Washington sentinel., 1899-07-15
REsroNsIBLn

ETeSlGGnl lIlGlGS dlC AhaNAHS ~
shift the responsibility Tor the FIJI
ipino insurrection upon the anti
lmperialists in Congress is not only
OF self respecting states
men, but short-sighted and imPol-
itic. If the troubles in the Philip
pines end in a complete triumph
for the American arms, IS there
any doubt that the Administration
lists will claim all the credit Then
why should they try to escape the
resp 5nsibility OF the present stu
alton? Itis not at all worthy Of the
to shrink from the
consequences Of Its own acts.
But the amazing audacity wi h
which Senator Hanna, Charles
Emory Smith and others Of the
Presidents political household are
declaring that Congress is at the
root Of the Philippine troubles
would indicate that thev are MAX
ing a systematic effort to distort
the facts and deceive the people,
Postmaster General Smith said in
his Omaha speech that ifthe treaty
had been promptly and unani-
mously ratified, as it ought to have
been, there would have been no
conflict. The treaty was sent to
the Senate early in December
Then, and for nearly two months
after that time, peace and order
prevailed. There was no outbreak
till February"
If the Postmaster General had
been a United States Senator last
winter and had sincerely felt that
the annexation Of the Philippines
would be detrimental to the United
States or contrary to the spirit oi
our Constitution would he have
voted for annexauio on2 There were
men in the Senate who felt in that
way, some Of them, like Senators
Hoar and Mason, good Republi-
cans, too. Yet Mr.. Smith has the
impudence to say that the treaty
ought TO have been promptly and
unanimously ratified" But the
worst OF his statement is its bold
Misrepresentation OF the facts,
The treaty was signed at Paris on
December 10, but it was not trans
mitted by the President to the
Senate until January 4, There it
remained in the hands Of the COM
mittee on Foreign Relations until
January II, when it was reported
to the Senate,
From that time until the vote
was taken on February the treaty
was before the Senate, and il its
discussion had consumed the
whole time oI tina! body the i'm
portan e OF the principles involved
would have justified the delay,
But as a matter of fact the Senate
necessarily dealt with many other
questions during those twenty six
days. Further than this, it will
be remembered that Senators Cor
man and Vest, leaders OF the MINOR
ItY, announced to Senator Davis,
on January IS, that they did not
intend to hold up the treaty at all.
"Name the day" said Senator
Vest, eve will agree to any date
that will suit you"
And so it will be seen that the
vote might have been taken as
safely on January "a as on Febru-
ary O. Senator Davis and his
committee, which was entirely
controlled by Mr.. McKinley's ar
dent supporters, were responsible
for holding the treaty a week be-
tore giving it to the Senate and for
deierrng the vote twelve days
after January "a.
If the treaty was not ratified
promptly enough to suit Post
master General Smith whom can
be blamed but Senator Davis and
his Republican conferees2
Without pursuing these foolish
assertions Of Senator Hanna,
Charles Emory Smith, Assistant
Secretary Allen, and others, fur
ther it is sufficient 10 say that the
Presidents cause will gam nothing
by such Misrepresentation. The
whole world knows that the
Philippine troubles we're not
C used by the antl-imperialists in
the United States Senate. The
right Of Senators to deliberate
upon a momentous question is not
to be questioned even If the Fill
pInos broke into open rebellion
while they were discussing the
treaty.
Mr.. Mckinley is being criticised
tor his Philippine policy from two
distinct points OF view. The anti.
imperialists blame him foi trying
TO annex the Philippines, thus in