New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-14
crNATORS SEEK FOR LIGHT.
-, THE FOREIGN RELATIONS CON-
v1rTEE GETS INTO TROUBLE.

80
,.srD THE CUBAN BELLIGERENcY REso-
,,-r1oSs TURNS OFT TO BE LETTER
FROM SENIOR DE LONE ON TIE MILL
rARY SITUATION IN THE ISLAND.
fry TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.1
washington, March 13.-The successive attacks
.as within the last Few days on the Senate
r.ra,gn Relations Committee and its Cuban
.,cv seem to have thrown the leading members
,, that committee into a state of decided con-
.,s,on and bewderment. Yesterday. In his
.,snt anxiety to defend the committees action
=. rsnorting the resolutions Of February rs. Mr.
ss.rman let drop the rather sweeping statement
nat the committee through Mr.. Lodge. had had
..cess to secret information in the State Depart
..r, and had also received and considered
.,nadential communication from Secretary Olney
,e,ore making its decision to grant belligerent
tights 10 the Cuban insurgents.
natural curiosity was aroused to know the
..rre and contents Of this letter from the Sec
.,srv and an effort would doubtless have been
\ ,,.de to-day to unearth the mysterious informa-
,,on which justified the committees vote had not
wr Lodge this morning soon as the Senate
met promptly taken the floor 10 correct some
~radvertences" in Mr.. Sherman's statements.
The communication from Secretary Olney turned
~, 70 be according to Mr. Lodges explanation
.,mnIv an incosure of letter from the Spanish
Minister, giving his views on the military situa-
ton IN Cuba. How an unpublished statement
from Senior Dupuy de LONE could have served as
basis on which TO rest declaration in favor
~ recognizing Cuban belligerency passes the
average understanding.
Naturally. when Mr.. Hoar and Mr.. Wocott
.sked for some light on the contents Of this mys-
terious communication. Mr.. Sherman took refuge
behind the suggestion that It could be divulged
onlv In executive session 1t will undoubtedly
he the committees programme from now on to
continue the discussion Of the Cuban resolutions
behind closed doors, where hostile criticism Will
he harmless to expose further the committees 3
vac,rations end Inconsistencies. The debate In
the Senate to-day was incidental and brief. and
the conference report was not itself formally
taken I'D for consideration.
Mr. LODGES EXPLANATION.
Immediately after the reading Of the journal
Mr. Lodge Rep. Mass) called attention to an
Incidental statement made yesterday by Senator
Sherman as TO communication which he (Mr
Lodge) was supposed to have had from the Secre-
tary OF State. and to private papers which he
was supposed to have received concerning az
fairs in Cuba. The statement Of the Senator
from Ohio was. Mr.. Lodge sad an unintentional
error He had had no communication with Mr.
Olney. and had received from him no private
papers The paper referred TO was full state
ment from the Spanish Minister. giving the Span
!sh side Of the question. and which was sent 10
the committee from the State Department. and
was read to the full committee by one Of its men,
bers Mr.. Frye CRep., Me) The reading OF these
papers. Mr. Lodge said. had been confidential
hv ha Sens from
Ohio simply by inadvertence.
~ Mr. Sherman now recalled the fact that the
paper 10 which he had referred had come from
the State Department at the request OF the COM
mittee. and had been .uly read by the Senator
from Maine.
Mr. Hoar Rep Mass) commented on these
disclosures as presenting a remarkable condi-'
S.on OF affairs, and asked whether the papers re-
ferred to ought not to be laid before the Senate.
Certainly in executive session. said Mr..
Sherman.
"An right" said Mr. Hoar; "let the Senator
from Ohio move an executive session"
Mr. Wolcott Rep., Cold suggested that the
Senate found itself in an unusual dilemma. II 1t
were essential Che did not think 1t was) that Con-
gress should act on the question Of Cuban bel
lgerency, the Senate was confronted with the
position Of having TO vote on questions Of fact
on testimony reposing in the breasts OF the MEM
bers Of the Committee on Foreign Relations
alone-testimony which they could not divulge
to the public and could divulge only in executive
session Then the resolution had TO go TO the
House, where there was no executive sc sion, and
where the facts could never be known. The
members Of that body were absolutely without
knowledge OF a single one Of the facts which the
Committee on Foreign Relations had considered,
and on which 1t would have TO vote for or
ags INST belligerency. He would be glad TO have
explained to him whether or not Senators were
expected to yield their own judgment and con-
science and to follow the opinion 0ntelligently
formed, no doubO Of the Committee Foreign
Relations. based upon information which could
not DO divulged
Mr. Hale Rep.. Me- called for the regular
order Of business.
Mr. Hawley Rep. Comm expressed hope that
there might be some declaration prepared by the
Committee on Foreign Relations in which all
Senator's could join with satisfaction. and he
said that he would at the proper time move TO
insist upon the Senates disagreement TO the
House substitute for the Cuban resolution and
ask for a further conference.