The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-26
The Treaty Situation.

The Treaty Situation.
That was very neat move on the
Part of Senator German and the anti
imperialist Democrats and Republicans
of the upper house of congress on
Tuesday. when they urged an immedi-
ate vote on the adoption of the peace
treaty. 1t ought to have the effect of
silencing the imperialists who have
grown abusive Of what they style the
"aunties,' meaning presumably those
who do not favor the adoption of the
treaty as it stands with the article
looking to the cession by Spain of the
Philippines to the United States. These
journals will now have to transfer the
title of ''aunties' to those who are I'M
willing to proceed with the vote. The
reason for hesitation in the matter of
voting is apparent. The imperialists do
not possess the necessary two-thirds.
and the deficit can only be made good
by the opportunities afforded by delay.
The administration party is desperate,
ard the moment for intrigue has ar
rived Defeat of the measure means
an extra session of the senate, and
TINS, Tor many reasons, the executive
does not want. 1t is evident that the
opponents to the treaty in the presi-
dents party are men whose convic-
tons cannot be altered by gifts of pat
ronage. so no loophole is afforded there.
Under pressure, however, and re-
sronsive to the demand of the oppos
ing senators that an immediate vote
be taken. the committee on foreign re-
haS 1u 1,D+
taken Feb. 6.
Meanwhile, Senator Hoar makes this
declaration in an interview:
Not since the treaty CT peace was signed
on the 10th Of December Last have 1 felt
so sanguine that the convention will be either
defeated altogether or amended so as to meet
the contention of those who are opposed TO
the administration ideas on expansion and
fmgeTia,ism
These are significant words when
their source is considered Mr.. Hoar's
idea of amendment consists of an alter
stion of the language of the third arti-
Gle of The treaty SO that the instrument
shall provide only for the relinquish-
ment by Spain of authority over the
Philippines, instead of an absolute
cession of the archipelago to the Unit
ed States. This will place them in the
same relation to this country as that
held by Cuba, leaving the people to
form their own government: and in the
meantime the United States will ex-
send to them its good Offices, just as it
is undertaking to do in behalf of the
Queen of the Antilles.
This is a common sense as welF as
a humanitarian view. It is apparent
that The islands will not be relegated
to domination by Spain; in fact. hav-
Ing gone so far in connection with the
Philippines in the way of interference
between the insurgents and the au-
thurity of the Spanish crown, as we
have advanced in connection with
Cuba. unnecessary as it really was in
the case of the Philippines, the plan
suggested appears to be more feasible
than any thus far proposed Indeed.
It would seem to be the only plan by
pursuing which the United States can
hope to retire from the entanglements
with any reserved honor. This view
was most forcibly expressed by Bishop
Potter, of New York, in his letter adj
dressed to the manager of the great
anti-eXpansion mass meeting held last
Sunday evening at the Academy of
feel that the policy of imperialism or OK
p2nsion, IN any such sense as proposed of
present. threatens equally the moral integrity
Of the nation and the conditions on which
Its prosperity has hitherto rested
That we should be brought into immense
complications, that we should be used as
TOOL by other nations that should burden
ourselves with a colossal dslht and sacrifice
our sons for naught-all these are secondary
considerations compared with the fact that
we are hlnging to the winds the high pur-
pose with which we ostentatiously pretended
that we were going to war and entering upon
a career which is dictated BY foolish and
conceited ambition.
The United States has claimed to be the
friend Of liberty, CT which it now proposes
to deprive those in distant islands who are
struggling for freedom Whether we think
they are competent to be clothed with such
privileges is under the circumstances a
sheer impertinence. Nations get upon their
feet by being left to fight their own way IN
freedom and organized government and the
pretenEe that we are assisting them to such
ends. when the whole inspiration of the pres
snt moment is greed of gain and passion for
bigness, is equally grotesque and hypocritic-
And that Sunday night New York
meeting. by the way, has had its in
huence, and it will have still moro
upon those whose votes must deter
mine the question. It was an impres-
sive gathering, and the participants
were some of the best known business
and professional men in the metropolis
while the representative of labor
President Gompers, of the national fed
grafton, sat side by side on the stage
with Abram S. Hewitt. Frederick r.
Coudert Wheeler H. Peckham, John E.
Parsons. Roger 4. Pryor and many
others Of national reputation, Demo-
Gratis and Republicans alike. Perhaps
the most striking speech Of the evening
was tnat of w Bourze Cochran, who
had just arrived from Europe with the
aVoWT1 Dufposc u taking part in the
hEbt asainSt the Imperialism policy.