The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-01-31
His lnsistance on That the Principa
Matter of Interest.
WAS BUT ONE ALTERNATIVE,
We Had to Take the Island and As
sume Sovereignty or Return IL TO
Spain - Commissioners Urged
That the Island Could
Not BE Taken without
the Archipelago.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 90-The Presi-
dent to-day sent to the Senate the cor
respondence on file in the state Depart
ment bearing upon the peace treaty, ana
it was read in to-day's executive session.
The correspondence was sent in re-
sponse to the resolution introduced by
Senator Hoar and includes most OF the
letters and cablegrams from the com
missioners to the President and from the
President to the commissioners in the
way of instructions in return The docu-
ments arc numerous as there We're tele-
grams. letters and reports for almost
every day the commissioners were in
Paris.
one OF the cabegrams from the Presi-
dent instructed them 10 demand the ces-
sion OF Luzon Island only Of the Philip
pines and ne told them that fun sove-
relgnty should come with It,
The reading of the correspondence re-
ceived the closest attention from the
senator's.
In submitting the papers the President
sent a BRIEF message. saying that he
transmitted them i'm accordance with the
executive session. lasting from TO $50
=. NJ, except a few minutes at the close.
Much Of the matter covered has been
already published.
The principal interest among the sena-
tors attached TO the Presidents instruc-
tiOns TO insist upon the cession Of the
island of Luzon. and after that in the
decision 10 take the entire group OF
islands This latter development appear
ed from the correspondence to be
growth, and the suggestion was made
by The commissioners 20 the President
as the result of occurrences at Paris af-
ter the arrival there of the commission
ers.
ONLY ALTERNATIVE
In his dispatch concerning Luzon, ne
said there was but one alternative. The
United States must either take the island
and assume sovereignty or return 1t TO
Spain and Of the two courses he preferred
tho former. Spain was from the first
unwilling to cede any OF the Philippines,
and she made. especially. objection to the
letting go Of Luzon alone. The commis-
sioners. with the exception Of Senator
GRAY. urged that TO take Luzon and have
the other islands IN the archipelago IN
the hands OF the Spaniards, would be 70
invite innumerable complications with
other nations. and especially with Europe
and with Spain. Much stress was Iaid
uDon the probability OF future trouble
with Spain
1T WOULD NOT WORK.
with LuzOn under American admins
tration there would be soon such vast
Improvement. they wrote, That the other
islands would soon grow more and more
rebelious. and with Spain's crude meth
ont
that we had another Cuba at our door.
Furthermore there would be constant fill |
bustering and We should find ourselves
spending millions 20 preserve state OF
neutrality Just as we did in the case Of |
Cuba prior TO our declaration OF war on |
account of that island.
General Merltts testimony on this |
point was cited and was made the reason |
for much argument for taking the entire |
group.
The President does not appear 10 have |
at any time given explicit instructions |
to consummate the bargain by taking |
all the Philippines, but rather after hear
ing q full explanation, 70 have left the |
ma..er 10 the discretion Of the commits |
sioners.
The entire controversy was practically |
over the Philippines and the question OF |
assuming responsibility for the payment |
OF the Spanish bonds for which the Cuban
revenues were pledged.
MONEY THE STUMBLING BLOCK.
The Spaniards from the first insisted |
upon indemnity for the Philippines, and |
the correspondence shows that after the
proposition TO pay S2OO00,00O was made |
the negotiations proceeded much more
smoothly and We're soon brought 10 a !
close. The American commissioners ap- |
pear 20 have been of one mind as TO the
wisdom Of taking over all the Philippines
with the exception Of Senator Gray, who,
he signed the treaty.
held out to the last against the policy Of
acquiring these islands.
In one notable dispatch he pleaded
against the policy as unpatrio-
lie. un-American and inconsistent with
orobity and good siatesmanship
Afer brief debate the Senate refused
10 print the correspondence