Evening star., 1899-01-30

Garland returned to the chamber.
The Senate adopted the resolution for the
amendment of the rules, as to provide
for the distribution of the appropriation
bills among the various Senate committees,
instead of having them all go to the COM
mrttee on appropriations, as heretofore.
Senator Frye continued his argument for
the ratification of the peace treaty with
Spain. He talked for an hour and a half,
and again made the only speech of the
DAYS session.
The Payment of Claims.
The principal question under considera-
ton were those relating to the payment of
claims against the Spanish government, the
reasons for agreeing to pay Spain for the
improvements made in the Philippines and
the reasons for extending to Spain the bene-
fit of an open door policy in her former
possessions. There were various Interrupt
tions by other senators. who, however, con-
fined themselves to questions.
In reply to one ot.these questions relat-
ing to the Presidents Instructions Mr..
Frye said the commissioners were in
stant communiCat ton with the President,
and that the latter had cabled them
more than one occasion to their best
judgment on reaching conclusions and
recording results.
He said that the question of claims of
American citizens against Spain had occu-
pied much of the time and been the subject
of much anxious thought. on the part of
the commission. but that there was no
other practical solution of the problem in
view of the poverty of SPAIN and in fact
no other policy was cOmpatibl with the
reputation of the United States as a nation.
Whlch knew how to be generous as we'll as
just. He said there We're about S12 600 900
OF those claims. and possibly the amount
might reach S15,0oo.000. Spain had agreed
as an Offset to this concession on our part
to pay the claims of Spanish citizens
against the United States government. but
Mr. Frye admitted that the aggregate of
these counter claims was not large
The Concessions to Spain,
Senator Frye also said that the commits
sicners had felt that they were justified IN
drawing upon the generosity of this coun-
try in agro eing to pay $50 900, 800 to Spain
for the Improvements made by the Spanish
government. and il Conceding to them for
a tenn of years the same privileges as
claimed for the Urited States in the mat
ter or trade in the conquered country
Snrh concessions he said. were in the line
OF preceGcnts set nv the most civilized ma
tons. Great Rritan's policy had beer in
Inc hne of constant extension of the
open-donr policy: but whether or not the
UNITED states meant to adopt this noIicy
upon the whole he felt sure that history
would commend the course in the present
instance.
In agreeins to pay Spain a lump sum we
We're also following the best precelents as
WEI as consulting the most generous ma
tinnal Se.timents. Many n1oi ations werc
read to show that other nations had nt,r-
sued this course toward their yanOuishcd
r'NdlS. ana esn'ctaI stress laid u1,On
the course OF Germany in taking Alsace and
Lorraine rom Franco and paving for them
s'3s'tHh.'SA. when. a. was the case with the
ni'rd states and Spain in The matter of
tn" Philiuptnes. the doctrine that might
makes right could have been consulted to
The exclusion of all ideas Of fairness and
honor. and the territory taken simply as
the result OF conquest.
The Caroline Islands.
The effort Of the American commission
ers to secure control of the Caroline ISL
andS was also explained. Senator FRYE
stating that the Spanish commissioners had
absolutely refused to discuss the proposi-
non. Our offer Of a million dollars for the
islands had appeared to have no effect
whatever. They had even declined in :be
most positive manner to cede one of the
islands of this group as a cable station
referring 10 the present situation in the
philippines Senator Tillman asked Senator
r rye II he was willing to have our troops
tire upon the Filipjnos. to which Senator
Frye replied that the firing stage had rot
yet been reached there and he hoped that
t1e treaty would soon he ratified and This
stage thus probably averted for good In
cchcius1"n he referred to the great inn
proNement in a religious and spiritual Way
that would result from American occlIpa-
ton OF the islands. saying that no man who
would have the Gospel preached to all ma
tiors could view with ecuanin1ity the nroc-
peer of a restoration of the islands TO Spaiu
or tnelr partition among other nations To
reject IN, treaty meant the restoration of
the Statu quo: to give up Manila and all
the points taken after the signing of the
protocol, and to lose all the vast advan-
tageS acquired through the war in the far
east. '''i
The Payment to SPAIN
Senator Davis answered a question put
by Senator Mason. The question was
whether it was the purpose of the United
States to pay the so .Opp 900 indemnify he
fore the United States shall come into the
full possession and occupation of the coun-
try. ~ want TO know" the Illinois sena-
tor said. whether we are to pay the money
before the goods are delivered
Senator Davis referred Senator Mason to
the text or the treaty for his reply. He
SAID the Spaniards had shown their good
falth by preparing speedily as possible 10
eVacuate the ceded islands They had
ceased to defend them for themselves and
therefore Spain could not be held responsi-
PIE Tor any failure on our part to avail
ourselves of sovereignty. He understood
that the ratification of the treaty bound rs
20 the payment Of the indemnity regardless
of the attitude Of the natives of the Philip
pines.
Effect of the Tropics on Our Troops
Al J.o1 pm. the Senate resumed consid-
GRAFTON Of business in legislative session.
Mr. Mason offered a resolution prefaced by
statements that reports had been received
that of late years high as 30 per cent
of soldiers unaccustomed to the climate (of
the Philippines have died by reason of the
said climate as follows:
That the surgeon general of the army
be requested to furnish for the information
OF the Senate a statement as to the per-
centage of our soldiers who are sick and
have been sick. and the number of dea this
in our army by reason of the sickness
caused by the climate. and to set forth
when. according 10 the generally accepted
term, the sickly season begins in the said
islands; and. further. that he will give to
the Senate the benefit of his opinion as to
the number of deaths that will occur in
our army before the end of the next s!ckly
season, his opinion to be based upon his
experience and information within his pos
session.
Mr.. Aldrich objected to calling for the
opinion of the surgeon general
Mr.. Hawley objected 70 the resolution as
a whole, and 1t went over.
A bill amending the law relating to the
app1rtionment and election of representa-
tves in Congress 50 as to permit the use of
voting machines was passed
At 30 pm. the Senate adjourned until