Evening star., 1898-10-08
FIGHT IN CONGRESS
Contention Over Disposition of the
Philippines.
SPAIN EXPECTED TO GIVE THEM UP
importance Of a House inSympathy
With the President.
EXTRA SESSION EEDED

The belief is spreading that the negotia-
tons of the peace commission at Paris will
result in the forfeiture of sovereignty by
Spain over the entire Philippine group.
While the instructions 10 our commission
ers include the retention by this govern
ment of the Island of Luzon only, the con-
Gitions under which Spanish sovereignty
over the rest Of the group would be restored
are such as it is Low believed Spain will
not accept Spain cannot reject these con-
ditions and retain her sovereignty. 1t is
expected. therefore, that negotiations will
close with the entire group of islands in
the pos session of the United States
4 Contention in Congress.
With this condition in prospect a conten-
ticn in Congress is anticipated over the
ultimate disposal of the islands The pros
poets are that this government will eXer-
Csc authority over the entire group for a
lrrg time to come No doubt is felt that
The result Of the peace negotiations will be
accepted. since the President has the entire
SI nptlthy CT The mere conservative men in
lis party who do not think that he will go
further than compe He'd to in a policy of
expansion, and at the same time the sit
uatiCn developing is such probably to
compel course which will be acce ptabie
to the more radical. such Senator Lodge
The contention threatened in Congress is
che for political capital. and should the
Comocrats get control of the next House it
may prove very embarrassing to the ad
r2inistration. 1t is regarded as impossible
to settle the legislative questions of terri
tOrial possession and government within
the short time ALLOW ed at the short session
Of the present Coz greSS-between Decem-
btr and the 4th Of March. The succeeding
Congress is expected to have the question
to Geal with and an extra session is prob
able.
Depends Upon the House.
The republicans will undoubtedly have
complete control of the Senate in the Fifty
sixth Congress. and if they can retain con-
troll of the House Congress and the admin
istration will be in harmony and there will
be no difficulty about carrying out a def
mite policy which will promise a wide ex-
pansion OF the sphere of influence of this
government and n material development of
trade. The republicans have no doubt that
II this issue were made clear a sufficient ma
jOrity would be retained by them in the
House. Those democrats, however, who
wanted to commit the democratic party to
a policy which does not admit of the ac-
porarily in check by the wiser heads In their
party. and the issue has not been clear
iy defined as the republicans might desire.
1t cannot be too emphatically stated, how
ever. that the successful prosecution of the
policy of the administration, as it will be
presented after the close of the Paris ne
gotiations. will require that the republi-
cans control the House of Representatives.
A silent struggle is now going within
the democratic lines over the question of
the policy to be adopted by that party. The
section of the party favoring expansion is
gaining strength, but it is regarded as
doubtful whether it can develop strength
enough to prevent a fight being made
upon the policy of expansion should the
House be democratic. If Bailey retains
his influence in the party every possible
obstacle thrown
a progressive policy in the Pacific, notWith-
standing the fact that the democratic state
convention eVinced Il strong sentiment in
favor Of expansion. With him as the recog-
nized leader Of his party, the democrats,
whether in the majority the minority.
will make all the trouble they can in the
House. but if they should control the
House their efforts in that direction would
be effective.
Popular Sentiment for Expansion.
The result of TIE congressional election is
sufficiently in doubt to make this subject
of anxiety. Those democrats who are in
favor If a progressive policy are preparing
to contest the question of policy to the ut
most Of their power should their party be
in control. but they now feel themselves to
be in the minority
The situation may be materially affected
by the character Of reports received from
ell sections of the country as to the state
of sentiment among the people. Not only
are the republicans receiving reports YER
bally and in writing. that popular senti-
n:ent is strongly in favor of expansion. but
tEe democrats are also being overwhelmed
with information of the same sort. The
association of the Philippines with the de-
velopm"nt of a trade with China brings
visions Of great warehouses at Philippine
ports. stocked with cotton and wheat and
articles of American manufacture, corve-
nient for the Chinese trade, and in the
south they are talking Of market for
double their present crop of cotton, which Is
now so far in excess Of the demand that
the price is below the possibility Of profit.
This will probably affect the attitude Of
sCme of the southern members of the
House: but if the issue were more sharply
drawn between the two parties II would
surely give the next House to the rcDubli-
cans. What is true of the sentiment among