The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-01-26
SETTLED.
Vote on Peace Treaty
February Sixth.
PRESIDENTS VIEW.
He Has Urged as Early
Action as Possible.

Washington, Jan 25.-The Senate held
two executive sessions today, and at
each, the peace treaty was the subject
under discussion.
AT the first an agreement was reached
to vote on the treaty next Monday
week, and at the second, Senator Davis
presented the American commissioners
reasons for the acceptance of the treaty
in the form in which it was finally con-
cluded.
Inc agreement for vote was reached
in an executive session held soon after
converting at noon, this agreement
being in the following language: "That
the Senate agrees to vote on the treaty
with Spain, and all amendments on
Monday the 9th of February at 8
O'Clock p. m, and that until that time
the Senate shall go into executive ses-
sion on each day at p. M
This was unanimous agreement,
the terms of which were formulated by
Senator Davis, in reply to yesterdays
proposition by the opposition, and as a
result of today's meeting Of the SEN
ate committee on foreign relations. The
agreement In the committee to accept
the proposition was unanimous. and if
is understood that Senator Davis in
formed his fellow committeeman that
1t was the wish of the president that
the proposition for a vote should he
accepted and the result made known
as soon as possible
Those who are familiar with the
views Of the president say that he has
urged an early vote upon the ground
that nothing is to be lost and every
thlng is to be gained by taking the
vote. The final action, he is confident.
VIII be favorable when reached
Inc entire time of the second execu-
i've session was consumed by Senator
DAVIS In making a presentation Of the
history of the Paris conference. This
presentation consisted largely in the
recital OF the various propositions made
on each side of the. controversy al
Paris, and while the speech was thus
rendered somewhat formal, it received
tne closest and most careful attention
A map of the Philippines on a large
scale adorned the rear wall of the
senate chamber, and while it was often
consulted by senators, Mr.. Davis made
put one reference to it as such.
speaking outside of the published
ONAAeSSOA
spanish commissioners in high terms
as men of exceptional shrewdness and
aplllty, saying that the Americans had
round them armed at all points, jealous
or SPANS honor and interest and pre-
pared at all times to defend her cause
as long as there was anything to de-
fend. He said the Americans of the
commission had been in constant COM
munication with the president while
negotiating the L
was made acquainted with all the COM
missions movements, and while he adj
mitted that there had been apparently
some division of opinion among pub
licists in the United States as to the
policy of including the Philippines in
the agreement, there had been prac-
tically no other honorable way out Of
the difficulty.
AS for himself, Mr. Davis was willing
from the start to extend our borders SO
as to include these islands, because he
believed their acquisition a most inn
portant stride in the advancement of
the American nation commercially. He
with others was looking forward to the
prospective partition of the vast Chin
csc empire among the European ma
lions, and he foresaw that If the I'm
tied States did not secure a footing in
the Orient such as they now have an
opportunity to secure through the
terms of the treaty they would be
most effeotually and forever shut out
from this vast market.
On this account there was every rea-
son in the world why the treaty should
be ratified, and he contended that few
men, who would study the worldwide
questions presented as the commission
ers had been compelled to study them,
could doubt the expediency of the
move.
He also touched upon the legal ques-
lions involved, contending that there
were many presidents for the acquisi-
ton, that we as nation had the right
to acquire territory, and that there
were no constitutional barriers.
The European powers were profound
ly jealous of the United States and the
senator declared that it was fact that
we had not had one friend on the conti-
nent in our recent struggle with Spain
or in our efforts to secure a peace IA
vorable to this country. He intimated
that but for Great Britains attitude
there would have been intervention by
the continental powers.
In reply to a question from Senator
Hoar. Mr.. Davis said there had been
no effort to put the Filipinos on the
same footing with the Cubans in for
mulating the treaty, He said the two
countries were very differently situated
and instanced the demonstration in
Manila harbor as an example of what
might occur in a land 50 distant.
! Mr.. Davis urged the Importance of
| favorable action upon the treaty at
the present session of congress. A
failure to ratify meant, he argued
continued uncertainty, renewed en-
couragement to the insurgent Filipinos,
possible conflict with them and a pro-
longaton of the state Of war, with
much Of its horrors.