New-York tribune., 1899-02-09
TIE PARTIES AND THE TREATY.

II is not agreeable to remember. hut neither
IS II possible to forget that the final attitude
of the Senate toward the Treaty of Peace was
marked with and even dominated by partisan
ship Considerations of domestic politics were
carried into our dealings with a foreign Power.
That was a deplOrable thing, and If IT was not
altogether unexpected there had at least been
ground on which to hope for something better.
There was no partisanship last winter in voting
$4,000, 900 for National defence, none in en-
powering the President TO intervene in Cuba,
none in accepting the Spanish gage Of battle.
There was assuredly none in the Presidents
conduct of the war; when Democrats were ap-
pointed 10 Office as freely as Republicans and
for the first time eX-COnfederates were com
missioned in the Federal Army. There was
none in the negotiation of peace, when a con-
spcuous Democratic leader was appointed TO
serve on the Paris Commission and other Dem
ocrats were chosen for work in Cuba and Porto
Rico.
But at the end Of ALL in the crowning work
of all. partisan rancOr reasserted itself When
the Treaty of Peace was laid before the Sen
ate to consummatc and confirm and conserve
forever the high results of the war party lines
were drawn and the party standard was raised.
The veteran leader Of the Democratic side of
the Senate and the utular head Of the Demo
cratic organZat ton in the country at large raj
lied their forces and strove by every means in
their power to make opposition TO the treaty
a party measure Party loyalty appealed
10. and resort was almost made to party whip
ping-in. Happily there were some Democrats
whose patriotism stronger than their par
tisanship. BY their votes they secured the rat
ifcation of the treaty. which could not have
been secured without them. For that they are
entitled 10 lasting gratitude and honor. But
the great majority Of Democrats voted against
the treaty, and they did so undenably because
they were Democrats and the treaty was the
work Of Republican Administration. They
chose TO vote against their country rather than
with their fellow -countrymen of a different po-
litcal faith
II was the story of 1896 repeated. In 1896
a few Republicans favored free silver and re-
pudiation, but the overwhelming mass Of the
party stood by honest money and National
honor: and few Democrats, 10 their honor be
it remembered stood with the Republicans,
while the majority Of their party rushed madly
after reputation, ffty-cent dollars and anar-
chv. So this year two Republicans voted
against the treaty, but forty-three went on
record in its favor. On the Democratic side
ten voted for the treaty and twenty-four voted
or were paired against Il. Those are the facts
Of record, which will not be forgotten. Tho
Republican party as a whole was for honest
money in 1896 and for the making Of peace in
1899 The Democratic party as a whole was
for deprecated currency in 1896 and against
the making of peace in 1890.
More than that and more important: Tho
Republican party as a whole has stood by the
National Administration in foreign affairs and
against foreign Powers, while the Democratic
~arty has not but has treacherously sought to