La Junta tribune., 1899-02-11
SPEECH BY WOLCOTT
HE DISCUSSES EXPANSION
Takss the PosisIoa That the Peace Trsaf.
shosi1 Ne Ratified Patriot
Grounds.

Washington. Feb. 5.-ln the Senate
yesterday Mr.. wolcott OF Colorado
spoke upon the peace treaty He at
tempted no discussion of the pending
resolutions. but urged the ratification
riotie grounds.
1T was not, said he. until II be
came patent that the resolutions pend
ing before the Senate were being usec
merely as cloak with which to defeat
the treaty of peace that he determined
to say few words"
His own belief was that discussion
of the treaty should take place In ex
ecutive session. but senators had taker
opportunity in presenting their view.
upon the resolutions to discuss tht
treaty. and he felt II necessary 10 say
something also. He said that the wal
with Spain had had no charms FOL
him. and he had walked with pcrhap.
reluctant feet along the lines of dut.
marked out for him.
IL the commissioners appointed by
the President had presented to the
Senate treaty yielding up the Phil
ippine islands, he would have felt Il
his duty to ratlfy their action; IL the,
station, he would have felt bound
equally TO support their action.
I'm their WISDOM" said he. they
have brought TO us treaty providing
for the taking of the entire Philippine
group. and I see before me my duty
TO assist In the ratification OF that
action"
After reviewing briefly the results OF
the war and the negotiations which
led to the appointment of the peace
commission Mr. Wolcott said: THE
commissioners appointed by the Presi-
dent were men of eminent character
and ability. We may judge something
of the commission by the members OF
IL that were selected by this body. No,
one man here is there who would not
trust to any of them the most intri-
cate and delicate matter. They have
brought back here n treaty with Spain
by which We may deal with the Fiji
pinos as Congress hereafter may wisely
determine. Yet we stand here day
after day wrangling over resolutions
of no force and effect and which serve
only to embarrass our own people In
the Philippines and afford comfort to
our opponents on the islands There
is not one of these questions raised
which may not properly be dealt with
after the treaty is ratified.
I'VE should present II united front
to foreign foes and dissent only on In
ternal policies.
However much We may differ
among ourselves upon questions Of in
Iernal policy said he, I'VE ought to
stand as one before foreign foe. !.
for one. recognize II great difference
between q treaty establishing CONNER.
cial relations with another nation and
treaty bringing to n conclusion q
successful war. II is important that
We should present an unbroken front
In meeting question of this kind
We owe debt to our brethren across
the sea. We had their unqualified
moral support and influence OF their
trained diplomats throughout the war.
Had IT not been for England we should
not have merged from the late war
with colors fyiHg so high. To-day we
have among the nations OF Europe
only one friend-Great Britain. The
other nations stand with rapacious
hate, hoping that We may encounter
some repulse."
Adverting to the attitude OF the op-
ponents Of the treaty In endeavoring
to inject, as he said, politics into the
consideration of the pending question
and to force out OF II an issue for the
next presidential campaign, Mr. VOL
colt said:
But 1t Is deplorable that in formu-
lating such an issue and In pursuit OF
such policy these leaders should find
1t necessary to seek to dishonor this
government and the administration
which has guided us SO wisely through
the troubled sea OF international COM
plications and brought us to the
threshold Of an honorable peace, that
they should dishonor us In the face of
the nations OF the world and they
should seek to bring about some fan
cied political advantage by an attempt
to defeat the ratification of a treaty
which, II unratifed. must bring back a
condition Of war as II existed before
the report of the commissioners, pass
i've It may be, but full Of uncertainty
and full of disaster to the interests and
the welfare of our country.
Il do not believe such tactics can
win. There are men enough on both
sides of this chamber who will stand
by the government, not because 1, il
a Republican government, but because
II Is an American government.
THE results of the war have left us
charged with a duty to 11.OOO 600 Of
people. We found them under the do
minion of Spain. Nobody wants to
turn them back to that nation. We
know little about them. but we do
know there exists a condition ON the
islands which would result in inferno
cine strife among people who may
or may not be fitted for self-goyern-
ment.
"Our relations with the inhabitants
Of those islands," continued Mr.. VOL
cott, ARE certain to be fair, honest and
Just. We may make mistakes. We
have made mistakes In the past. But
with our protecting hand over them
those people will find themselves more
secure in their lives, property and
happiness than they have been be.
fore"
In answer to the charge that the
acquisition Of the islands would he