The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-07-06
SMITH RLAMEs THE SENATE.

ehl II Atl4AmA4S NE SIN \ I r.
According to Postmaster General Smith
the Senate is 60 blame for the war ia the
Philippines. Santiago day was celebrated
at The Greater American Exposition at
Omaha last Monday. and the Postmaster
General was the orator of the occasion.
Iis speech was a defense of che course
which the administration has pursued 10
The Philippines
He took the position that there would
have been no outbreak Of hosIiiities there
il the Senate had not hesitated so long
TO ratify the treaty of peace with Spain.
The treaty was sent to the Senate IN De-
cember and there was no outbreak in The
Philippines until February. For two
months or more American rule was ac-
cepted by the Fniplnos, and they would
never have resisted ii if 1t had not been
for the encouragement they received from
Che opposition to the treaty which mani
Tested itself In the Senate That is the
view of the Postmaster General and as
he appears to be the spokesman of the
President aud of the administration. it is
probably the view of the President
The Postmaster General declares that we
have no war with the Filipinos. We have
war only with one tribe in the Philippines,
the Tagals of the Island of Luzon. The
Taeals he estimates, are not more than
one-tenth Of the population of that island
The vast majority Of the Filplnos are our
friends and are anxious for the establish
ment Of American rule.
The Postmaster General also says that
the men IN Congress who opposed the rati-
dcation Of the treaty succeeded in having
the army bin so framed as to cripple the
President in his efforts to put down the
Instruction of the Tagals When the
treaty Of peace with Spain was ratified
every volunteer had a right to demand his
discharge, and under the law every reg
ular above 1850 was required to be mus
tered out If the volunteers had not vol
UNFAIRLY agreed 10 stay until the Presi-
dent was able TO get troops to take their
places the situation for us in the Philip
pines would have been very serious one
Most of the volunteers that are just now
starring home were entitled to be mus
tered out in March last. 1t seems from
what the Postmaster General SAYS that he
thinks that the Senate should have ac-
cepted the treaty as soon as II was sent
to that body. II ought not to have ques-
toned the wisdom of the administration
in making it,
The Postmaster General doesn't seem to
take into consideration the fact that the
Senate couldn't possibly have known that
delay in ratifying the treaty would result
in a conflict with the Filpnos Nobody
knew that And. as a matter of fact,
wouldn't the war have occurred even if
there had been no delay in ratifying the
treaty? Is it not fair to assume that it
was the intention of Agunaldo to continue
the war for independence which had been
begun against Spain whether the treaty
was ratified of not?
1t doesn't seem TO us that the point that
the Postmaster General makes is a good
one. He cannot properly blame the Sen
ate for the Philippine war unless he shows
that at the time the treaty was signed,
transferring the Philippines to our flag.
Aguinaldo and those acting with him had
decided to accept American rule That he
cannot do in all probability and there
fore there is no force in the point which
he makes against the Senate.