The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-08-06

We know pretty well what the treaty
OF peace between this country and Spain
wall contain. What sort of a reception
Will the treaty meet with in the Senate?
II must be ratified by that body before it
viii bo binding.
From expressions dropped by both Re
pubIcans and Democratic senators it is
evident that It will not give entire salts
faction. For instance. senator Burrows,
who is regarded as one of the strong men
on the Republican side said an an inter
view day or two ago, that he was not in
favor of demanding possession of all the
Philippine Islands, but that ne thought
that we should retain one Of them.
But suppose We should insist upon hav-
ing ono Of them would not we open the
way for each of The European states to
demand AN island? If We do not take all
the Islands, but take only such part of
them as seems to be 10 our interest TO
take Germany or France or any other
European nation might feel at liberty 10
take such a part Of them as it wanted.
1t is true that It wouldn't have such good
reason for taking SPANS territory as we
have. but Germany, France and Russia
did not hesitate to take such of the ter
ritory Of China as they wanted without
any good reason for doing so.
Several of the leading newspapers Of the
country are insisting that we shall as
sumo control OF the Philippines and hold
them either as permanent possession or
until the native population is ready for
self government, and the belief appears
to be that they express the views of quite
a number of the senators. The impression
seems TO be growing that the commits
SION plan of the President is full of prom
ise of trouble. From what Is appearing
in the English newspapers, and even some
of the newspapers of the Continental Pow
ers. that impression prevails to in q
marked degree in Europe. There appears
TO be a desire there as well as in this
country for a settlement of the status Of
the Philippines which shall be permanent
1t requires a majority Of two-thirds of
the Senate TO raufy a treaty. If a lively
discussion of that part Of the Presidents
terms which relates TO the Philippines is
begun it may be that it will take hard
work and all the influence of the admin
istraton to secure its ratification
AS vet there does not appear 20 be any
disposition to draw party lines in respect
to the terms offered by the President. The
expressions of opinion by senators which
have appeared in print show about as
much difference in the views of the Re
publican senators respecting the course
that should be pursued in regard to the
Philippines as among Democratic sena-
tors That is the best sign that the treaty
is likely to be ratified, because the division
not being on party lines there will be less
difficulty in getting two-thirds of the
senators to agree to ratify it,
We do not look for a prompt ratification
of the treaty. but we have no doubt that
it will be ratified, simply because the
Senate will not care to take the risk of
continuing the war after all has been
gained for which the war was begun. If
a continuance of the war should result
from a rejection of the treaty and the
war should not be fruitful of results, the
senators who defeated the treaty would
go early to their political graves.