Evening star., 1899-01-31
ONLY LUZON WAS WANTED
First Presidential Instructions to the Peace
Commissioners.
|The Latter Acted in Their Own Dis
erection i'm Demanding the Fin
tire Archipelago.

The President yesterday sent 10 th- sen
bie the correspoI .ience on file III the State
Department bearing upon the peace treaty,
Ind II was read in the executiv" session
The correspondent" was sent IN Icspons"
0 the resolution INTRODUCED hy Senator
Ioar, and includes most of the letters and
eablegrams from the commissioners 10 the
President and from the President to the
commissioners in the way of instructions in
teturn TIE documents ar" numerous, as
here were telegrams. letters and reports
for almost every day the commissioners
we're in Paris.
One of the first ca kilograms from the Pres
dent instructed tha peace commissioners To
Remand the cession of Luzon Island only of
he Philippines. ard he told them that fun
s9vercignty should come with 1t. The read
ng of the correspondence received the
tlosest attention from senators.
The reading consumed the entire eXecu-
I've session. lasting from > 10 6::h, except
few minutes at the close. Much OF the
matter covered the same ground as that al
ready published, but II was presented In the
FORM in which the proceedings were outlined
rom day to day In the cable corr.spun-
Fence between Secretary Hay the Fres-
dents representative on the one hand and
Commissioner Day as the representative of
he American commissioners on the other.
The principal interest among the senators
Ettacned TO tie Presidents instructions t.
nsist upon the CesSinn OF the Island Of
4uzon. and after that in the decision to
axe the entire group of islands. This lat
er development appeared from the CORE
pondence to be q growth, and the sUgges-
ION was made by the commissioners to the
president as the result of occurrences at
Paris after the arrival there of the commits
toner's. in his dispatch concerning Luzon
ke said there was but Cne alternative: the
United Stats must either take the island
nj assume sovereignty or return it 70
fpain, and of the two courses he preferred
he former
Spain was from the first unwilling cede
my of the Philippines. and she made espe-
etaI objection to letting go of LuZon alone.
he commissioners. with the exception of
Senator Gray, urged that to take Luzon
md leave the other islands of the archi-
,elago In the hands of the Spaniards would
be to invite innumerable complications with
Fther nations, and especially with Europe
md with Spain.
why the Archipelago Was Taken.
Much stress was laid upon the probability
future trouble with Spain. With Luzon
Ender American administration, there
you'd soon be snch a vast improvement.
hey wrote, that the other islands would
Foon grow more and more rebelIlous, and
With Spain's oppressive methods of govern
nent We would soon again find that We had
mother Cuba at another door Further
more. there would be constant flibustering
nd We should ffnd ourselves spending mil
IONS 10 preserve a state of neutrality lust
IS We did in the case Of Cuba prior to our
Feclaraton Of war on account Of that ISL
md. General Merritts testimony on this
POINT was cited and was made the reason
or much of the argument In favor Of TAX
ng the entire group
The President does not appear 10 have at
my time given explicit Instructions TO con-
ummate the bargain by taking all the
philippines. but rather after hearing n full
explanation. TO have left tho matter TO the
1scretion Of the commissioners
The entire controversy was practically
yer the Philippines and the question OF
ssuming responsibility for the payment of
he Spanish bonds, for which the Cuban
evenues were pledged. The Spauiards
rom the first insisted upon an Indemnity
or the Philippines, and the correspond
nee shows that after the proposition to
Fay $4,000 600 was made the negotiations
Proceeded much more smoothly and were
Don brought to close.
Senator Grny Alone DIsscntcd.
The American commissioners appear to
pave been of one mind as to the wisdom
taking over all the Philippines, With the
Exception of Senator Gray, who. notwith-
banding ne signed the treaty. held out to
he last against the policy of acquiring
hese islands In one notable dispatch he
pleaded zealOusly against the policy as un-
PATRIOTIC. unamerlcan and inconsistent with
|robity and good craftsmanship.
After a brief debate the Senate refused
o print the correspondence.