The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1898-12-24
RATIFICATION ASSURED.
OF Peace Treaty-Expnnsion
Contest 10 Follow.

New York, Dec. 22.--Clark Howell,
member Of the democratic national
committee from Georgia and editor of
the Atlanta Constitution, after consult
ing with the leaders Of both Of the po-
litical parties mt Washington tele-
graphed as follows TO ispaper Wednes-
day night:
with the adjournment OF congress for
the holidays the final decision on the pence
treaty Is as clear as II will be after a vote
has been taken In the senate. Two weeks
ago the matter was In doubt-to-day II In
certain that the treaty will be ratified. az
IL Will be that II has after the vote has been
taken. Mr.. Bryan has been In Washington
for several days and has conferred fire.
quently and freely with the democratic
leaders in both the senate and the house.
He has advised ratification OF the treaty.
and he is outspoken in the opinion that
aside from the question OF national obli-
cation. II is a matter OF party policy for
the democrats TO throw no obstacle In the
way OF ratification. There are leading
democrats or both the senate and house
who less than n week ago were In doubt
as to whether or not democrats should as
sist In ratifying the treaty; more than that.
some or them were outspoken In the opin-
ION that II was perhaps better to reject It,
To-day many OF these democratic leaders
take open position that the treaty should
has studied the situation from the inside.
can have any reasonable doubt
at must not be understood that the rati-
flcation OF the treaty will carry with II tho
assumption that all those who vote affirm
atiyely are In favor or national expansion
across the Pacific. or the senators who
VIII vote in favor OF the treaty there will
be republicans, as well as democrats. who
are opposed In principle as well as In the
DRY to the trans-oceanic expansion OF our
a
very properly. the view that the question
OF expansion. per Sc, is not involved In tho
consideration OF the peace treaty, and that
after the treaty has been ratified and Spain
has been eliminated as factor In the Phil
ippine problem IL will be time enough TO
consider the policy TO be pursued In deal
Ing with the Philippines. and just here Will
come the real contest OF the question or
expansion"
Mr. Howell then says that after the
treaty has been finally disposed OF n reso-
lutlon VIII be introduced making declara-
tion OF the proposed policy OF this gov
eminent in dealing with the Philippines,
and that this resolution will be framed
very much on the basis OF the Cuban reso-
luton adopted colncident with the declar-
alton OF war, In which II was declared that
the policy OF this government would be to
give the people OF Cuba free and inde-
pendent government OF their own. Mr..
Howell says; 1T Is the determination to
present "a OF lnlS klTu az a rally
ing point for the expansion and anti-ex-
pansion elements. both democrats and re-
publicans. that takes from the considera-
ton or the peace treaty such doubt as
might have existed as TO the outcome and
which now makes It's ratification y fore
gone conclusion"
Mr.. Howell further says that 1.-The vote
on this proposed resolution Will not be con-
fined by any means to party lines and tho
outcome Is In doubt. A large majority OF
the democrats will vote In favor OF II. and
a large majority OF the republicans will
vote against IT, but the size or either min
norlty is sufficiently involved In doubt AS
10 render exceedingly questionable the
final action that will be taken on tho reso-
luton" lie says: THE republicans as a
body will favor the ratification OF tho
peace treaty. and will oppose any further
action They Will hold that II will be time
enough TO cross the Philippine bridge when
they get TO Il, and in the meantime the
islands should be held under strict mill
tary government, and that. IL In Gods own
time IL is demonstrated that the Filipinos
are able to take care OF themselves. and
desire to maintain a government OF their
own, II will be time enough for the United
States TO take up the question and act ac-
cordngly."
Mr.. Howell's summary concludes as fol-
lows: "As the result OF the final encounter
over the resolution IL may be that tho
country will witness the spectacle of badly
severed party lines, and that out OF Il may
be furnished the battle cries around which
Will be formed the lines OF the next presi-
Dental fight"