Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1900-09-06


plicatious. It will be easier, think. to END the
war at once by ratifying the treaty and then
deal with the subject III Our own way. The
issue can be presented directly by resolution
of congress declaring the policy Of the nation
upon this subject
A month thereafter, January 8, 1890,
Give days after the president had trans
mitted the treaty to the senate), Mr.
Bryan published an article in the New
York Journal, giving, as he says, "a few
reasons why the opponents of a colonial
policy should make their fight in support
of a resolution declaring the nations
purpose, rather than against the ratifica-
ton of the treaty." After pointing out
that the rejection Of the treaty could be
only temporary, because "the new SEN
ate will have considerable republican
majority" he gives the following as the
weighticst argument:
The rejection of the treaty would be unwisc
because the opponents of the treaty would be
compelled to assume responsibility for the coli,
tinuance of war conditions and for the risks
which always attend negotiations with hostile
nation. The rejection OF the treaty would give
the administration an excuse for military eX-
penditurcs which could not be justified after
the conclusion of peace, and the opponents 81
the treaty would be charged with making 'uch
appropriations necessary 1t must be remem
bered that in case the treaty is rejected ncgotia
lions must be renewed with an enemy whose
ill-will is not concealed. Who is able to guar
antee the nation against new dangers and new
complications? Our nation owes 1t to the
nation with which we have dealings. as we'll as
to the inhabitants of Cuba, Porto Rico, and the
Philippines, to announce Immediately what 1t
intends to do respecting the territory sur
rendered by Spain.
Within less than week after the pub
LEGATION of this article Senators Bacon
and Hoar each introduced resolutions in
the senate declaring it the nations policy
to give complete independence to the
Filipnos. On January "a Senator
Lodge said:
The treaty cedes the Philippines to U.S. 1t
commits us to no policy, to no course of action
whatever in regard to the Philippines. When
that treaty Is ratified, we have full power and
are absolutely free to do with those islands as
we please. Suppose we reject the treaty; what
follows? Let us look at it practically. We con-
tinue the state of war, and every sensible man
i'll the country, every business interest. desires
the establishment of peace in law as well as in
fact. The treaty commits the disposition of the
Philippine Islands to congress and to the ways
and practices of peace. Its rejection leaves
them in the sole power of the president, subject
to the usages and practices of war alone.
On January 80, Senator Jones, OF Ar
kansas (who certainly stands close to Mr..
Bryan), pressed for IL vote on the Bacon
resolution. He was foiled, as were all
further efforts in that direction, by sena-
torial tactics. The next day, January
81, Senator Platt, of Connecticut, said /:
"To defeat this treaty rclegates us to a
state Of war, legally. What will happen
then no human being knows or can fore
see." The very day of the ratification
OF the treaty February g. Senator Allen
said in the senate
Because shall vote for the treaty it does not
follow that am in favor of annexation. If we
open up the subject-matter of the treaty we
will in my Judgment. especially in the light OF
very recent events. incur the danger of Euro
pean interference and European interventions'
1t is because we will have the power, when the
treaty is ratified, of determining the form OF
government to be set up in the Philippine
Islands and in the other possessions that have
come to us as result of the war, without in
curing any danger from abroad. that shall
vote for the ratification of the treaty
Within eight days after the treaty rati-
tication Senator Bacon introduced the
following amendment to the McEnery
resolution:
Resolved, further, that the United States dis.
claims any disposition or intention to exercise
permanent sovereignty, jurisdiction, or control
over said islands, and assert their determine
ton, when stable aud Independent govern
ucuV Suult nave UcCA CAcCtCO tuCIcius SAutlcu
in the judgment Of the United States to recog.
milton az such. to transfer to said government,
upon terms which shall be reasonable and just,
all rights secured under the cession by Spain,
and thereupon leave the government and con-
troll Of the islands to their people.
The vote on this resolution, taken
February II, stood 20 to 90. The vice.
president cast his vote in the negative,
and the amendment was defeated. Be
it noted that OF the ten democratic sen.
ators who.had voted in favor of the treaty
ratification only two, Senators Morgan
and McEnery, voted against the Bacon
amendment. This completely exonerates
Mr.. Bryan, SO far as his influence ex-
tended, from the charge of selfishly de-
string Imperialism as an issue in this
campaign. Had he fought the ratitica-
ton of the treaty, he could very Justly
have been accused of being a narrow
minded, rancorous political obstruction
list. He threw his whole influence in