The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-01

fication of the treaty" he said, III the
senate will pass the resolution and the
president Will consent to give us favor
able expression upon It,"
Il don't know how we could get such
an expression" responded Mr.. Teller.
Nor do l." said Mr.. Bacon, but ! am
satisfied that we could find a means of
getting It,"
Mr. Plat then continued, pronouncing
MIR. Bacon's last remark as most remark
able. Outside the senate II would be re-
garded as the expression of determine
ton to hold up the treaty until individual
senators could be consulted upon 1t.
Mr.. Tilman here interrupted TO call at
tcntion To newspaper report of speech
attributed 10 General Shafter, in/-which
he was quoted as saying that II lie could
exercise his will toward the Philippines he
would disarm them all and kill half of
them, asising Mr.. Platt IL he sympathl.od
With those sentiments.
Nj. Plat responded that he WAS not re
quirod 20 answer the question. rs neither
General Shafier nor the gentleman tMr.
Tillman) was included In the issue i'm
volved.
At . o'clock the senate went into OK.
ecutive session on the peace treaty and
al h45 p. M. adjourned.
Senators Gray and Money occupied the
entire executive session of the senate to-
day in speeches on the peace treaty. Sem
ator Gray favoripg ratifying and Senator
Money opposing IT,
Senator Gray was the third OF the Paris
commissioners to speak. aud while be
gave some attention {, the published mat
ter bearing upon the treaty he did not so
into this In such detail IA did Senators
4 1 Il. t,, IA,
beginning of the negotiations he had been
opposed 10 the acquisition OF the Philip
pine archipelago and said that he had free
~ and frankly advised the president and
his fellow commissioners OF his belief that
IL would he unwise 10 attempt to shape
It's destiny. He had used his best endeav-
ors to bring them To accept his views, but
had utterly failed. lie had at las; reached
the conclusion that ho would either have
10 join With the majority or see the treaty
fail and the war continue. In the mean
time he had been largely won over by the
arguments OF his colleagues and by the
logic OF tho situation and he had at last
concluded TO sign the convention. Having
takon this position. he was here new TO
defend the treaty as a wise conclusion OF
u most delicate diplomatic undertaking
He reiterated that the ultimate conciu-
sion to take the entire Philippine group
wes that OF the commissioners rather than
the president Senator Gray did not advo-
cate permanent occupation OF the Eastern
islpnds, but said that the duration of our
exercise OF sovereignty there Should bs
settled In the future.
Mr. Money attacked the acquisition OF
the islands as being against the American
institutions and unconstitutional, We
could not AFFORD to play the attitude OF a
Don Quioxote In the vain effort to care
for and advance the interests OF people In
every land that appeared. according 10
our understanding OF civilization. 10 need
our help. He had been an advocate of In
prevention In the case of Cuba, but from
this fact It did not follow that he was will
ing 10 transfer the Philippines from Span
ish yassalase to a dependence OF the uiited
states Ne did not consider that we were
especially concerned as 70 the future OF
The Philippines aud 50 far as he WAS con-
eerned no should leave them 10 work out
their own salvation This would be far
rrcfcrahle 70 assuming the responsibility
for Them ard making them ci;izens OF the
Jnited Stases. as they wo',id inevitably
como Is be the treaty should be ratified.