The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-01-29
PLEADED FOR TREATY
SENATOR FRYE CONTINUES HIS
ARGUMENT FOR RATIFICA-
TION OF PEACE
EXPLAINS THE s2o,ooo,ooo

Ing AIsace and Lorraine From the
French - spnniards Refused to
Consider Any Proposition Bear
Davis Answers Questions.
WASHINGTON, jan %. = Senator
Frye continued his argument for the
ratification of the peace treaty with
Spain in today's executive session of
the senate. He talked for an hour and
half, and again made the only speech
of the days session. The principal
questions under consideration today
were those relating to the payment of
claims against the -Spanish government.
the reasons for agreeing to pay Spain
for the improvements made in the Phil
tpplnes, and the reasons for extending
to Spain the benefit of an open-door
policy in her former possessions There
were various Interruptions by other
senators who, however, confined them
selves to questions. In reply to one of
these questions relating to the presi-
dents instructions, Mr.. Frye said the
commissioners were in constant COM
munication with the president, and the
latter had cabled them on more than
one occasion to use their best judgment
in reaching conclusions and recording
results. He said that the question of
claims of American citizens against
Spain had occupied much of the time
and been the subject Of much anxious
thought on the part of the commits
sion, but that there was no other prac-
teal solution Of the problem in view
of the poverty of Spain, and, in fact,
no other policy was compatible with the
reputation of the United States as a
nation who knew how to be generous
as we'll as just. He said there were
about $12,000,006 of these claims, and
possibly the amount might reach $15,-
100000. Spain had agreed, as an offset
of the concession on our part, to pay
the claims of her citizens against the
United States government, but Mr.
Frye added that the aggregate of these
counter claims was not large.
AMERICAN GENEROSITY.
Senator Frye said that the commits
sioners had felt that they were justi-
fled in drawing upon the generosity Of
this country in agreeing to pay $780,
100000 to Spain for the improvements
made by the Spanish government and
In conceding to them for a term of
years the same privileges as claimed
for the United States in the matter of
trade In the conquered country. Such
of the precedents set by the most civ
tllZed nations. Great Britain's policy
had been in the line of a constant ex-
tension of the Open-door policy, but
whether or not the United States meant
to adopt this policy upon the whole he
felt sure that history would commend
the course in the present case In
agreeing to pay Spain a lump sum we
were also following the best prece-
tI,a
generous national sentiments. Quota
tons were made to show that MANY
nations had pursued this course to-
wards their vanquished enemies, and
especial stress was laid upon the course
OF Germany in taking Alsace and Ior-
rafne from France and paying for
them $500, 900 900, when. as was the casa
with the United States and Spain in
the matter of the Philippines. the doc
tr1ne that might makes right could
have been, consulted, to the exclusion
OF all ideas of fairness and honor. and
the territory taken simply as the re-
suit of conquest.
CAROLINES' OFFER REFUSED.
The effort Of the American commits
sieners to secure control of the Caro-
line islands was also explained, Mr..
Frye stating that the Spanish COM
discuss the proposition. Our offer of
Sl,00OO00 for the islands had appeared
to have had no effect whatever. They
had even declined in the most positive
manner to cede one of the islands of
this group as a cable station
referring to the present situation in
the Philippines, Senator Tillman asked
Senator Frye if he was willing to have
our troops fire upon the Filipinos, to
hi .t1 Nv n
stage had not yet been reached there
and he hoped that the treaty would
soon be ratified and this stage thus
probably averted for good
In conclusion, he referred to the
great improvement In religious and
spiritual 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 equanfmity the pros
pect of restoration of the Islands to
Spain or their partition among other
nations. To reject the treaty meant
the restoration of the status quo; to
give up Manila and all the points taxi
en- after the signing of the protocol
and to lose all the vast advantages
acquired through the war In the far
East.
Senator Davis answered the question
put by Senator Mason. The question
was whether it was the purpose of the
United States to pay the 10000, 900 in
demnity until the United States should
come into the full possession and oc-
cupation of the country?
II want to know" the Illinois sena-
tor said, whether we are to pay the
mcny 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
good faith by preparing. as speedily as
possible, to evacuate the ceded islands.
They had consented to defend for
themselves, and therefore Spain could
not be held responsible for any failure
on Our part to avail ourselves of SOW
ereignty. He understood that the rat
ffcation of the treaty bound us to the
payment of the indemnity regardless
of the attitude Of the natives of the
Philippines.
WILL BE PROMOTED.