The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-02-01
SENATOR GRAY AND TREATY.
Tells How lie Was Brousht To Favor
Taking Islands.

Washington, January 31-Senators Gray
and Money occupied the sntirs executive
session OF the Senate today In speeches on
the peace treaty. Senator Gray favorins
ratification and Senator Money opposing.
Senator Gray Was the third of the Paris
commissioners to speak, but while he
gave some attention to the published
matter bearing matter bearing ON the
treaty, be did not 20 into this In such
detail ~ did Senators Frye and Davis. he
admitted that In the beginning OF the
negotiations he had BEEN opposed to the
acq uIsition Of the Philippine archipelago
and said that he had freely and frankly
advised the President and his fellow
commissioners Of his belief that u would
DO unwise to attempt to shape Its dsst'ny.
lie had used his best sndsavors to bring
them to accept bis views, but had utterly
failed. de at last reached the conclusion
that he would either Lave to join with
the majority Ut see the treaty fall and the
war continue In the meantime, be had
been largely won over by the arguments
of his Colleagues and ny the logic Of the
situation and he had ut last concluded to
sign the convention.
Having taken bis position he was here
now to defend the treaty - wise con-
olusion Of . most delicate diplomatic I'M
dsrtaking. Many complications had be-
SGT the com missionsrs In their work. and
while he would not retraot what he had
heretofore said ss to the undesirability Of
acquiring distant territory, as . matter
OF principle, still there were times when
u nation as an individual might have to
choose between evils. There was danger
of many complications Of IN international
character In case the United States should
cS..xfs = mt mol
he reiterated that the ultimate conclusion
TO take the entire Philippine group was
that of the com missioners rather than of
the President and he also went into the
difficulties Of getting the Spanish COM
10 issioners to come to a conclusion.
Senator Gray did not advocate p,rms-
uent occupancy Of the eastern Islands, but
sovereignty there should be settled in the
future, and not at present In reply TO .
question by senator Mason he said that
he would not attempt to fix time-that
this only could DO done after We had an
opportunity to STUDY the situation. to
capacities. He had evidently confidence
in ths American people and no believed
that they would not only give the natives
their freedom when they had shown n
capacity for taking care Of themselves. a.
u nation OF the world, but that thty
would manage the affairs of the island
wisely and well. while they controlled
them They would give the islanders a
fair start In ciyiiiz- ton before turning
them loose to shift for themselves.
enator Monty attacked the acquisition
of the islands a. contrary to the spirit of
American Institutions and as unconstltu-
tioral We have made allies OF the
Filipiuos In the Sranish war by the acts
of our own agents and In the Interest OF
fair dealing should let them accom- pIsh
their independence II they could do SO.
Senator Teller IN brief rejoinder, con
troverted this position. saying that AN act
OF Congress would be necessary TO fix
their status toward the body politic.
senator Hoar endorsed Senator Moneys
position.