Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-03-23
ROSS ON NATIONAL ISSUES.
TALK ABOUT THE RATIFICATION OF
PEACE.
His Views on the Philippine Question
Eff ct of the McEnery Resolution-we
Have Made the Only Possible soIu-
tion of the Philippine Problein.

Senator Jonathan Ross talked freely of
his experience in the closing scenes of
one of the most important ana exciting
sessions of congress to a representative
OF the st. JohhsDury Republican, In the
matter of Il se,.t Senator Ross said it was
| "HobsonS choice" and as the latest COM
| er he had to take a seat on the extreme
left and about on a line with the preei-
dents desk, not an advantageous place
/ Tor either seeing or hearing, and where
he was subject to considerable annoyance
from the "gabble,' as expressed It. OF
visitors in the Senate Next season Sem
at0r koss expects to have the seat now
occupied by senator spoou,r of Wiscon-
sin VINO is to move over INTO the demo-
cratic side. This scat is near the centre
of the Senate chamber and removed FROM
| Senator Iroctor's scat by only one row of
desks.
There was considerable excitement"
said senator Ross, when the vote ON tn
peace treaty was taken, no one was Ger
tain of the result until the vote was am
nounccd. In the morning of thai day
talked with both Senator Davis of Mime
sofa ana Senator Chandler of New IIamp-
shire, two of the best info med senate. $,
and although they expressed the nupu
that the treaty would be ratified they
were not very confident. During the roll
call many of the senator's checked the
names as they voted, so cuser were they
to know the result.
''The McEnery resolution. | think had
very little effect on the vote. There was
no general agreement by the republicans
to support the resolution. although sem
ator McEncrN may have been assured by
a few that they would support his resolu-
ton If he would vote for the treaty The
later discussion on the resolution
showed that no agreement had been
made to support II. ! voted against t
did not really amount to anything, the
other that | did not believe it was wise
to hamper future CongrC sseS by action
on mattog about which we knew SO lit
tie.
Il made a short peach on the treaty in
executive session to bring out a point
had not heard mentioned in the Discus
sion, although 40 not care to discuss it
Some Of the methods employed in execu-
tive sessions found much opposed to the
Judicial bringing up ] have received. OF
course everyone knows that much that
takes place in executive sessions become 8
public property, probably through the
medium of some senator. But the news
paTer don't get it all by any means. For
instance the correspondence between tie
President and the peace commissioners
while they were engaged in formulatin s
the treaty, vas laid before the Senate.
but has never been made public and will
not be Tor some time. 1t is necessary TO
keep this correspondence secret as in the
course of it there were illusions to other
nations that might prove embarrassing. !"
do you think the attack by Aguinado
on our forces had any influence on the
vote on the treaty." Senator Ross was
asked.
Very little" he replied. There may
have been one or two senators who were
wavering that the news of the attack in
fluanccd, but nearly all the senators had
determined how they would vote, most of
them even before the ten days discussion
of the trelty was begun. | do believe,
however, that Agoncillo Aguinaldo's rep
rcsentative. knew the attack was TO come
and planned his flight into Canada, ac-
cordingly. There is 10 doubt that he re
allied his presence in Washington might
lie embarrassing after the news OF the
fighting came"
"Nhat about the Philippine question:
the senator was asked.
Il think we have made the only solu-
ton of the problem possible was his an
swer "A coaling station in the Islands
WAS a necessity during the war and
DcweY's victory gave us the best one 10
be had To protect our trade in the East
We must continue to have coaling sta