The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-31
THE TREATY.
Correspondence Concerning
1t Goes To Senate.

Washington, Jan. 30.-In presenting
the treaty correspondence to the Sen
ate, today, President Mckinley sent a
brief message, saying that he trans
mitted them in accordance with the
resolution. The reading consumed the
entire executive session, lasting from
to $50 o'clock, except few min
utes at the close
Much of the matter covered the same
ground as that already published, but
it was presented in the form in which
the proceedings Were outlined from day
to day in the cable correspondence.
The principal interest among the
senators attached to the presidents in
structions to insist upon the cession
Of the island of Luzon, and after that
the decision to take the entire group
of Islands. This latter development
appeared from the correspondence to
be a growth, and the suggestion was
made by the commissioners to the
president as the result of occurrences
at Paris after the arrival there of the
commissioners. In his dispatch con-
corning Luzon he said there was but
one alternative. The United States
must either take the island and assume
sovereignty or return it to Spain, and
of the two courses he preferred the
former.
Spain was from the first unwilling
to cede any of the Philippines, and she
made especial objection to letting go
of Luzon alone. The commissioners,
with the exception of Senator Gray,
urged that to take Luzon and leave the
other islands of the archipelago in the
hands of the Spaniards would be to in
Vite innumerable complications with
other nations, and especially with Eu-
rope and with Spain.
Much stress was laid upon the prob
ability of future trouble with Spain
With LuZon under American admins
tration, there would soon be such a
vast improvement, they wrote, that the
other islanders would soon grow more
and more rebellious, and with Spain S
oppressive methods of government, we
would soon again find that we had an
other Cuba at another door. Further
more, there would be constant filibus-
tering, 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 wal
on account of that island.
Gen. Merritts testimony on this point
was cited and was made the reason
for much of the argument in favor OF
taking the entire group.
The president doesn't appear to have
at any time given explicit instruction
to consummate the bargain by taking
all the Philippines, but rather, after
hearing a full explanation, to have left
the matter to the discretion of the com.
missioners. The Spaniards from tht
first insisted upon an indemnity for thu
Philippines, and the correspondence
shows that after the proposition to pay
$40, 100000 was made. the negotiation
proceeded much more smoothly, anC
We're soon brought to close
The American commission appear tx
have been Of one mind as t.
the wisdom of taking over all the Phil
ipDines, with the exception of Senator
Gray, who, notwithstanding he signed
the treaty, held out to the last agains
the policy Of acquiring these islands. Ii
one notable dispatch, he pleaded zeal
ously against the policy as unpatriotic
un-American and inconsistent will
probity and good craftsmanship.
After a brief debate, the Senate re.
fused to print the correspondence.