The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-01-31
IN EXECUTIVE SESSION
The senate Discusses the Peace Treaty.
senator Frye,s Arguments I'm fts Favof'
Some Pertinent Questions

The Senate Dfscusses the Peace Treaty. 1
senator Fryess AFgumentin I'm It's Favor. !:
Some Pertinent Questions .
Washington, January Ex-senator
Frye continued his argument for thu
ratification of the peace treaty with j
Spain in today's executive session Of the !
senate. He talked for an hour and
half and again made the only speech
Of the days session.
The principal questions under consid- |
Grafton today were those relating TO
payment of claims against the Spanish
government. the reasons for agreeing
to pay Spain for the improvements
made in the Philippines and the rea-
sons for extending to Spain the bene-
fit of an open door policy in her former
possessions. There were various inter
ruptionS by other senators, who, how
ever, confined themselves to questions.
In reply to one of these questions re-
lating to the presidents instructions,
Senator Frye said the commissioners
were in constant communication with
the president and that the latter had
cabled them on more than-o one occasion
to use their best judgment on reach
ing conclusions and recording results.
He said that the question of claims
of American citizens against Spain had
occupied much of the time and had been
the subject of much anxious thought
on the part of the commission but that
there was no other practical solution
of the problem in view of the povertyi
of Spain, and, in fact, no other policy
was compatible with the reputation Of
the United States as a nation which
knew how to be generous as we'll as
just. He said there were about $12,-
O00 900 of these claims, and possibly the
amount might reach S15,O00,000. Spain
had agreed as an offset TO this conces-
sion on our part to pay the claims of
Spanish citizens against the United
States government, but Senator Frye
admitted that the aggregate of these
counter claims was not large.
Senator Frye also said that the COM
missioners had felt that they were just
flied in drawing upon the generosity of
this country in agreeing to pay S20,-
600, 900 to Spain for the improvements
made by the Spanish government and in
conceding to them for term of years
the same privileges as claimed for the
United States in the matter Of trade
in the line of the precedents set by
the most civilized nations. Great Brit
aims policy had been in the line of
constant extension of the open door
policy, but whether or not the Unit
! ed States meant to adopt this policy
upon the whole, he felt sure that his
| present instance.
In agreeing to pay Spain a lump sum
we were also following the best prece-
| dents as we'll as consulting the most
| generous national sentiment. Many
! quotations were read to show that other
! nations had pursued this course to-
ward their vanquished rivals, and -espe-
! cial stress was laid upon the course
of Germany in taking Alsace-Lorraine
/ from France and paying for them $780,
/ United States and Spain IN the matter
; of the Philippines, the doctrine that
might make right could have been con-
! suited to the exclusions of all ideas of
! fairness and honor and the territory
| taken simply as the result of conquest.
| The effort of the American commits
| SiOners to secure control of the Caroline
| islands was also explained, Senator
Frye stating that the Spanish commits
: sioners had absolutely refused to dis
cuss the proposition.
] Our offer of 81, 900, 900 for the islands
! had appeared to have no effect what
/ ever. They had even declined in the
! most positive manner to cede one Of
| the islands of this group as cable sta
ton.
Referring to the present situation in
! the Philippines, Senator Tillman asked
Senator Frye if he was willing to have
! our troops fire upon the Philippines, to
| which Senator Frye replied that the
| firing stage had not yet been reached
| there and he hoped that the treaty
| would soon be ratified and this stage
| thus probably averted for good.
In conclusion, he referred to the great
j improvement in a religious and spiritual
: way that would result from American
occupation of the islands, saying that
! no man who would have the Gospel
| preached to all nations could view with
equanimity the prospect of a restoration
| of the islands to Spain or the restora-
ton Of the status quo-to give up Ma
Mia and all the points taken after the
signing Of the protocol and to lose all
the vast advantages acquired in the far
east through the war.
Senator Davis answered a question
put by Senator Mason. The question
was whether it was the purpose of the
! United States should to pay the $2O,-
66G, 900 indemnity until the United States
should come into the full possession
and occupation of the country.
II want to know" the Illinois senator
said, whether we are to pay the money
before the goods are delivered
Senator Davis referred Senator Mason
to the text of the treaty for his reply.
He said the Spaniards had shown their
god faith by preparing as speedily as
possible to evacuate the ceded islands
They had ceased to derend them for
themselves. and, therefore, Spain could
not be held responsible for any failure
on our part to avail ourselves of SOW
ereignty. He understood that the rati-
f1cation of the treaty bound us to the
payment of the indemnity, regardless OF
the attitude of the natives of the Phil.
ipDineS.