The Natchitoches enterprise. (Natchitoches, La.) 1888-1965, 1899-02-16
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1899.
McLnery's vote OH the Treaty.


Senator McEnery was one OF the few
Democrsts In the Senate who voted for
the treaty between this country and
Spain. aud now. some of his over-zeal-
GUS friends in this State-who before
his vote, advocated the rejection Of the
treaty are irving to make 1t appear that
TO the Louisiana Senator alone is due
the honor Of having saved it from defeat
while he rescued the sugar interests
from destruction at the same time.
The Times Democrat seems to have
given the cue TO those who are evident
ly bent on irving the old familiar trick
OF investing Senator McEnerv with quail
tiles which few mortals ever did or ever
will possess, and then attempting to
make the people believe that their pa
per idol is the real article.
1t Is hardly worth while to note that
In order to succeed in its laudable un-
dertakIng. our cosmopolitan contempt.
rnxz n. compelled asSgnOre. with utter
recklessness, fScis anu -
IS the plaInest promptings Of common
sense; for when 1t sets ont to manufac
ture demigod out Of such raw material
as II furnished by a common every day
man. 1t will not be thwaTted by such
trivial obstacles rs these.
Now, while we are not unfriendly to
Senator McEnery, and while we would
not wontonIy pluck from his brow .
single wreath Of the many which hrs
friends hav: placed thereon, the stern
duty which always eOnfrOnts, and
should ever, guide the impartial chron-
fclcr Of men and matters, cOmpels us
to assume the somewhat thanklese, but
very pratlcal, role Of Mr.. Gradgrlnd and
to analyze the beautIful fairy tale under
the cold, clear light of tho facts which
furnished the very unsubstantial foun-
datIon for It.
We will content ourselves al this time,
however with discussing but two feat
ures OF the story IS written by the Times
Democrat. viz: That the Louisiana
Senator's vote saved the treatv, and
that, as q consideration for 1t, the Re-
publicans Ia the senate agreed TO do
certain thlags which were necessary to
secure the interests Of the Louisiana
sugar planters, which, 1t was thought.
would be im1aIred, IL not destroyed, by
the admission Of the Philippines as
part Of the territory Of this country.
The first statement Il nlanlfestly false
for the simple reason that the treaty was
ratified by three votes more than the
necessary two-thirds majority; and in
order to make good the assertion that
his vote saved 1t from defeat, his friends
will have to prove that IL he had voted
against It, his negative vote would have
offset the three affirmative votes just
mentioned. ba
That Senator 'MtEnery safe-guaFded
the sugar interests Of tins State by the
wonderful tact and precedence which he
10 credited with In this matter, Is equal
" absurd, IN view OF the fact that the
anly danger which the Louisiana sugar
planters feared In connection With the
treaty, was based upon the apprehension
that II Il was ratified the Philippines
where sugar can be produced much
more cheaply than 1t can here,-naight
eventually be annexed to this country
- one Of its colonies; and thSt, in voting
for the treaty. Senator McEnery-as far
as HE aCtion,was concerned made an
nexation possible, II not probable.
In a editorial 10 the Baton Rouge
ADVOCATE Of recent date, our brilliant
cenfSere makes this point cutie clear by
the following:
II As wltn some surprise that che Ad.
vocale notes how much the Tlmes.De-
ulocrat makes OF Senator McEnery's
vote on fhs Treaty OF peace and the re.
lnarkable Importance Il attributes 10
that particular vote. In the Advocates
Judgment senator McEnery voted lust as
be should have votsd on this PROPOSE
tlon and just as u appears 10 ua every
representative ~ Ihe Senate should have
VOTED. when u comes to anaIYzing tue
alleged motives prompting Senator Ne.
Enery 10 ehAnge his Views from those Of
On ardent ana vigorous opponent Of the
treaty 20 2 supporter o1 Il we are nt-
seriv nnanie 70 reconcile the Ttmes-De-
nlocrats logic With the physical facts
surrounding inc circumstances. For