The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1899-02-09
THE TREATY OF PEACE.
It Is Ratified by the Senate by a
Bare Majority.
uAD ONLY ONE VOTE TO SPARE.
Senator's McLaurin. McEnery and
Jones Came to the Aid of the Ad-
ministration When the Document
Reached the Voting Stage.


Reached the Voting Stage.
Washington, Feb. THE treaty OF
peace negotiated between the commits
sloncrs OF the United States and Spain
at Paris was yesterday ratified by the
United States senate, the vote being b.
ayes to 81 nays. or one vote more than
the two-thirds majority necessary to
secure senatorial concurrence In n
treaty document Tle vote was taken
in executive session, and until the IN
junction of secrecy was raised the re-
suit was supposed to be private. but
the vice president had no more than
announced the figures before senator's
rushed out OF every door leading from
the senate chamber, declaring that the
treaty had been ratified,
No vote has been taken in the sem
ate since that on the repeal OF the pur-
chasing clause Of the Sherman law that
has been followed with as close atten-
ton as the vote of yesterday. The anx-
iety was due not alone to the magni-
tude OF the question at issue. but to the
uncertainty which attended the matter
up to the last moment. Only the select
few knew how Senators McEnery Of
Louisiana and Jones Of Nevada would
vote half an hour before their votes
were cast. and not even these knew
when the bell rang for the executive
session
In advance of the voting speeches
were made by Senators Ross, Money
and Fairbanks. Senator Stewart. who
had Just arrived from his successfui
campaign in Nevada for reelection.
announced informally during this pc
Rod OF the session that during hisentire
trip across the continent he had not
encountered one man who was opposed
to the ratification of the treaty.
Promptly at 3 o'clock the vice presi-
dent interrupted Senator Money, who
was then speaking, to announce that
the hour had arrived for a vote. But
one amendment was offered. that pre-
pared by Senator Vest placing the
Philippines on the same footing as
Cuba in the treaty. In the temporary
absence OF Mr.. Vest 1t was presented
| by Mr.. German and promptly defeated
The vote was announced and pages
were sent scurrying through the cor
ridors to announce to the few senators
who were not in their seats that tn,
eliminating event had arrived. The
| call proceeded quietly until the name o.
Senator McLaurin was announced. Ill
| created the first stir by speech II
explanation OF his vote for the treaty
This was the initial break In the ranks
Of the opposition. Mr.. McLaurin mad
n brief statement in explanation OF hi
change of position, giving the opel
hostilities in Manila as the reason TO
| It. 81 am, as have been from tn
first" he said. "lrrevocably opposed t
| the expansion of our territory ant
should have voted against ratification
but for the news that has come to u
over the cable in the past two days"
The announcement brought some o
the opposition to his side with remon
strances. but he replied to them tha
he could no longer see his way clear t
cast his vote against the treaty.
Continuing his remarks to the sen
ate, Mr.. McI.aurn said he was not will
ing to embarras this government at s
! critical n time. II after the ratitiCatio
the administration should fail to pur
cue the proper course towards the isl
ands the fault would be that OF tn
| government, and not his.
He had hardly concluded when Sen
ator McEnery approached him with
word of congratulation, saying that h
had decided upon the same course.
Mr.. Jones. of Nevada, did not vot
in the first roll call. but came in fror
the cloak room before the vote was an
nounced. and by unanimous consen
made a brief and feeling speech. II
said that he was against Expansion
and IL he thought the ratification of tn
treaty meant expansion he would no
vote for 1t. The events in Manila dur
ing the past two or three days, In hi
judgment. were likely to do more I
discourage expansion than anythin
that had happened.
After the ratification of the treat
the senate in open session took up
Joint resolution offered by Mr.. McEn
cry, Of Louisiana. declaring a polio.
for the Philippines. and an effort wa
made to adopt 1t, but the debate oc
cupied so much time that the resolutio,
| went over.
During the debate Mr.. Hoar move,
an amendment to the McEnery resolu
tion that whatever government is es
tablished in the Philippines shall b
with the consent of the governed. TIL
amendment was defeated.
| TUT rcN,Irc Dill nAccCn