The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-02-10

sued had been like that pursued in
Cuba-to give freedom and not bring
subsection and slavery.
The fight occurring just when the
senate was about to vote on the treaty
of Paris, caused several senators in op- |
position to go for it, and thus a two |
thirds majority was secured by a mar |
row margin. Nearly all the southern |
senator's, having a knowledge of what |
negro voting meant, voted against the |
ratification. They proved their con
v~ictions of what was right and proper |
by their acts. by their votes. They
were not swerved from their convic- |
tions of right and justice by the ex-
! element of wal news or any OF the
| hysterical oratory consequent upon vic
| tory over half savages. The senators
who stood bravely by their guns will
lose nothing among rejecting people
who understand the situation and
the imperilled course of our country.
The Baltimore Sun considering the
vote in the senate, says this, and it will
echo the thoughts of many:
These senators made a superb fight
and stood by their cOlors to the last.
Although they did not succeed in pre-
venting the ratification of the treaty
they gained a moral victory the results
Of which will be of inestimable bene-
fit in the future. In the first place,
they defeated the plan of the admin
istration for a hasty ratification of the
treaty without an adequate discussion
OF it's provisions. Thanks to the anti
expansionists in the senate, the cOun-
try now knows exactly what the treaty
means and what the cession by Spain
to the United States Of its sovereignty
in the Philippines involves"
1t is a pity that there were senators
who were so very weak in the back as
to go down before the clamor and the
influence of the Mckinley gang. While
at heart opposed to the treaty and it's
, sweeping changes, they yielded to the
, pressure of the hour and went with the
expansion crowd. The adoption of the
treaty will probably mark such de-
partures in the government as to make
7 it in the end a real Imperialism, with
a craze for conquest, with a vast army
and navy to carry on it's wild, expansive
plans, and to keep the people here
1 crushed by taxes while the country is
i almost always engaged in war of some
[ kind.
1t is to be hoped that conservatism
: will not abandon the field. There are
signs that the Imperialists will not
= have it all their own way. Even Rear
oring annexation of the Philippines,
but thinks that there should be a
; gradual withdrawal of United States
troops. He is said to hold that this
country sis morally bound to establish
a stable government in the Philip
pines" That indeed is a big job to
undertake. To compel half savages to
be civilized is a large work and diff
cult of accomplishment. 1t is a pity
that Rear Admiral Dewey's views had
not influenced the senate S % as to have
prevented misunderstanding and delay
A plain, explicit declaration giving as
surance hat there was to be no con
quest, no annexation, no bring in OF
5000, 900 half-breeds and savages into
the American union would have al
layed fears and relieved the tension
The Charleston News and Courier takes
e a sensible view of the situation and
y says:
b Assurance of the gradual withdraw
e al of the United States troops from the
e Philippines would probably even now
= result in IN amicable adjustment OF
0 our eastern question; but we do not
r believe that the Filipinos will yield to
r force. They know how to resist, and
= there must be agreement or war. Where
= it will end nobody can tell, nor what
= it will cost in blood and treasure.
e There will be no profit in it all for the
United States and no honor"
Senator McEnery, of Louisiana,
voted for the treaty. He introduced
a resolution that provides that "the rat
ification of the treaty is limited in
meaning, that it is not intended to in
!. corporate the inhabitants of the Philip
pines into citizenship of the United
States, o to permanently annex the
l islands as an integral part of the ter
ritory of the United States" On the
other hand, it is declared to be the in
tention of the United States "to estath-
lish on the islands a government suited
to the present wants and conditions of
the people of the islands, to prepare
them-for eif-government, and in due