The times., 1899-02-05
GENERAL WASHlNdT0N
NEWS AND GOSSIP.

" ~ Th'D soN>'Ni
The Vote on the fenc4 Treaty
Interest in the vote on the ratification Of
the Peace Treaty tomorrow has, for the
time being, overshadowed everything else.
Embalmed beef. Alger Miles, IEagan, and
other interesting subiecti thai have en-
gagged the public attention for some time
past will be lost sight of until after the
vote on the Treaty is recorded. While the
consensus of opinion seems to- be that the
Treaty will be ratified tomorrow, there Is
still an element of uncertainty about the
matter. The fight made against the Treaty
has been most malignant and bitter. Its
opponents have had command of unlimited
money. and they have not hesitated to use
1t. Under the circumstances it is perhaps
surprising that they have not been able to
make more headway. One thing is regard
ed as particularly signifcant-the oppon-
ents of the Treaty have not made single
convert to their side since Congress met
in December. All of the changes that have
been reported in the Senate have been to
the side of the Treaty. When Congress
assembled in December it is estimated that
there were not over forty Senators who
stood ready to follow the President to the
full limit of his expansion policy. Prob
ably thirty Senators were prepared to
vote against our taking the Philippines.
Ever since that time, however, the ranks
of the anti-expansionists have been gradu
ally thinning out. They have been reduced
to less than thirty, and by 3 o'clock tomor-
row, when the Secretary of the Senate be-
gins to call the roll on the ratification of
the Treaty, 1t is believed that less than
twenty-five Senators will be recorded in
the negative. Among the recent converts
to the Treaty are said to be Roach of North
Dakota, McEnery of Louisiana, Harris and
Baker of Kansas, and Heitfeld of Idaho.
Senator Hale, it is said, will not vote
against ratification. He may not vote at
ALL but in any case it is stated that he will
not openly disregard the wishes of the peo-
pie of his State, expressed through their
Legislature. Mason and Wellington have
both intimated that they would not vote
against ratification. According to the best
information obtainable last night, there are
at least fifty eight ironelad Senators who
can be counted on to vote for the Treaty
beyond the shadow of a doubt, and ten or
twelve more who are inclined to go that
way 1t is probably safe to assume that
more than the necessary two-chirds will
be recorded in favor of the Treaty The
friends of the Administration feel very
much encouraged over the outlook. Tne
President has made no attempt to conceal
his anxiety to have the Treaty ratified at
this session 1t would be a public mis-
fortune. he declares, if the Treaty for any
reason should fail OF ratification at the
present session. Mr.. Mckinley has been
amazed at the stubbornness of the opposi-
ton to the Treaty. He cannot understand
how any Senator with drop OF patriotic
blood in his veins can refuse to vote TO
ratify the Treaty and put an end to the
war.
Arthur Pue German. The stand
taken by Senator German of Maryland in
opposition to the Paris Treaty has been
freely commented upon in political circles
Senator German has long enjoyed the rep
utation of being a shrewd and far-seeing
politician AS a rule he does not act with
out having some we'll defined plan mapped
out. 1t has not been his habit to go on at
random. Mr.. German has been requested
10 give some explanation of his course
but he has carefully evaded making any
definite statement for publication regard
ing the matter Mr. German" said an
old-time Democrat last night, has some
method in his madness even II IL is not
apparent to the naked eye at the present
time. The fact is, ridiculous as it may
seem. Mr. German has an ambition to be-
come the great leader of the Democratic
party He is as much OF a Presidential
candidate in his minds eye as Mr.. Bryan.
He hopes to displace Bryan and secure the
Democratic nomination for President for
himself next year. Realizing that the Re-
publican party had the inside track in the
expansion business, he believes that the
only chance the Democratic party has got
to get back into power is by antagonizing
that policy. He seems to think that there
is bound to be a reaction against expau-
sion in the near future and that it will be
good politics 10 place as much OF the re
sponsibility for the expansion policy on
the Republicans as possible. He does not
apparently comprehend that il the Repub-
lican party takes the sole responsibility
that it will also reap the benefits that may
follow.
Another motive that spurs German on
is desire to keep himself in evidence.
He is about to retire from the Senate and
this may be his last opportunity to make
a splurge and attract attention TO Cor
man If he can prevent the ratification of
| the Peace Treaty at this session he viii
i'm ii as a demonstration of his power
You must remember that Mr.. Bryan has
advised the ratification OF the Treaty.
That very fact aroused German and other
Democratic leaders in the Senate. Why
should Mr. Bryan they said, undertake to
| our MENTOR This kind OF talk has had
| its effect. Mr. Bryan probably meant we'll
enough, but the honest truth is, that rec
ommendation that the Treaty should be
ratified did not help it in the least bit.
You must not be shocked TO see a Cor
| man Presidential boom launched within
| the next few weeks. OF course It is not
| likely to come to anything. but that will
| not prevent it from coming out. German
h in, nd fail al i'm,
| prove it. He had it in his power to pre-
| vent the nomination OF Mr.. Cleveland at
| Chicago. but lacked the nerve to exercise
| it, At the critical moment he weakened
| Up to certain point German acted at the
| Chicago convention ip 1892 with the Hill
| Democrats. Their combined forces con
trolled more than one-third of the "onven-
| ton and they were masters Of the situa-
| ton. as it requires two thirds To nominate
in Democratic National Convention
| Some future historian ought 10 write all
! account of how William C. Whitney oiufr-
| ed German out of the field. He called on
German soon as he reached Chicago
| and said in substances:
Mr. German Mr. Cleveland is going to
| be nominated in this convention. That is
| as certain as anything can b.. We have
! got the votes and our friends ir any event
will control the convention. If you stay
| III tHt h5nl d5dfiist MI tIcH cllEu you
may give us some trouble, but you cannot
prevent Mr.. Clevelands nomination But
| assume for the arguments sake that you
| do defeat Mr.. Cleveland how much show
do you think that you will have of get
ting the nomination? Withdraw and come
| with us and then If Mr.. Cleveland should
fail to get the nomination you will be in
a position to inherit his strength. The
pext day the Hill people We're amazed to
1..pt hat I,nI
wish 10 hear real. picturesque and original
mi ir,at nrl- -