention to his constituents."
A Warning From Lodge.
In the course
of his speech on the Chinese bill Senator Lodge of Massachusetts took occasion
to show the real strength behind this bill. He said that if senators wanted to
see whether there was anything in the way of a sentiment for a rigid exclusion
law they might postpone action and they would no doubt feel the result in the autumn.
He said the members of the house understood this perfectly, as they had to come
up for election this fall. He indicated that many senators would likewise vote
for the drastic bill which the house of representatives passed. There is no
doubt that the labor organizations of the country have had a great deal of
influence in bringing such a large number of senators and representatives to
the support of Chinese exclusion legislation.
Arthur W. Dunn
References:
1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_William_Dunn2) Chinese Exclusion Act
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