The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1899-02-10
" ashingt0n Letter.
From our regular Correspondent

4
the attitude of the ''aunties" since the
Senate agreed to vote on the treaty
Feb 9th. Instead of talking of ex-
pectng to reject the treaty of Peace,
as they were doing a week ago, they
are now begging the supporters of the
treaty to let them down easy, by hay
ing the Senate adopt meaningless
resolution declaring that the treaty
does not bind the U. S. to permanent
retention of the Philippines, some
thing that everybody already knows.
There would be just as much sense in
adopting resolution declaring that
the treaty did not bind as to lick
Spain again. The treaty will be rati-
fed. That is now considered to be an
absolute certainty.
There is not the slightest founda-
tlon Tor the sensational reports sent
from Washington about the admins
tration being worried over the antics
OF Agoncillo, the agent of Aguinaldo,
in Washington, who has been doing
some fool talking, in the newspapers
and elsewhere. Secretary Hay is
authority for the statement that Agon
clilo's name had never been called at
a Cabinet meeting, and that President
Mckinley has never even had his at
tentlon called to the presence of the
little Filipino in Washington, except
by the newspapers.
Representative Cousins, Of Iowa, in
a speech in favor of the Hull arn1v
bill, which will be voted upon and
| passed, tomorrow, by the House, paid
his respects to those who have express
, ed so much fear of the necessary in
crease in the regular army He said
IL have not lived long enough to learn
OF anything in the history of the ex-
ploits OF American soldiery or OF their
service, to justify that suspicion which
is cast upon the institution known as
the regular army of the u S. by the
lmputation that it could ever be used
as menace to the liberties of Ameri-
can citizenship. Does the history of
valor and glory in the Revolution
prompt the gentlemen of the minority
and of the opposition to warn America
against American soldiery? Does the
record of the regulars, led by General
Jackson, at New Orleans, fill the hearts
of the gentlemen With fear or appre-
hension for the safety of our citizens?
Does Chepultepee send warning even
into modern Washington? Did there
ever issue from the lips, now closed in
ever lasting love and fame in that
silent mausoleum by the Hudson, any
word of menace to future citizen,
any thought save peace, any oracle
save liberty and union? God spare a
grateful country and an admiring
world from any doubt about the match
less magnanimity of Appomattox. In
all the years of toll aud strife and VIC
tory that make the history of our re-
public great, the regular army has
been its shield and buckler."
No speech made on the Philippine
| question has contained more common
sense or a palmer statement of the
actual situation than that made by
Senator Platt, OF New York, the first
he has made during his present term
| In the Senate. His arraignment of
the Senators who are largely response
BILE for Aguinaldo's bumptious posi-
ton as follows. "There are reasons
why the natives of those islands, after
their experience with Spanish misrule,
should misunderstood the presence at
/ Manila of an American army, but
there is no reason why an American
Senator should misunderstood it, and
no justification OF his course in mis-
representing it. He knows that there
| is no American in all this broad land
who wishes any other fate to any
| single native Of the Philippine islands
than his free enjoyment of prosper
Gus life. He knows that close in the
wake Of American rule, there would
come 70 the Ph lippines liberty that
they have never known, and a far
eater liberty than they could ever
have under the arrogant rule of a ma
tive DICTATOR
CA9TozEA
Bsa1, the Tho Kind Yea Ilan Aln1Z! Bul1k