The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-03
OFFICIAL Correspondence
On the Treaty of Peace
Negotiations.
The GROWING DEMANDS

At First They Only Demanded Ces.
sion of the Island of Luzon-Aners
ward Enlarged to Embrace the En-.
tire Philfppines-The Presidents Un-
willing Consent to Thfs-Commis.
siOner Gray Protests. But Yields.
Washington, January 30.-The presi-
lent today sent to the senate the cor
respondence on file in the state depart
ment bearing upon the peace treaty
and it was read in today's executive
session. The correspondence was sent
in response to the resolution introduc-
Of the letters and ~cablegrams from the
commissioners to the president and
from the president to the commission
ers in the way of Instructions in re-
turn. The documents are numerous, as
there were kilograms, letters and re-
ports for almost every day the commits
sioners were in Paris.
One of the first cablegrams from the
president instructed them TO demand
the cession of Luzon island only of the
Philippines and he told them that full
sovereignty should come with it.. The
reading of the correspondence received
the closest attention from senator's.
In submitting the papers the prasi-
den sent a brief message, saying that
he transmitted them in accordance
with the resolution. The reading con-
sumed the entire executive session,
lasting from 2 to $40 o'clock, except a
few minutes 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 be-
tween Secretary Hay as the presidents
representative on the one hand, and
Commissioner Day as the representa-
tive of the American commissioners on
the other.
The principal interest among the
senators attached to the presidents
instructions to insist upon the cession
of the island of Luzon, n after that
in the decision to lake the entire group
Of islands. This latter development ap-
peared from the correspondence to be
a growth, n the suggestion, as made
by the commissioner to the president
as the result of occurrences at Paris
after the arrival there of the commits
sioners. In his dispatch concerning Luz
LOIl, ne Sdiu tIlcIe was DuI one dlIST-
native: The United States must either
TAX the island n assume sovereign
ty 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 taxi Luzon and have
the other ~iCl9n6S-in the 4rchino1o on in
the hands Of the Spaniards would be to
invite innumerable complications with
other nations n especially with Eu-
rope and with Spain. Much stress was
laid upon he probability Of future
trouble with Spain. With Luzon under
American administration, there would
be soon such a vast improvement, they
wrote, that the other islands would
soon grow more and more rebellious,
and with SPANS oppressive methods
OF government, we would soon again
find that we had another Cuba at our
door. Furthermore, there would be
constant flibustering and we would
find ourselves spending millions to pre-
serve a state of neutrality just as we
did in the case of Cuba prior to our
declaration of war on account of tina
island. General Merritt's testimony on
his point was cited and vas made the
reason for much of the argument in
favor of taking the entire group.
The president does not appear to
have at any time given explicit in
structions to consummate the bargain
by taking all the Philippines, but rath-
er, after hearing a full explanation, to
have left the matter to the discretion
of the commissioners.
The entire controversy was practical
ly over the Philippines and the ques-
ton of assuming responsibility for the
payment Of the Spanish bonds for
which Cuban revenues We're pledged.
The Spaniards from the first insisted
upon an indemnity for the Philippines,
and the correspondence shows that af-
ter the proposition to pay $40, 900, 900
was made, the negotiations proceeded
much more smoothly and were soon
brought to a close.
The American commissioners seem
to have been Of one mind as to the
wisdom of taking over all the Philip
pines, With the exception of Senator
Gray, who, notwithstanding 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 unpa-
triotic, un-American and Inconsistent
with probity and good craftsmanship.
After a brief debate the senate re-
fused to print the correspondence.