The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-31
PRESIDENTS MIND CHANGED.
AT FIRST WANTED ONLY LUZON IN
THE PHILIPPINES.

Papers Sent to the Senate Disclose
That Such Was the First Plan
COnsidered-Later 1t Was Decided
to Take the Whole GrOup-Ques-
tiOn Raised as 20 the Reason for
the Change-The Correspondence
Causes Discussion.
Washington. Jan. SO.-The President to-
day sent to the Senate the correspondence
on file in the state department bearing up
on the peace treaty and it was read in to-
days executive session.
The correspondence was sent in response
to the resolution introduced by Senator
Hoar, and includes most Of the letters and
cablegrams from the commissioners TO the
President and from the President to the
commissioners in the way of instructions,
in return. The documents are numerous
as there were kilograms, letters and re-
ports for almost every day the comis-
sioners were in Paris
One of the first cablegrams from the
President instructed them to demand the
cession of Luzon Island alone of the Phil
ippines, and he told them that full SOW
ing of the correspondence received the
closest attention from the senators.
Sent in with a Message.
In submitting the papers the President
sent a brief message saying that he trans
mtted them i'm accordance with the reso-
luton. The reading consumed the entire
executive session, lasting from 2 to $50
clock, except few minutes at the close.
Much of the matter covered the same
grounds as that already published. but it
was presented in the form In which the
proceedings were outlined from day TO
day in the cabinet correspondence between
Secretary Day as the Presidents repre-
sentative on the one hand, and Commits
sioner Day as the representative of the
American commissioners on the other
The principal interest among Senators
attached to the Presidents instructions to
insist upon the cession of the Island of
Luzon, and after that decision to take the
entire group of islands. This eater devel-
opment appeared from the correspondence
to be a growth, and the suggestion was
made by the commissioners to the Presi-
dent as to the result of occurrences at
Paris after their arrival there. In his dis
patch concerning Luzon he said there was
but one alternative; the United States must
either take the island and assume sover-
eighty or return it to Spain, and of the
Spain Entered Objection.
Spain was from the first unwilling to cede
any of the Philippines and she made es,
pecial objection to letting go of Luzon
alone. The commissioners, with the ex-
Ception of Senator Gray, urged that to
take Luzon and have the other islands in
the archipelago in the hands of the Span
iards, would be to invite innumerable COM
plants with other nations and especially
with Europe and with Spain.
Much stress was laid upon the proba bill
hy of future trouble with Spain. With
Luzon under American administration
there would be soon such a vast improve
ment, they wrote, that the other islands
would soon grow more and more rebel
lious, and with Spain's oppressive methods
of government, we would soon again find
that we had another Cuba at our door.
Furthermore. there would be constant fl
clustering and we should find ourselves
spending millions to preserve a state OF
neutrality, just as we did in the case of
Cuba prior to our declaration of war on
account of that island. Gen. Merritts tes-
tmony on this point was cited, and was
made the reason for much of the argu-
ment in favor of taking the entire group.
Left to the commissioners.
The President does not appear to have
at any time given explicit instructions TO
consummate the bargain by taking ali the
Philippines, but rather, after hearing a
fun explanation, to have left the matter
to the discretion of the commissioners. The
entire controversy was practically over
the Philippines, and the question of as
suming responsibility for the payment of
the Spanish bonds for which the Cuban
revenues were pledged. The Spaniards.
from the first, insisted upon an indemnity
for the Philippines, and the correspond.
ence shows that after the proposition 10
pay $20000,000 was made, the negotiations
proceeded much more smoothly and were
soon brought to a close
The American commissioners appear 10
have been of one mind as to the wisdom of
taking over all the Philippines with the
exception of Senator Gray, who notwith-
standing he signed the treaty, held out to
the last against the policy of acquiring
these islands. In one notable dispatch he
pleaded zealously against the policy as un-
patriotic, un-American and inconsistent
with probity and good statesmanship.
After brief debate the Senate refused
to print the correspondence.