The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-02-01
TWO EVILS CONFRONTED THEM
AND THEY CHOSE THE LESSER BY
TAKING THE PHILIPPINES.
Mr.. Bacon Names the Price of His
Anti-InperiaIism Declaration.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 3L-Senators Gray
and Money occupied the entire executive
session of the Senate to-day with speeches
on the peace treaty, Senator Gray favoring
ratification and Senator Money opposing it,
Senator Gray was the third of the Paris
commissioners to speak, and while he gave
some attention to the published matter
bearing on the treaty he Gid not go into
this in such detail as did Senators Frye and
Davis. He admitted that in the beginning
of the negotiations he had been opposed to
the acquisition of the Philippine archipelago
and said that he had freely and frankly
advised the President and his fellow-com-
missioners of his belief that it would be I'M
wise to attempt to shape it's destiny. He
had used his best endeaVors to bring them
tn accept his views, but had utterly failed.
He had at last reached the conclusion that
he would either have to join with the ma
jority or see the treaty fail and the war
continue. In the meantime he had been
largely won over by the arguments of his
colleagues and by the logic of the situation
and he had at last concluded to sign the
convention. Having taken his position he
was here now to defend the treaty as a
wise conclusion of most delicate diplo
matte undertaking. Many complications
had beset the commissioners in their work
and while he would not retract what he
had heretofore said as to the undesirable
of acquiring distant territory matter of
principle, still there were times when
nation as an individual might have to
choose between evils. There was danger of
many complications of an international
character in case the United States should
elect to pursue a different policy. He re-
iterated that the ultimate conclusion to take
the entire Philippine group was that of the
commissioners rather than of the President
and also went into the difficulties of get
ting the Spanish commissioners to come to
a conclusion. Senator Gray did not advo-
cate permanent occupancy Of the Eastern
islands, but said that the duration of our
exercise of sovereignty there should be set
tied in the future and not at present.
In reply to question by Senator Mason,
he said that he wcIld not attempt to fix
time-that this only could be done after we
had had an opportunity to study the situa-
ton, to know the people and learn their ca
pacties He had every confidence in the
American people, and he believed they would
not only give the natives their freedom
when they had shown a capacity for taking
care of themselves as nation OF the world
but that they would manage the affairs of
the islands wisely and well while they con-
troled them. They would give the island
ers a fair start in civilization before turning
them loose to shift for themselves.
Senator Money attacked the questions of
the islands as contrary to the spirit of
American institutions and as unconstitu-
tional. He said the government of the
United States could not afford to put itself
in the attitude of a Don QuiXote in a vain
effort to care for and advance the interests
of every people in every land that appeared
according to our standards of civilization, to
need our help. He had been an advocate of
Intervention in the case of Cuba, but from
this fact it did not follow that he was will
ing to transfer the Philippines from Spanish
vassaIage to dependency of the United
States. He did not consider that we were
especially concerned as to the future of the
Filipinos and so far as he was concerned
he should leave them to work out their own
salvation. This would be far preferable to
assuming responsibility for them and MAX
ing them citizens of the United States, as
they would inevitably come to be if the
treaty should be ratified. We had made al
lies Of them in the Spanish war by the acts
of our own agents, and in the interest of
fair dealing should let them achieve their
independence. if they could do so.
Senator Mason in a few words, Endorsed
Senator Moneys position that the Filipinos
of the treaty, and Senator Teller, in a brief
feioinder controverted this position saying
that an act of Congress would be necessary
to fix their status towards the body polite
Senator Hoar also Endorsed Senator Moneys
position.