Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-07
,Hs TREATY RATIFIED.
CONTINUED from page ~


afterwards. Those questions can wait,
but the emergency is too great for any
postpOnenient whatever of the ratitica-
ton question Senator Fairbanks
was congratulated by some of the OPP
ponents of the treaty for the concilia-
tory character of his remarks.
At 3 O'Clock. the Vice President in
| terrupted Senator Money, who was
| then speaking, to announce that the
hour had arrived for a vote. But one
one amendment was offered, that pre-
PARED by Senator Vest. placing the
| Philippines ON the same footing as
Cuba in the treaty. In the Temporary
absence of Mr.. Vest, it was presented
by Mr.. German. This amendment was
| as follows:
| Article ILL.,. strike out the words
''cedes to the United States" and inserl
| in lieu thereof, the words ''relinquishes
all claim of sovereignty over and 3l title
| following: THE United States. desiring
! that the people of the. archipelago. shall
be enabled to establish "a form of tree
and securing the rights of life. libert,
! and property and the preservation Of
order and equal rights therein. assumes
for the time being and to the end afore-
as such control shall be needful for the
purposes above stated. and will provide
that the privileges accorded to Spain by
e art,s,ei in line Of Article Viii after e
the word Cuba" insert the words land
in the Philippine archipelago. In line
Of the same article fle ine the word an
the same article. strike out the words
Article TX. strike on lines ii. l72 lis
Cuba insert the words the Philip
pines In line of the same article strike
! out the words 1.-THE Philippines"
The voting on this amendment pro-
ceeded quietly and it was soon disposed
of. so to o3. The only vote considered
as at all significant of a change favor
able to the treaty was that of Mr. Nc
Emery. who voted against the amend
ment. Senators Jones of Nevada: Nc
Laurin and Kenney voted for it.
The vote was Immediately announce
and pages were sent scurrying through
the corridors to announce to the few
senators who were not in their seats
that the eliminating event had ar
rived. The call proceeded quietly until
the name of Senator McLaurin was
announced. He created the first stir
by speech in explanation of his vote
for the treaty. This was the initial
break in the ranks of the opposition.
Mr.. McLaurin gave as the reason for
his change of position the open HOSTILE
ties in Manila. He said that the at
tack upon our troops had brought
about new condition of affairs.
The announcement created excite
ment and brought some of the opposi-
ton to his side with remonstrances
bu. he replied that he could not any
longer see his way clear to cast his
vote against the treaty.
Continuing. he said he was not will
ing to embarrass this government. at
so critical a time. If after the ratii-
cation the administration should fail to
pursue the proper course toward the
islands the fault would be that of the
government. He referred to the agree
ment to pass the McEnery resolution as
| a pledge against expansion. In view Of
this promise and in the hope that rat
fication would lessen bloodshed in the
Philippines he would, he said. vote in
the affirmative.
When he had concluded, Senator Nc
Emery congratulated him. saying that
he had decided upon the same course.
The Louisiana senator made no speech.
publicly announcing himself only by
his vote.
Mr.. Jones of Nevada, did not vote
on the first roll call. but came from
the cloak room before the vote was an
nounced and. by unanimous consent
! made a brief and feeling speech. He
said that if he thought the ratification
80 H.
would not vote for it, as he considered
a policy of expansion would prove the
| ruin OF the country. The events in
Manila during the past two days We're
likely to do more to discourage expan-
| sion than anything that had happened,
| but they had produced a crisis which
made the ratification of the treaty nee
essary. He considered it patriotic
duty to vote for the treaty.
With Mr.. Jones vote added the roll
! call stood as given above.
On motion of Senator Davis it was
then ordered that the aye and no vote
| be made public and soon afterwards
the doors were opened and the Senate
proceeded with Legislative business. "a
tempting to pass the McIcnery declar-
ator resolution. News of the ratfica-
ton of the treaty reached the White
House almost Immediately after the
| announcement of the vote. Postmas-
ter General Smith was with the Presi-
dent and was the first to congratulate
him. The President expressed himself
| as gratified at the vote. Secretari IS
Gage. Alger and Hay came in soon af-
forwards. Within 40 minutes after its
ratification. Secretary Cox, the secre-
tary of the Senate, appeared with the
treaty itself, which he delivered into
the Presidents hands. The cabinet
members as they left the White House
were jubitant over the ratification nf
the treaty.
Secretary Hay said the treaty would
not be submitted to the Spanish Cortes
at the session which opens this month
and he anticipated no distractions in
that direction to the final exchanges.
Secretary Long said: Il am glad
the treaty is ratified-glad from the
standpoint of the anti-Imperialist as
well as from any other. The very
height of Imperialism is to have these
islands row under control of the man
exercising absolute military authority.
The ratification of the treaty transfers
the disposition of these islands to the
An erican people. who through their
| re,, a,,fo fiI-ac n, ri Al r.