The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-07

Mr.. Clay (Ga), followed Mr.. Allen. ex-
planning his views regarding the present
situation. He said that while he would
always vote against the permanent re-
tcntion of the Philippines, he felt ii his
duty to his State. his constituents and
himself to support the treaty. To be
faithful to his judgment and his con-
science. he felt bound to vote for ratifi-
cation.
AS soon as Mr.. Clay had concluded
his brief remarks, Mr. German Md,
rose to close the debate in open session.
1t was expected that he would make
some notable utterances, and neither
the Senators nor the people in the
thronged galleries were disappointed.
"AIy attitude on this treaty has been
known for many MONTHS he said II
was known and freely expressed to one
of the peace commissioners before he
went to Paris. Since the completion of
the negotiations which resulted in the
signing of the treaty / have had no
reason to change my opinions hereto
fore formed.
'In all of my public life Presidents
and their Cabinets have had no terrors
for me. have opposed them even when
IHev were on my own purity, Nueu De-
lieved they were wrong.
Mr. German said that ne had been OPP
posed to the ratification of the treaty
and the annexation of the Philippine
Islands. because those islands contained
a population and Il people who could not
be assmiated into our own popula-
ton without degrading the American
people. He believed that the adoption
of the scheme of treaty ratification
would be more disastrous to this coun-
try than anything which has happened
from the foundation of the Government
to the present hour.
Mr.. German thanked Senator Allen
for the kind words he had said of him,
and then quoted Il statement from Sena-
tor Wolcott's speech of last week, con-
corning the next presidential election.
which he said made certain reference to
him.
''Well. now" he continued, Il suppose
that fair judgment, a charitable judg-
ment, would enable me to say that the
Senator from Colorado. of all the Sena-
tors on this floor, would be the only one
capable of making such an utterance
while we were considering such a great
question"
At this point Mr.. German was inter-
rupted by a man in the gallery, who
cried out several times in a constantly
increasing erescendo:
What do you mean! What do You
meant What do you mean"
Confusion reigned on both sides of
the Senate and in the galleries for a
moment, but this was dissipated by
laughter, when it was realized that the
poor fellow who caused the interruption
was not responsible for his utterances.
Resuming his speech, Mr.. German
said:
Aspirations of public men amount to
but little. mat the political desire for
preferment of any man would control
his vote upon this treaty is inconceiv-
able to me, and he who entertains such
an idea is on very low plane in the
consideration of a measure so grave.
Il believe in parties. / believe in my
party, because / believe that the inter
ests of the people will be best served in
the end by its promotion to power and
its control of governmental affairs.
Il have known gentlemen who float
between parties, who have been strong
advocates Of public questions, and yet
support party antagonistic to it.
have seen statesmen who were wild with
the thought of the free coinage of silver
and yet who, on every occasion found
strength and resting place in the Re
publican party, and that believes in a sim
gle standard of another metal
But / want to disabuse the Senator s
mind of the false impression that he
seems to have, and those who have fol-
lowed him.
ION the third of March next, if
shall be spared so long, | will have serv-
ed on this flour eighteen years. Dur
ing that whole term ] do not believe
that / have ever uttered a word that
wounded the feelings of a brother Sena.
tor. | do not believe | could have been
capable at any time of conduct to affect
public questions by criticism of the per-
sonal conduct or views of any Senator.
"One thing more: now is the best and
the only opportunity probably | shall
ever have for stating it so that no man
may misunderstood me. | have never
had but one aspiration, and that meas
IRE has been filled by the people with
whom / have been born and reared by
giving me three terms in this body.
of my ambition, and / leave the field by
their decree to another who differs from
me i'll political sentiment. 1t is not in
the mouth of any man truthfully to say
that / have sought to obtain any other
or higher favors by any act Of mine.
Had / desired alone political promo
ton, had / desired to advance myself
at the peril of the interests of the coun-
try, | might have done so by bending
the pregnant hinges of the knee ihat
thrift might follow fawning. But / did
not so. and now away beyond any per-
sonal desire stands the great question
which we are facing--the disposition Of
the treaty"
Mr.. German then referred to the new :
which hat been flashed over the cable
from Manila during the past few hours
and demanded to know WHO believed, if
we had made such declaration regard
ing the Philippines as we made con-
corning Cuba, that the deplorable fight
at Manila would have occurred. He
expressed the opinion that if the treaty
was ratified it would be the beginning
of a war which would cost us thou
sands of lives and millions upon millions
of treasure.
In conclusion Mr.. German paid beau