Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-22
WILL: Be RATIFIED.
Approval Of Peace Treaty Now
Absolutely Certain.
Hon. Clark Howell, Member Of the
Democratic National Committee,
So Announces After a Careful Personal Can.
vass Of the Situation.

New York, Dec. 21.--Hon. Clark
Howell, member of the Democratic Ma
tional committee from Georgia and
editor of the Atlanta Constitution. at
ter consulting with the leaders of both
of the political parties at Washington
telegraphed as follows to his paper,
tonight:
With the adjournment of Congress
for the holidays the final decision of
the peace treaty is as clear as il Will
be after vote has been taken in the
Senate. Two weeks ago the matter
was in doubleday. it is as Ger
tain that the treaty will be ratified as
it will be after the vote has been
taken.'
Mr.. Bryan has been in Washington
for several days and has frequently
and freely conferred with the Demo-
cratic leaders in both the Senate and
the House. He has advised ratifica-
ton of the treaty and he is outspoken
in the opinion that aside from the
question of national obligation it is a
matter of party policy for the Demo-
Gratis to throw no obstacles in the way
Of ratification. There are leading
Democrats of both the Senate and
House who less than a week ago We're
in doubt as to whether or not Demo-
Gratis should assist in ratifying the
treaty; more than that, some of then,
were outspoken in the opinion that it
was perhaps better to reject it, To-
day, many of those Democratic leaders
take the open position that the treaty
should be ratified, and that it will be,
no one who has studied the situation
from the inside can have any reason
able doubt.
1t must not be understood that the
ratification of the treaty will carry
with it the assumption that all those
who vote Automatically are in favor of
national expansion across the Pacific.
OF the senators who will vote in favor
of the treaty there viii be Republicans
as well as Democrats who are opposed
trans-oceanic expansion of our nation
al domain. They take, however. and
very properly, the view that the ques-
ton of expansion, per Sc. is not in
volved in the consideration of the
peace treaty and that after the treaty
has been ratified and Spain has been
eliminated as factor in the Philip
pine problem, it will be time enough to
consider the policy to be pursued in
dealing with the Philippines and just
here will come the real contest on the
question of expansion"
Mr.. Howell then says that, after the
treaty has been finally disposed Of a
resolution will be introduced making
declaration of the proposed policy OF
this government in dealing with the
Philippines. and that this resolution
will be framed very much on the basis
of the Cuban resolution, adopted CO.
incident with the declaration of war, in
which it was declared that the policy
of this government would be to give
the people of Cuba a free and independ-
ent government of their own.
He says: THE Republicans as a
body Will favor the ratification of the
peace treaty, and will oppose any fur
Their action. They will hold that it will
be time enough to cross the Philippine
bridge when we get to it and in the
meantime the islands should be held
under strict military government and
that if in Gods own time it is demon
strated that the Filipinos are able TO
take care of themelves and desire to
maintain a government of their own it
will be time enough for the United
States to take up the question and act
accordingly"
Mr.. Howell's summary concludes as
follows: LAS the result of the final
encounter over the resolution it may be
that the country will witness the spec
tacle of badly severed party lines and
out of it may be furnished the battle
cries around which will be formed the
lines of the next Presidential fight"