Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-21

M Measy IT Spsis.
The treaty with Spain. US ratified by
the United States Senate, carries with
It the payment Of s2O.0oO.oOO for the
Philippine islands. Provision for this
payment must be made by Congress.
and there Is no reason to believe that
there will be any unnecessary delay
about VT The action Of the House.
striking this sum from the sUndry civil
bill, though 1t cannot be commended,
| must not be taken as an indication
that the House will oppose the final
payment. or that there will be long.
hard fight over the appropriation. The
point that was made by Congressman
Wheeler of Kentucky, and declared by
the speaker to be we'll taken. was that
the appropriation should not be made
until the ratification of the treaty il
complete-until the Spanish Cortes has
acted favorably upon 1T.
The Spanish Cortes met, yesterday,
in response to the royal summons. 1t
is not likely that the struggle which
took place in the United States Senate
over the treaty will be repeated in that
body. The work done by Spain's peace
commissioners was the best that could
be done, and the prompt ratification Of
the treaty will be recommended by
them. The document has at least the
tacit approval of 3remier sagasta, who
fully realizes thafany further struggle
on the part of Spain would be both
useless and hopeless. In fact. Spain is
left without any alternative. She can
not renew the war. She cannot hope
| for any reopening of the peace negotia-
lions. She must ratIfy the treaty. and
there is no doubt her action will be
taken with far less delay than was the
| case in the United States Senate.
.Thetreaty is compact, and both ma
tons bind themselves to carry out its
provisions. The United States cannot
recede from the terms, even If it wished
to do so. One Of the terms includes the
500, 900, 900 payment. and the money 20
cover this agreement should be ready.
so that this country cannot be accused
of putting any obstacles in the way of
the final settlement OF the case A
partisan or fractional fight over this
sum in either house of Congress would
not rebound to the credit of this nation.
In speech made the other evening
in Chicago. Secretary of the Treasury
Gage. who has certainly a right to
speak on financial matters, took pains
TO correct the mistaken idea that, as
long as this government maintained
control of the Philippines. it would be
under heavy expense. This. the secre-
| tary pointed out, was all moonshine, as
the revenues of the islands, which
would be under control of this govern
ment, would at all times be more than
sufficient to cover all possible outlay.
The strife now going on there. as Mr..
Gage declared. is the result of manipu-
lation on the part of those who have
personal interests to subserve. This
will soon be over. the natives will soon
see in which direction their best in
terests lie, and will be ready to ac-
quiesce in all that the Americans pro-
pose to do. The money to be paid to
Spain for the Philippines is a large
sum. but the possession is rich one,
and every country of Europe would be
glad to get the bargain at that price.
Whatever this country may decide to
do with the islands, however the many
sided problem may be finally solved,
rest assured that the land of the Fill
pinos is not going to prove heavy and
constant drain on Uncle Sans pocket
book.
The sudden death of the President of
France brings to mind the extraor-