New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-01
FyECTTITE SESSIONS.

The senate or inc nll'u '7lhi'S nf"' VI -
own motion. revived and strengthened popular
interest in the general subject of secret sessions
and the specific arguments for aholShlng them
This result has already been achieved, ana II
is likely TO be all that the investigation now
going on will accomplish. Attempts Ike the
present one 10 ascertain by what means the
neNsnaners obtain facts formally and elaborate
" guarded by the upper house have often been
made and just as often have failed. n the
nature of things they must fail. and nobody
knows this better than the Senators themselves.
With due respect TO the august nature and
circumstances of such proceedings il may even
he srlrmised that life would be thereafter I'M
bearablc for any witness who. having been
summoned TO testify. should adopt course
calculated TO make them successful The pat
ent facts are that the business OF executive
sessions is constantly reported IN the dallF
press. that correspondents cannot see or near
through closed doors any better than sam
Weller could. and that the walls OF the Capitol
are not a vast natural photograph. always ready
10 become vocal at the turning OF crank. mo
inference which anybody except United
states senator would draw from these facts Is
that the notorious publicity OF executive Sos
>ions ought TO be praycriully considered III
executive session. And this reminds us OF
the correspondent who was asked one day by a
Senator. Just after adjournment what had been
done at the secret sitting and at once replied ;
Il don't think ought to tell YOU even in the
strictcst confidence, for hear il said that Sen
ators are drcadiully lcaky."
IT. happily. this description does not apply
-. ss..I :
Investigation. and failing, as matter OF course
and quite in accordance with their cXpecta-
tons to elicit any useful knowledge from the
faithful friends summoned before them, they
NAV possibly be able 20 accomplish feat which
was too much for the Roman Augurs, and look
each other in the face without laughing In
that case. how grateful the country would be
it, when they had discharged the task 10 which
they were appointed they should constitute
themselves an unofficial committee TO mrg"
upon the Senate the abrOgation of custom
which is moro honorcd in the breach than in
the Observance an argument proceeding
from such source would carry great weight.
and the discussion which would certainly cnsuc
could not fail 10 be instructive however IT re-
suited.
IL - NOT IN lnP lctNi Ni''' H'''''"
nature is what il is that the privilege of sccud
ing himself from the gaze Of the world for the
purpose Of becoming the halowcd depository
Of State secrets should capiyate the imagna
ton of a legislator and boguilc his common
sense il is greatly to their credit that some
eminent members Of the senate have risen SUI
pcrior 10 this fas ion and brought about At
various times an ST discussion of the qneS
ton on It's merit We are by no means disposed
TO say that the arguments are all on one side,
and that there never has been nor can be, i'll
any emergency. a sufficient reason for inyi0lable
secrecy But we do not suppose that the most
devoted servant Of tradition would contend that
in n vast majority of cases the real welfare
either Of individuals or of the country is pro-
NOTED by secret sessions. Moreover, If the
advantages of real as distinguished from pre-
tended secrecy were indiSputablc, il would be
all the more obVOuS that function which had
dcgcncratcd into farce was not worth main
| tanning in that condition. SO long as the in
| junction Of secrecy is vacated every day by in
| divdua choice. if not by common consent, it
will be difficult to convince the country that
an ancient custom ought to be preserved sim
ply because, by way Of contrast, il is occasion
ally made an object Of tender solicitudc and
Jealous defence.