The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-07
TREATY SAVED BY DEMOCRATS
MLAURIN CHANGED HIS VOTE IN
EXECUTIVE SESSION.

south Carolina Senator's Action the
Surprise of the Occasion-without
His vote and That of senator Clay
Ratification Would Have Failed.
McLaurin Won Over mt the Last
Nomenclature Explanation of His
Vote.
Washington. Feb. 6.-(SpeciaD. Senator
McLnurln's vote in favor of the treaty
was the surprise of the memorable con-
test In the Senate to-day.
His neighbor, Senator Clay. of Georgia.
also contributed to the result.
without the votes of these two senators,
the treaty would have failed OF ratifica-
ton
Senator Clay's advocacy of the treaty
has been assured for several days, but
Senator McLaurin did not commit himself
finally until a few minutes before the vote
was taken in executive session.
The friends of the treaty have had their
missionaries at work upon Senator Nc
Laurin for the past forty-eight hours, and
it was not until about FIVE minutes TO
three o'clock this afternoon that he de-
cided to break away from the majority of
his party associates in the Senate and
cast his vote for the treaty.
The friends of the treaty had about
given up all hope of securing the neces-
sary two-thhds, and a number OF dis
patches were sent from the Senate by Re
pubHcans. announcing that the treaty was
defeated.
Surprised His Associates.
1t was not until after the Senate had
proceeded to executive session that the
junior senator from South Carolina aston
shed his party associates and delighted
the friends of the treaty by declaring his
intention to vote with the majority. His
| declaration produced profound sensation
| and destroyed all chance of defeating the
| treaty.
The leaders of the opposition had labored
| all morning TO hold him In line, but when
| he broke away from them Senator Cor
man waved his hand to Senator Aldrich.
acknowledging defeat and congratulated
the Republican manager upon capturing
| the new convert
That settled the fate of the treaty, for
| In the meantime Senator McEnery OF Lou
isiaua, who for several days has been
seeking pretext TO vote with the major
| ity, had also been captured by assurances
| that his. resolution would be acceptable to
| the friends OF the treaty
The votes OF McLaurin and McEnery
| gave the necessary two-thirds, and Jones
OF Nevada fell into line at the last mo-
| ment.
| why McLaurin Did II.
| Senator McLaurln explains his vote by
| stating In executive session that he had
made up his mind and announced his In
tention OF voting against the treaty but
| that the recent occurrence in the Philip
| pine Islands, had led him to the conviction
that Il was his duty to vote for the treaty.
| He was violently opposed to the annexa-
! tion OF any outlaying territory, whose
| people could not be brought into harmony
| with our Institutions, and for that reason,
had opposed the ratification OF tlie treaty
In the hope OF securing an amendment. He
had desired to force the calling of am extra
session and had not seen where the inter-
| ests of the country would suffer by thus
making the Republican party assume the
entire responsibility.
| The condition of war existing, however.
| materially changed the aspect of affairs
| The President claimed that withoue
the ratification of the treaty
we mad no status in the
| Philippine Islands, and other complIca-
| tions were liable to arise. BY the ratifica-
| ton OF the treaty IT would enable our gov
ernmeni TO promptly settle existing trou-
bles with AguinAldo and his followers Fer
| the matter TO be held in allegiance for a
month longer, with the appearance Of tho
country being divided would give encour-
agement 10 those who are now attacking
| our flag.
Wants Promises FuIflIed.
| IF the administration does not intend in
| good faith to carry out It's promise not to
| annex these islands, then he would not be
responsible for the results that might fol-
| low. He said he disliked to differ with so
| many OF his party associates, but to vote
| against the treaty under existing condi-
tons would be violation of his convic-
| tons as senator and a citizen.
Senator Clay had previously defined his
| position IN similar terms, in open session.