The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-02-02


sary TO the ratification Of a treaty. Upper
most In the thoughts OF men whose polite
had been part Of those OF Europe was tn,
desire TO guard as s~trenuously as possibl,
against the peril OF entangling alliances
and d%ishonorlng agreements brought abou
by foreign influence and foreign corrup
ton. To IFS such reasoning seems impossl
In this effort to protect the United
States from foreign intrigue the trainers
OF the Constitution involved themselve,
in a strange contradiction. They CAV to g
majority OF Congress the power to declare
war, and they enabled one-third OF the
Senate 10 prevent peace and continue a wal
once entered upon. 1t probably never oc
Cured to the trainers Of the Constitution
that one.third Of any Senate could ever be
found to refuse to rAtlfy a treaty OF peace
in opposition to the wishes OF the country,
Of the President, and Of the majority OF
OSNh hOu|CS' EDuNh y plppOolAlOh "Oulh
have been deemed by them too monstrous
and too fantastic to be considered as a seri.
Gus objection TO the purposes they we're
seeking to carry out. They would not have
believed. II the idea had been suggested to
them, that such an abuse OF the treaty
making power OF the Senate could ever be
attempted yet the wisest OF men cannot
foresee every possibility Of human nature,
and 1t IL that very abuse of the treaty
making power Of the Senate which menaces
the country to-day.
The President. In fulnlment Of the pow
ers with which the Constitution clothes
him, has concluded n peace with Spain,
hopelessly beaten by the United States In
war. We have wrung no indemnity from
our defeated foe, but we have compelled her
to cede and relinQuish to us her colonial
possessions, over which She tyrannized, and
which we have conquered and taken. BY
the treaty, and by the treaty alone, can we
take finally from Spain the people whom
We have freed. BY the treaty, and the
treaty alone, can we end the state OF wal
and r~egstablish peace. The treaty binds
us TO no policy in the future, but leaves
the destiny OF the islands for us alone to
determine. But If the treaty binds us to
nothing, our own honor and our interna-
tinnn1 ,Ili,nti,oa JtnJ az. a., ,I,o ,,n-o
way to give peace and order to the islands
where we have thrown down the Govern
ment OF Spain, which we are bound to re-
place, and WE are equally bound not to per-
nit anarchy and desolation TO spring from
victories we have won. BY the treaty, and
the treaty alone, can we reach a position
in which we can fulfil these high duties
and meet these solemn obligations.
A refusal TO ratify the treaty on Monday
next would mean putting it over to the
next Senate. Delay was never more dam
gerous. To refuse ratification now means
encouragement to the a%dventurer AGuI-
NALDo and his bands, and bloodshed in the
Philippines. That bloodshed will be due to
the opposition in the Senate, and the Demo-
cratic party, which furnishes most OF the
negative votes, will sink deeper thar ever
under that red burden.
The refusal to ratify means disorders in
the Philippines and complications with for
eign powers, iealously eager for an excuse
for Interference 1t means the humiliation
OF the United States, and would Justify civ
iliZed mankind in saying that we are a peo-
pie unfit to play a part in great affairs, and
unworthy Of our W high destiny. 1t
means alarm, anxiety, suspense, uncer-
tainty, and the continuance OF the state OF
war, bringing Il check to business, and
menacing our prosperity. The Senators
who vote NO" next Monday will make
themselves directly responsible for all
these results, and the country will hold
them TO their responsibility and not suffer
them to escapes
Peace or war, that is the issue and the
only issue involved in the vote on the treaty
now lying on your table. The country de-
III ands its ratification.
The --latest Move Against Dreyfus.
II almpCt hnUinS 10 lnok a 10 tho raCi0po-