New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-20
BRYAN'S RECKLES,SNE'S'S.
MISUNDERSTANDING THE FACTS AS TO
THE SULU TREATY.
10y TELEGRAPH TO THE rRrprNE.l


Washington. Sept. 19.-The Demo-Pop cahdl-
date for the Presidency is becoming more reck-
! less in his assertions day by day. and he seems
already to have distanced even Lentz and Sulzer'
In a speech at Fort Scott, Kan, yesterday When
one of his auditors asked him something about
"the consent of the governed in North Caroiina
Mr. Bryan replied
l am glad you mentioned North Carolina N9 9
want you to read the Suu Ireaty anu , tiit5
done that. I think you will blush untl Electioh
Day. and never have time TO think OF Norm Naro-
lima
He then proceeded to outline the treaty. and
to assert that it tolerates and recognizes the
institution of human slavery All the time MT
Bryan was doing this he knew that ne was
grossly misrepresenting the truth by suppress
ing the facts. In the letter of Secretary Root
to General Otis dated October p. 1893 the
attitude of the Administration was clearly de-
fined. as follows:
The President instructs me to advise %0u
that the agreement, signed on August ~ 1879
between Brigadier-Gen John {. Bates rep
resenting the United States OF the one part, the
Sultan of Joos the Dato Rajah Muda, the Dato
Attik the Datb Calbi and the Dato Joakanain.
of the other part. is confirmed and approved,
snbiact to tho acrion of Congress provided for
in that clause of the treaty of peace between
the United States and Spain which provides
the civil rights and the political status OF the
native inhabitants OF the territory hereby coded
the United States shall be determined pS
Congress- and with the understanding and res
erVatiOn, which should be distinctly conmunl-
Gated to the Sultan of Jolo, that this agreement
is not to be deemed in any way to authorize or
give the consent of the United states to the
existence Of slavery in the Sulu Archipelago a
thing which is made impossible by the Thir-
teenth Amendment the Constitution, OF the
United States. At the same time when you
communicate to the Sultan the above mentioned
understanding the President desires that you
should make inquiry to the number OF per
sons held in slavery in the archipelago. and
what arrangement ii may he practicable TO make
for their emancipation. 1t is assumed that the
market price referred to in the agreement of
August 20 1890. is not very high at present.
and it may be that a comparatively moderate
sum. which Congress might be willing to ap-
propriate for that purpose. would suffice to
cure freedom for the whole number.
In the same speech Mr.. Bryan asserted that
1.-THE Republican party had many years ago dis
franchsed the negro in the District Of Column
bia." That a Misrepresentation which
amounted to an untruth. In 1SI4-'I3 the form
OF government in the District of Columbia was
changed by Congress. in the exercise of its pre-
parties in Congress supported and voted for the
change, which placed the government of the
District in the hands of a Board of Commits
soners appointed by the President, by and with
the advice and consent Of the Senate Colored
citizens in the District of Columbia enjoy eX
actly the same rights that white citizens do,
and no man knows It better than Mr.. Bryan
does.