The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-14
THE FORTY-NINTH CONGRESS-
Opening of the Debate on the Question
of Abolishing Secret Sessions.
Mr.. Plat Makes an Earnest and Strong Argu-
ment Favoring the Change-The House
Considers the Hurd- Romeis Contest.
THE SENATE.
Mr.. Plat Pleads for Abolition Of EXECUTIVE
Sessions-The Fisheries Resolutions.

MIR. Plat Pleads for Abolition Of EXECUTIVE
Sessions-The Fisheries Resolutions.
WASHINGTON, April l3.-Mr. Plat took the
floor on his resolution relating to open executive
sessions The question was political one he
said, but in no sense question of party politics.
It rose above all party questions 1t was the
most important question Of administrative re-
form to which the Senate could at this time de-
vote its attention. Mr.. Plat read the Senate
rules relating to secret sessions, including the
rule which prohibits the disclosure, either by
Senators or Senate officers, of the secrets of
executive sessions the penalty for which is that
Senators render themselves liable to expulsion
and officers to discharge. No Senator, he said,
could hear that rule read without sense
of personal degradation. The first instance Of
secrecy having been imposed on Senators, Mr..
Plat said, occurred in January, 1920.
Mr.. Morrill, asked whether it was not the fact
that, prior to that time all sessions of the SEN
ate had been held with closed doors. Mr.. Plat
said he would come to that by and by. He
would be able to show that the public sentiment
of the country compelled the opening of the
Senate doors in the first instance. after they had
oOOA SiooOo ooL1O SodISy dhu Ilo WOu1O DO oSA0 w
show that the same public sentiment now de-
manded that the doors should be opened, as
rule, for the consideration Of executive nomina-
tions. His present resolution was that executive
nominations be considered with open doors, ex
cepr when otherwise ordered by the Senate.
Senators themselves ought to desire that their
constituents should know what the Senate was
doing. The principal objection to the proposed
change was that it was against the custom of
the Senate. That was no argument. No great
measure of reform had ever made progress that
and tradition. Mr. Plat reviewed the history
Of secret legislation and executive sessions. lie
read letter from John Adams, when Vice presi-
dent and President of the Senate, to his wife, In
which he gave the details of the vote
in exclusive session on the ratification of
the Jay treaty. According to the
present rule of the Senate on this subject, Mr..
Plat said, John Adams would have been liable
to expulsion for exposing the secrets referred to-
He Mr.. Platt] planted himself squarely on Mr..
Sherman's statement. made on Feb. 8 last, to
the effect that there ought to be no secrets what
ever in this government Of ours-a government
of the people. That statement briefly compre.
hended the whole subject. There was but one
exception to be tolerated to that and that was
in a case of absolute necessity. Such cases
would be extremely rare. Senators demanded
that the President have no secrets
from the Senate. Secrets were there
fore odious TO Senators, except when they want
ed to preserve them themselves Did not fair
play demand that we say of man what we had
to say openly, and not wait till the Senate doors
were closedl Had not Senators often had occa-
sion, as practicing lawyers. to comment in open
court on the testimony of wtnesses9 Had they
ever hesitated to do that when the interests of
their clients demanded itl Did not Senators
here have the people for their clients, and way
should they not speak openly and boldly
what they had to- say in behalf OF
the peoples interests' Indeed, Senators had
often found it to be their duty to
to be executive business Instances of this were
cited by Mr.. Plat. The essence of the'argument
for the executive sessions, he said, was plea by
Senators for personal liberty on their part. But
did not Senators represent the people} Were
Senators beyond responsibilities! The whole ad
minlstration of law in government Of the peo-
pie was involved in the appointment and confirm
alton of men to Office. The laws could only be
enforced through persons appointed to office. AS
to the point of Senatorial prerogative which it
was said was involved in this question, 'sthere
are two words said Mr.. Plat, (which the peo-
pie of the country want to see expunged from
their political vocabulary-the words are 'prerog-
alive and privilege" The people desired TO
have done with them, and the Senate had better
have done with them. This is no place to assert
prerogative We had better stand pretty close
to the people if we want them to trust us. Pub
lie sentiment and the sentiment of the press, Mr..
Plat said, was for open session. OF the IA, coo
newspapers in the country, fully 10, 900 had de-
clared for open sessions. Some Senators
might say that they did not care
what the papers said, but Mr.. Plat said the
press represented the sentiment of the people.
1t was the sentiment of the people that Senators
should desire to know. Public sentiment was
easily distinguishable from public camor. The
public wish was to be law. With the journalism
that conceded to public men neither honest mo-
tives nor private virtues Mr.. Platt had no SYM
pathy; for it he had no respect. But that was not
the press of this country. It was the country
newspaper that represented the real sentiment
of the countryside newspaper that had no
special correspondent here. Senators were sub
jected to suspicious of bargains" among one
another arising from considerations of senatorial
courtesy. To these suspicious they would not
be subjected ii the doors were always open.
Mr.. Platt quoted Burns's lines
20 wad some power the gifte gle us
To see oursels as ithers see u.s."
He asked the Senators to endeavor to realize
how the people regarded the secret sessions. He
did not know how much or how little of what
the newspapers printed about executive sessions
was true, but he was justified in saying that the
secrets get out to a greater or less extent.
Mixed they might be with the fertile magma
tons of the reporters, nevertheless no Senator
could deny that either through the Senators or
the officers of the Senate the secrets get out,
and Mr.. Plat did not by that mean TO cast the
slightest suspicion on the officers of the Senate.
He mfr. Piatt did not want to be
in position where he was subjected to
suspicion of dishonorable disclosures 1--WE
had better he said, have everything that
was said by Senators said in open session, so
that it could be published unmixed with the
imagination of the reporters. Senators had
nothing left to them but silent endurance when
misrepresented He could name matters on
which his constituents supposed to-day that he
had voted contrary to his actual vote. because it
had been wrongly stated in the newspapers. He
could only submit in silence to the misrepresent-
alton. because he could not disclose what his
vote had been.
Mr.. Platt then took up the subject from the
civil-service point of>view, and claimed that
open consideration of nominations for Office
made to the Senate. Referring to the architect
ural features of the Senate chamber-wth the
sunlight shut out they were well paralleed, he
said, by the way business was conducted in the