The evening times., 1899-01-31
TUESDAY, JANUARY 81. 1899.
The Making of the Treaty.

The correspondence submitted TO the
Senate shows that the decision 10 take all
the Philippines was forced on a reluctant
Administration by circumstances and not
entirely or largely by popular sentiment.
AS announced when the Peace Commits
sioners left for Paris. it was the intention
- Of the President 10 demand only the island
Of Luzon. Against this policy there was
a general protest, bat ii seemed TO make
little impression. The people wanted all
the islands Of the archipelago as perma-
nent possession. This was apparent from
The expressions of every gathering ad-
dressed by the President on his journey TO
the Northwest.
The Commissioners found that it WAS
wholly impracticable to keep single
island All the arguments that were urged
BY The Times were repeated by the Span
ish representatives. They asserted that II
would be impossible for Spain TO establish
and maintain any semhlance of peace and
authority in the other islands if America
should hold Luzon They insisted that we
should take all and pay money bonus. or
leave all They preferred the latter. The
American Z NLli1alSSlDutIE HNiF AbAA'h ~
admit the soundness of the Spanish posi-
zion. and slowly. reluctantly. and on the
advice of the President. they reached the
decision that is now challenged by the
Senate minority.
The revelation Of this fact should con-
vince the minority Senators that il was no
personal ambition, no desire 10 exercise
military authority in the Philippines for
an indefinite time that induced the Presi-
dent TO direct the Commissioners TO make
ihe conditions their judgment approved.
If these disinterested, careful. and we'll
informed meu-sOme of them members OF
the Senate. and therefore without any per
sonal interest in administrative functions,
and others of them merely temporary
agents of the Goyernment-couldn not find
a better conclusion than that presented in
the Treaty. why should a minority of the
Senators claim 10 have a superior wisdom
and to be better able to decide the matter
than the Commissioners. although not as
well informed as to the situation? II is
absurd.
The documents now in possession of the
Senate would have strong influence on
the minority Senators If they were patri-
otic in their opposition. They would be
affected by the fact that the President was
not carrying out an ambitious scheme,
such as this journal and many others and
a majority of the people urged on him, but
simply obeyed the demands of common
sense in following the only course left
open to him as the alternative of giving up
all claims in the Philippines. These same
Senators would have opposed the Treaty
il il had surrendered everything there. At
any rate, a majority in the Senate would
have rejected it as inadequate. AS it is,
the Commissioners did the best that was
possible and there is no rational ground of
opposition. We do not believe the minor
ity Senators would reject the Treaty If
they could. They obstruct it, delay its
ratification but if they believed their op-
position would lead TO rejection they
would abandon il at once. The popular
demand for ratification will become fierce
when the facts revealed by the CORES
pondence are studied. Even without it the
State legislatures are adopting resolutions
calling for immediate ratification. New
York has followed the example of Califor-
MIA and Maine and others are in train. The
impressive thing about il is that there is
not a single vote against such resolutions
Every member of the different legislatures
is enthusiastic for ratification. The mi
nority Senators are without a supporter
among the people. 1t is time for them 10
abandon their insanity.