The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-01
SENATOR GRAY.
He Defends His Course on
the Treaty.

Washington, Jan. 3;.-Senators Gray
and Money occupied the entire execu-
tive session of the Senate today in
speeches on the peace treaty. Senator
Gray favoring ratification and Senator
Money opposing it.
Senator Gray was the third of the
Paris commissioners to speak, but
while he gave some attention to the
published matter bearing on the treaty
he did not go into this in such detail
as did Senators Frye and Davis. He
admitted that in the beginning of ne
negotiations he had been opposed to the
acquisition Of the Philippine archipela-
go, and said that he had freely and
frankly advised the president and his
felloW commissioners Of his belief that
1t would be unwise to attempt to shape
Its destiny. He had used his best en-
deavorS to bring them to accept his
views, but had utterly failed. He at
last reached the conclusion that he
would either have to join with the ma
Jorrty or see the treaty fail and the war
continue.
In the meantime, ne had been largely
won over by the arguments Of his col
leagues, and by the logic of the situa-
ton, and he had at last concluded to
sign the convention. Having taken his
position, he was here now to defend the
treaty as a wise conclusion of a most
delicate diplomatic undertaking.
Many complications had beset the
commissioners in their work and
While he would not retract what he
had heretofore said as to the undesir-
ability of acquiring distant territory,
as a matter of principle, still there
were times when q
dlV1dual might have to choose between
evils.
There was danger Of many complica-
tons OF an International character in
case the United States should have
elected to pursue different policy. He
reiterated that the ultimate conclusion
TO take the entire Philippine group was
tnat or the commissioners rather than
OF the president, and he also went into
the difficulties of getting the Spanish
commissioners to come to a conclusion.
Senator Gray did not advocate per
manent occupancy Of the eastern is
lands but said that the duration of
our exercise of sovereignty there should
be settled in the future and not at pres
ent.
In reply to question by Senator Ma
son, ne said that he would not attempt
to fix time, that this could be done
after we had an opportunity to study
the situation, to know the people and
learn their capacities.
Senator Money attacked the A1lluisi-
/ ton OF the islands as contrary 20 the
spirit of American institutions, and as
unconstitutional. He said that the gov
eminent of the United States could moi
afford to put itself in the attitude of a
Don Quixote in vain effort to care
for and advance the interests of every
people in every land that appeared &C.
cording to our standard of civilization
to need our help. He had been an ad-
vocate of Intervention in the case o.
| Cuba but from this fact it did not fol
| low that he was willing to transfer the
| Philippines from Spanish vassalage t.
| dependence on the United States.
| He did not consider that we were es.
| pecially concerned as to the future o.
| the F'ilipinos, and so far as he wa:
| concerned he should leave them to worl
| out their own salvation
This would be far preferable to as.
suming responsibility for them anC
making them citizens of the United
States, as they would inevitably come
to be if the treaty should be ratified
We had made allies of them in the
| Spanish war by the acts of our own
agents, and in the interest of fair deal
ing should let them accomplish their
! independence if they could do so. Sen
ator Hoar endorsed Senator Moneys
position.