Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-01-29
Generosity and Justice Of the
United States.
THE QUESTION OF CLAIMS
Concessions Made 10 spai" are im the
Limo orPreccdeuts set BY the Most
civilized ERtions- The rrrscnt Stt.
untion in the PhiIippimcs-Ihc
Purchase Money, Twenty 11iIiioms,
Now Due.
(By Telegraph to virslnian-rnot)

w GSnIIlSIOIl, ~. -, Jan. -o'--.'Stas W.
Frye continued his argument for The
ratification of the peace treaty with
Spain in to-day's executive session of
the Senate. He talked for an hour In',
n half and again made the only speech
of the days session.
The principal questions under consid-
Grafton to-day were those relating TO
the payment of claims against the
Spanish government. tho reasons for
agreeing to pay Spain for the improve
ments made in the Philippines nj the
reasons for extending to Spain the ben
eft of an open door policy in her former
possessions.
There were various interruptions by
other Senators, who however. confined
themselves to questions. In reply t.
one Of these questions relating TO the
Presidents Instructions Mr.. Frye said
the commissioners were III cons ant
communication with the Prcsid emit and
that the latter had cahled them OF
more than one occasion To use their
best Judgment on re- ching conclusions.
and recording results.
CLAIMS OF AMERICAN CITIZENS.
He said that the question of claims
OF American citizens against Spain mad
occupied much Of the time ana had
been the subject OF much anxious
thought on the part OF the commission,
but that there WAS no other practical
solution of the problem In view OF ihe
poverty of Spain. and in fact no other
policy was compatible with the reputa
stior of the United States as n nation
Z which knew how TO he generous as well
/. as Just. He said there we're about Sl2,-
FO0N000 of the Sc claims. and possibly The
amount might reach Sl5,0o00oO. SHain
had agreed as an Offset to this conces-
sion on our part to pay the Claims OF
Spanish citizens against the United
States Government. but Mr.. Frye ad-
mitted that the aggregate nf these
claims was not large
PAYMENT FOR PHILIPPINES.
Senator Frye also s. ii that the COM
missioners had felt tina, they We're JUS
titled in drawing upon the generosity OF
this country in agreeing 10 pay 500
COO 900 to Spain for the improvements
made by tho Spanish government and
in cOnccdng To them for II term oil
years the same privileges as claimed
for the United States in the M tier of
trade in the CONQUERED countr". Such
concessions, he said. were in the lilc of
the preecdcntS set by the most CIVILIZED
nations. Great Er!tains policy had been
in the line of q constant extension of
the open door policy, bur whether or
not the United states must adopt this
policy upon the whole. he felt sure
that history would commend the course
in the present instance.
FOLLOWING PRECEDENTS.
In agreeing to pay Spain a lump sum
we We're also following the best pre-
cedents. as we'll as consulting the most
generous -sen1lment---Aa MN
cues Ions were read to show that other
nations had pursued this course to-
ward TIER vanquished rivals. and espe-
cal stress was laid upon the course
OF Germany in taking Alsace and Lor
raine from France and paying for them
$500, 900 900 when, as was the case with
the United States and Spain in the
matter of the Philippines, the doc;rina
that might makes right could
have been consulted to the
exclusion OF all ideas of fair
ness and honor, and the territory taken
simply as the result of conquest.
THE CAROLINE ISLANDS.
The effort of the American commits
sioners to secure control of the Caroline
islands was also explained. Mr.. Frye
stating that the Spanish commission
ers had absolutely refused to discuss
the proposition. our offer of a million
dollars for the islands had appeared
to have no effect whatever. They had
even declined in the most positive man
ner to cede one OF the islands of this
group as cable station.
Eefer-lnE to the prcSen. situation in
the Philippines, Senator Tilman asked
Senator Frye If he was willing 10 have
our troops fire upon the FilipinoS. to
which Mr.. Frye replied that the firing
stage had not yet been reached there.
and he hoped that the treaty would
soon be ratified. and this stage thus
probabl. averted for good.
FORECAST OF IMPROVEMENTS.
In conclusion he referred to the great
Improvement in IL religious and spirit
ual way that would result from
American occupation of the islands.
saying that no man who would have
the gospel preached to all nations
could View with equanmty the pros
poet OF a restoration Of the islands TO
Spain or the res toration Of the status
quo, 10 give up Manila and all the
points taken after the signing of the
protocol. and to lose all the vast ad-
vantages acquired in the far East
through the war.
y QUESTION ANSWERED.
Senator Davis answered a question
put by Senator Mason. The question
was whether 1t was the purpose of the
United States to pay the $50, 900, 600 in
demnity until the United States should
come into the full possession and oc-
cupation of the country.
Il want to know" the Illinois Sem
ator said. whether we are to pay the
money before the goods are delivered"
Mr.. Davis referred Mr.. Mason to the
text of the treaty for his reply. He
said the Spaniards had shown their