The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-03-26

u
emergency now threatens the United
States. No one could have listened to
the debate in the secret session of the
Senate yesterday without experiencing
q feeling that whether war results from
the Boring sea controversy or not. the
Senators realize that not since the civil
war has this country trembled on the
verge of such crisis as at present con-
fronts US. And yet, with this knowledge
conceded, the Senate was brought face
to face with the still more serious situa-
tion that the United States is almost
totally unprepared TO defend itself
should hostilities be declared.
difference OF opinion in the COM
mittee on foreign relations was manifest
as soon as the proceedings of the secret
session began. AT q meeting of tho
committee held in the forenoon action
had been taken on the treaty, but the
secresy which attached to the decision
made its purport impossible to be known
until the committee made known the
result to the entire Senate. Then it
was found that two reports had been de-
cided upon. The majority report rec
commended the ratification of tho treaty
as it had been signed by Tho plenipoten-
tiaries, but proposed that the Senate
should adopt a resolution empowering
the President TO use all necessary means
to protect tho rights of the United
States at BeriDg sea. The minority re-
port opposed the ratification of the
treaty unless it containt d u clause re.
newing tho modus vivendi
Tho manner in which the secrets of
executive sessions become known is q
source of great annoyance to the Sena-
tors, and with tho Boring sea question
staring them in tho face, they spent
some time yesterday in trying to find
tho hidden channels through which the
newspapers obtain their inforuati
For the first time in the history of the
Government the officials who have been
allowed to remain within tho Senate
walls during tho secret sessions were
dire cted to retire. VIII IN the venerable
Captain BaSset, who for sixty three
years has boon in the service of tho
Senate, was compelled to leave tho
chamber there we're tears in his eyes.
The debate which followed this ex-
clusion touched in large degree upon
what some Senators called betrayal OF
secrets. There was Talk of an investi-
CATION, but no formal resolution to that
effect was presented, although consid-
cradle sentiment in favor of such a
course manifested itself. Those Sena.
tors who participated in and ren EN- bered
the futile results of the notorious
smelling committee" of two years ago.
of which Senator Dolph was chairman,
were nos ready, however, to repeat that
farce.
1t was not a fear of the threats made
by Senator Sherman and others, how
ever. that sealed with an unusual close
ness tie lips of the Senators yesterday.
They wero not, as was rumored, COM
PEELED to take an oath that they would
not divulgo the proceedings. The 40
peal made to them was upon higher
grounds. 1t was an appeal to their pa
triotism.
In other words, the Senators listened
yesterday to an honest statement of tho
utterly defenseloss position Of the
Unitcd States. They were pleaded
with not to let this expose OF the coun-
try 5 condition become known. IL was
too humiliating to bear repetition.
n tho Senate Senator Sherman, who
made the majority report, supported it
in an argument brstling with reasons
for the proposed action. He pointed to
the advantage that would accrue to tho
United States from diplomatic stand
point through our ready acQuiesccnce in
tho submission Of tho questions 1T issue
to arbitration, and showed how Great
Britain by refusal to consent to a
rene wal of the modus vivendi would DO
placed in an unenviable light before
the nations of the world as guilty of
double dealing AMI an improper purpose
in sancsioning the destruction of the
very subject Uf tho arbitration. Atten-
ton was also called to Lord Salisbury's
sarcastic allusion to tho fact that the
treaty had not yet been ratified.
MIR. Sherman was followed by Messrs
Morgan and Gray, of the committee,
who agreed with him that the Govern.
ment ought to protect its property pend
ing arbitration.
Messrs. Fry, Chandler, Teller, Butler,
Pugh and others were outspoken against
the treaty, stating that unless the treaty
provides for renewal of the modus vi.
vendi they would not vote for it, and If
the treaty failed for that reason they
were willing to abide the consequences
Senators from the several Southern
States gave utterance to earnest senti-
ments, and there was general express
sion that the United States could not
afford to treat Great Britain any differ.
emily from what it did Chilli, because of
any alleged superiority of its navy.
The report that the English squadron
had been ordered to proceed to Boring
Sea was mentioned and commented on
in this connection. There was no vio-
lence in the discussion at any time, it is
said. but deep earnestness born Of the
serious possibilities that confronted the
Senate.
There seems to be no doubt, notwith-
standing the defenseless condition of
this country, that the resolution pro.
posed by Mr.. Sherman will pass. 1t in
dorses the attitude assumed by the
President in the pending contention,