Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-14
F0RTY-NIyTH CONGRESS-.
First Session.
sen ATE.
WASHINGTON. April IA

=, WASHINGTON. April Is.
Mr.. Pia't took the floor on his resolution
rela'lhg TO open executive sessions. The
question was political one, he said, but in
no sense question of party politics. Itwas
the most important question of administra.
i've reform to which the Senate could at this
time devote its attention. Mr. Plat made an
able and lengthy argument for open session,
OF considerable length, reviewing the cues.
tlon from 1920 through all administration.
ne commanded the rapt attention of the
Senate.
referring TO the publication in newspapers.
Mr.. Platt said some senators might saw they
oiu not care what papers said, but the press
represented the sentiment of the people. 1t
was sentiment of the people that senators
Should desire to know. Public sentiment is
easily dlstinguishable from public clamor.
fuDllc Will was to be law for better or for
worse. The day would come when the peo.
pie were to be omnipotent in government.
with journalism that conceded to public men
neither honest motive or private virtues, Mr.
rlatt mad no sympathy for it-he had no re-
spect. But that was not the press of this
country. 1t was the country newspapers that
represented the real sentiment of the country
newspapers that had no special correspond
ent here. Senators were subjected 10 sus-
plclon OF bargains among one another
arising from considerations of senatorial
courtesy. To these suspicious they would
not be subjected if the doors were ALWAYS
open.
On conclusion of Mr.. Patt's remarks Mr..
Butler asked and obtained unanimous con-
sent 10 address the Senate after the morning
ouslhess tomorrow on the subject of open
executive sessions.
soi3 3,,, Io
Mr.. Butler on the same subiect.
The fisheries resolution was then placed
before the Senate
Mr.. Frye desired to call the attention of fish
ing vessels of the United States to the abso-
lutte necessity if they would be safe and Sc
cure OF taking from the collector of the port
from which they sail permit 'to touch and
trade at provincial ports. The only ques,
ton between us and Canada was whether our
hshng vessels should be permitted 10 buy
oalt and Ice In Canadian ports. Mr. Frve
contended that they had that right The
same rights had been conferred bv law ON
the fishing vessels on the northeastern coasts
that had been conferred to the vessels on the
great lakes. The secretary of state of the
United States, Mr.. Frye said had today as.
sumed the position which he (Frye) mad been
hoping he would assume and entirely differ
ent from what the assistant secretary of state
had assumed some weeks ago. Mr. FRYE
quoted dispatch of Bayard's to a Portland
firm, in which, among other things, the sec
retary OF state says substantially that he be-
heves that our fishing vessels have a right to
all ordinary commercial privileges in friendly
ports and that he hopes to be able to obtain
such an understanding as would relieve our
fishermen from all doubt in the exercise Of
their privileges.
MIR. George asked if Mr. Frye claimed that
we had right under the British municipal
laws to buy bait and ice in Canadian ports
and that that right had been denied.
Mr.. Frye said the Canadians, he under
stood, had yielded everything except that
right, yet that wa. the most important of all
Mr.. George then understood that the ques-
ton of right to bny bait and ice in dispute
between the two governments, which right
we were claiming purely under the British
municipal laws.
MIR. Morgan said if the President were in
formed that our right to buy bait and ice In
Canadian ports were denied he had nothing
to do but proclaim the suspension of all trade
between the two peoples until the question
was settled. In this view Mr. Morgan didn't
believe it Necessary for Congress to provide
for any joint commission to settle the ques-
ton.
Mr.. Evsrts, after reviewing the history of
the question at some length, said the matter
of buying ice and bait rested entirely on the
commercial basis on general trade rights
We didn't need TO look to any treaty bearing
on fisheries for our right to buy ice or bait in
Canadian ports. He (Evarts) would antici
pate no protracted insistance on the part of
the provinces against our enjoyment of
what is now the common possession of all
friendly nations. There was 10 support
whatever for the proclamation or warning
issued by the Canadian minister of marine.
There was in fact precluding of all foreign
vessels, whatever. from access to Canadian
ports tor any purpose of trade. In support
Of this statement Mr.. Evarts read the procla-
nation in full.) In conclusion he expressed
the hope that the harmonious relations that
should characterize cur intercourse with the
British provinces would soon be restored.
Mr.. Frye's resolution was then brought to
vote and agreed to; yeas 80. nays 10. OF
the affirmative votes, 26 were republican and
nine democratic; the democrats being Messrs.
Brown, Butler, Fair. German, Harris. Nc
Pherson, Maxey, Morgan, Payne. The res
oluton declares it to be the sense of the SEN
ate that Congress should not provide for any
joint commission to consider and settle the
fisheries questions.
The Interstate commerce bill was then
placed before the Senate in order that il
may have the right of way at 2 o'clock to-
morrow.
At 5.25 p. NJ. the Senate went into execu-
tive session and after Is minutes the door:
were reopened and the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
Almost the entire session of to-day was
taken up with ttbe Hurd-Romeis, Ohio con
tested election case. Speeches were made
by western members generally. but without
action the House at 5 o'clock adjourned.
Boiler Explosion.