New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-29
soUyD SENSE PREVAILING.

,r, r,oht c.use gains strength daily. Only
u,n, while ago the opponents Of peace ana
urocress were reckoning among themselves HUI
a few men of light and leading In Natlonai couh-
ellis. But day by day the number OF such men
so enrolled grows smaller Day by day the hau'e
sound sense and justice Of American statesmen
ore asserted 1t was not unnatural that III 'he
outset some men hesitated to commit themselves
IN a policy which, however well estabi'sheu iii
the history of the Nation, seemed Tor the pres
ont novel or at least novel to them. They hao
devoted their attention for years to other 'hihes'
and had not contemplated such issues as those
which the war with Spain brought forward.
Rut mature consideration is doing It's work.
The more they ponder the subject, the more
clearly they see the duty, the power ana the op
portunity of the Nation
Senator Thurston, for example, was once
ranked among the opponents OF territoriai eA-
nansion He was one Of the foremost opponents
NJ the annexation of Hawaii. 1t Is to Oe as
Sumed that he Is now reconclled to that act lie
IS. at any rate. in favor Of promptly ratifylhg
tho Treaty of Peace and Of retaining the ianus
which under It are taken from Spain and COM
mitted 10 our care. There Is nothing else TO 90.
no thinks: it is the solemn duty Of the United
STATES to accept the responsibilities imposed
unon #. and to bear them In the best way II
can. Having undertaken a war to free people
from Spanish tyranny and to secure for them
oood government. II would be hopeless self
qualification to force another people back under
that same tyranny or to leave them with
worse government than they had before. Such
views NAV seem Quixotlc to those whose stand
ard of National duty is measured with yard
fSrcf nd In af
case Is. "win 1t payT' But to those who In
herjt the spirit of the men who made this Ma
tion great they will be heartily commended.
Senator Faulkner is another who mas peeh
Chased as an anti-expanslOnist. He Is still OPP
posed to expansion. But he will vote FOR the
ratification of the Treaty of Peace. lie sees
what others Of the anti-expansonists appear
not to see, that the treaty does not irrevocaDiy
fax every detail of our National destiny for all
time to come 1t closes the issues OF the war
and IT opens the vast opportunities or peace
That is ALL The rest is left to Congress-that 49,
to the American people. 1t Is for the Nation 10
determine, after ratification, what 1t Will 90
with the Philippines The treaty does not settle
that question. 1t merely takes the Islands from
Spain and puts them under our control, ana
that is something it had to do, unless this Ma
ton was to be branded with bad faith ana
wanton inhumanity such as it would be difficult
to find paralleled in history. The two Senators
are exactly right the one in holding that this
Nation Is under obligations which 1t cannot
shirk. the other in holding that the duty OF the
Senate is first to confirm the restoration OF
peace by ratifying the treaty. and afterward TO
Join with the House in deciding what shall be
done with our new possessions. And we are in
clined to think there Will not be found many
who will dissent from those sound principles.