The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1899-02-08
Senate Approves the Peace
Agreement.
HAD ONE VOTE TO SPARE
The Vote on Final Passage was
81 Ayes to 27 Nays.
M'LAURIN TURNED THE TIDE
The South Carolina Senator Deserted
the Ranks of the Opposition at the
Eleventh Hour and Others Followed
His Example.

His Example.
Washington; Feb. 1.-THE treaty OF
peace negotiated between the United
States and Spain at Paris was yester-
day ratified by the senate, the vote be-
ing 81 ayes to 27 nays, or one vote
more than the two-thirds majority nee
essary to secure senatorial concurrence
in treaty document. The vote was
| taken in executive session and until
the injunction of secrecy was removed
the result was supposed to be private,
but the vice president had no more
than announced the figures before sem
ators rushed out of every door leading
from the senate chamber, declaring
that the treaty had been ratified.
No vote has been taken in the senate
since that on the repeal of the pur-
chasing clause of the Sherman law that
has been followed with as close inter-
est as was the vote of yesterday. This
anxiety was due not only to the mag
nitude of the question at issue. but to
the uncertainty which attended the
matter up to the last moment. Only a
few knew how Senators McEnery (Ls.)
and Jones (Nev.) would vote half an
hour before their votes were cast, and
not even these knew when the bells
rang for the executive session at 2:l5
p. m. r
Senators Aldrich, Lodge and Elkins,
who have given especial attention to
securing the necessary votes to insure
ratification, were doubtful of the re-
suit when the session began, while
Senators German and Jones, the lead
ers of the opposition, considered their
forces intact. Half an hour afterwards
it was whispered about that Senator
McEnery had been won over on con-
dition that his declaratory resolution
passage of the ratification resolution.
When this news was confirmed it was
known that ratification was assured,
for Senator McLaurin had already an
nounced his intention to vote for the
treaty, in view of the condition OF at
fairs at Manila. Senator Jones went
over at the last moment, making the
one vote more than was necessary.
Promptly at o'clock the vice presi-
dent interrupted Senator Money, who
was speaking, to announce that the
hour had arrived for a vote. But one
amendment was offered-that prepared
by Senator Vest, placing the Philip
pines on the same footing as Cuba in
the treaty. The voting on this amend
ment proceeded quietly and it was
soon disposed of. The vote stood SO to
| 30 against it.
When the vote was announced pages
we're sent scurrying through the corri-
| 1ors to announce to the few senator's
who were not in their seats that the
eliminating event had arrived. The
call proceeded quietly until the name
of Senator McLaurin (dem., IS. C.) was
announced. He created the first stir
of the occasion by speech in eXpla-
nation of his vote for the treaty. This
was the initial break in the ranks OF
the opposition. Mr.. McLaurin made a
brief statement in explanation OF his
change of position, giving the open
hostilities in Manila as the reason for
it.
He had hardly concluded when Sena-
tor McEnery approached him with a
word of congratulation, saying he had
decided upon the same course. The
louisiana senator made no speech OF
explanation to the senate, publicly an
nouncing himself only by means OF his
vote. Mr.. Jones (Nev.) did not vote on
the first roll call, but came in before
the vote was announced and made a
brief speech. He said he was against
expansion and if he thought the rati-
fcation of the treaty meant expansion
he would not vote for it, as he consid-
cred policy of expansion would prove
the ruin of the country. The events in
Manila during the past two or three
days, in his Judgment, were likely to
do more to discourage expansion than
anything that had happened, but now
ratification was necessary.
1t was then ordered that the aye and
nay vote be made public and soon af-
terwards the doors were opened and
the senate proceeded with legislative
business, attempting to pass the Nc
Emery declaratory resolution, but it
was postponed until to-day.
News of the ratification of the treaty
reached the White House Immediately
after the announcement of the vote.
Postmaster General Smith was with the
president at the time and was the first
to congratulate him. The president
was gratified at the vote. Within 40
minutes after its ratification Mr.. Cox,
the secretary of the senate, appeared
with the treaty, which he delivered in
fo tho I,racident's hands