The record-union., 1899-01-31
The PEACE TREATY.
CONSIDERATION RESUMED IN
THE SENATE.
Correspondence Between President
and Paris Commissioners Read
at Yesterdays Session.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30-The Presi-
dent to-day sent to the Senate CORES
pondence on file in the State Depart
ment bearing upon the peace treaty and
it was read in to-day's executive ses-
sion The correspondence was sent in
response to the resolution introduced
by Senator Hoar, and includes most
of the letters and cablegrams from the
Commissioners to the President and
from the President to the Commission
ers in the way of instructions in return.
The documents are numerous, as there
were kilograms, letters and reports for
almost every day the Commissioners
We're in Paris.
One of the first cablegrams from the
President instructed them to demand
the cesson of the Luzon Island only
of the Philippines, and he told them
that full sovereignty should come with
it. The reading of the correspondence
received the closest attention from Sen
ators.
In submitting the papers the Presi-
dent sent a brief message saying that
he transmitted them in accordance with
the resolution.
The reading consumed the entire ex-
ecutive session, lasting from to 5:3O,
except a few minutes atlthe close Much
of the matter covered the same ground
as that which has been published.
The principal interest among the
Senators attached to the Presidents
Instructions to insist upon the cession
of the island Of Luzon. and after that
in the decision to take the entire group
of ;c1opdc Tbic 10 thor daup10y,Y,o cv,t
appeared from the correspondence to
be growth, and the suggestion was
made by the Commissioners to the
President as the result of occurrences
at Paris after the arrival there of the
Commissioners.
In his dispatch concerning Luzon, he
said there was but one alternative: The
United States must either take the ISL
and and assume sovereignty or return
it to Spain, and of the two courses he
preferred the former
Spain was from the first unwilling
to cede any of the Philippines. and she
made especial objection to letting go
of Luzon alone The Commissioners,
with the exception of Senator Gray,
urged that to take Luzon and leave
the other islands of the archipelago in
the hands of the Spaniards would be to
invite innumerable complications with
other nations, and especially with Eu-
rope and Spain. Much stress was laid
upon the probability of future trouble
with Spain With Luzon under Amer
lean administration, there would soon
be such a vast improvement, they
wrote. that the other islanders would
soon grow more and more rebellious
and with Spains oppressive methods
of Government we would soon again
find that we had another Cuba at an
other door, Furthermore. there would
be constant filibustering, and we should
find ourselves spending millions to pre-
serve a state of neutrality, just as W.
did in the case of Cuba prior to our
declaration of war on account of that
island.
General Merritt's testimony on this
point was cited, and was made the
reason for much of the argument in
favor Of taking the entire group.
The President does not appear to nave
a. any time given explicit instructions
to consummate the bargain by taking
all the Philippines. but rather, after
hearing a full explanation, to have left
the matter to the discretion of the Com
missioners.
The entire controversy was practically
over the Philippines and the question
of assuming responsibility for the pay
ment of the Spanish bonds FOR which
the Cuban revenues were pledged. The
Speriards from the first insisted upon
an indemnity for the Philippines, and
the correspondence shows that after
the proposition to pay $20O00,O0O was
made, the negotiations proceeded much
more smoothly, and were soon brought
to close.
The American Commissioners APP
pear to have been of one mind as to the
wisdom of taking over all the Philip
pines. with the exception of Senator
Gray, who, Notwithstanding he signed
the treaty, held out to the last against
the policy of acquiring these islands.
In one notable dispatch he pleaded
zealously against the policy as unpa-
triotic. unAmerican and Inconsistent
with probity and good craftsmanship
After a brief debate the Senate re-
fused to print the correspondence.