The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-06


absentees, and it would be very convenient
to arrange for pairs, as two senators in the
affirmative will necessarily be paired
against one in the negative. On this basis
the total vote of the Senate would be
eighty-four and ffty-six would be neces-
sary to ratify.
The friends of the treaty are counting
very confidently on securing these votes.
When the Senate adjourned Saturday they
lacked only two votes of having the neces-
sary number, and the general opinion among
the advocates of the treaty is that the hos
tilities in Manila will have the effect of
bringing a sufficient number to their stand
ard to insure a favorable result. They say
there are half dozen senators who are not
so completely committed against the treaty
as to prevent their coming to the affirmative
side. The opponents of the treaty do not
concede their defeat, but some of them pri-
Vately confess uneasiness over the result as
the effect of the Manila engagement. Every
ballot as it is cast will be scrutiniZed with
the utmost interest, and a very close tab
VIII be kept by many senator's on the
progress of the vote. If it should become
apparent that the treaty is to be defeated.
some friend of it will cast his vote in the
negative for the purpose of moving recon-
sideration and this motion for reconsidera-
ton will be made Immediately after the
negative result is known. Whether, how
ever, the treaty should be postponed for an
extra session will depend upon subsequent
developments.
The proceedings in connection with the
vote will be entirely in executive session,
but If the unanimous agreement be OBJ
served the first two hours of the days ses-
sion will be open to the public. 1t is pos
sible, however, that there may be a motion
to close the doors Immediately after con-
yening, because of the feeling that the stu
alton is too grave to permit of open discus
sion. The only other important questions
that are likely to come up after the ratifi-
cation of the treaty are the appropriation
bills. Several of these are ready for con-
sideratiOn and of these the Indian bill will
be the first to be taken up. If other i'm
portant measures are brought under con-
sideration it will be only for the purpose of
furnishing a subject of debate and not of
passing them
LODGE AND GORMAN.
Senator Lodge of Massachusetts, a mem
ber Of the committee on foreign relations
said: "On the proposition presented l am
in favor of standing by Dewey and Otis as
against Aguinaldo. Our status in the Phil
ippines is that, under the protocol, we are
in possession of the city bay and harbor
of Manila. We are acting under a truce
with Spain. Those people who have at
tackled the United States forces are, in the
eye of international law, still subjects of
Spain and would be until the treaty is rati-
fled. They have violated the truce and are
our public enemies and should be treated as
such. 1t was known a week ago that Agon-
clio, the representative of Aguinaldo in
Washington, was ready to pack up and go
away, giving up everything. The action of
those who have opposed the treaty and the
assurances he has received from some one
resulted in his remaining, and the encour-
agement which the Filipinos have received
from the United States has no doubt led to
the attack on the American forces"
Senator German, of Maryland, who is the
leader and organizer of the opposition to
the treaty in the Senate, said as to the ef-
feet the conflict at Manila would have up
on the treaty: 1T will have no effect what
ever. What has occurred is the result of
what has been predicted by the opponents
of the treaty all the time. The opponents
of the treaty said that trouble would come
if we handled those people without gloves
without their consent. This battle can have
no effect on the opponents of the treaty in
any way"
Senator Pettigrew said: 'We could have
had no possible difficulty with the people
of the Philippines if we had given to them
the honest assurance that we did not pro-
pose to overthrow their newly established
liberties. Instead, we made treaty with
f,1,
us, and we began at once to occupy it with
troops and send reinforcements, which was
sufficient cause to arouse alarm The dis
patch of several thousand more regulars
lately, of course, created apprehension on
the part of the people of the Filipino re-
public. We should do now what we should
have done in the first place, state to the
people Of those islands our good intentions
and say to them: Establish your republic,
and we will not allow other nations to in
terfere. Give us your bonds to reimburse us
for our expense i'll securing you your lib
erty; we welcome you to the family of the
republics of the world. The course of the
administration. on the contrary. has been
one of criminal aggression and apparent
bad faith. There can be no question in the
minds of any one who has read the instruc-
tions to the peace commissioners that the
Presidents purpose always was to make a
permanent claim to the island of Luzon.
To turn on ally in this way is certainly
the greatest international crime of the CEN
tury. l believe the treaty should be amend
ed at once so as to give assurance to those
people of our good faith, and thus make
them our friends. even under these trying
circumstances. We should even now with
draw our military forces and allow them to
establish a military government of their
own
WILL NOT DELAY ACTION.
Senator Pettgrew further said that in his
opinion the fighting would not delay "A vote
on the treaty. The opponents of the treaty
he said had counted thirty-three votes as
opposed to ratification, but had lost one of
these and he could not say whether the
latest news would cause any other changes
Senator El1ns. who has been very active
in favor of the treaty, expressed the opinion
tonight that enough votes would be found
to ratfy it. This morning. he said he did
not see where they were to come from, but
he has had information since. indicating
that one or two wavering senators would
fiLd in the conflict which has occurred at
Manila an excuse to vote for the treaty.
Senator Elkins said that the position of
Aguinaldo was perhaps logical with the
treaty unratified, as Spain had got out
and the United States did not take possess
sion. so Aguinaldo says: II am here and