Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-02-10
WHERE Is THE LEAK?
,ToRs CONCERNED ABoUr Es-
c,pr OF EXECUTIVE SECRETS.
THE ARBITRA1I0N TREATY.
=. VIII Probably lie Kept Under
con,i6cration for some Time--Pro-
.cd Amendments Nicaragua
caral-CIayton-Bu Treaty-Etc

,,ral-CIayton-Bu Treaty-Etc
WASHINGTON. d. c.. February s.-For
..I..s. half Of the four and half hours
rs senate was IN secret session to-day
.. urass reports Of Yesterdays session
,.-, hc subject of discussion. Senators
, indignant that after they had
,..f so overwhelmingly that the doors
st,l be closed. the facts as they oc-
,I u the chamber should be per-
rrtl 90 reach the public.
rs. discussion was precipitated i'm
m ,ely after the consideration of a few
,.~aauons by Mr. Vests asking if the
.y was TO be considered in executive
ear. and adding that II it was. IL
would bo ~ell FOX the Senate to ascertain
D. t rasny was IN secret session.
N- Vest continued to comment rather
sr-as.caly upon the light that had
i.r thrown upon the proceedings. but
admitted the accuracy of the press re-
- The discussion waXed warm. and
vs. nrt.cpated I'm by Senators Hill.
p.ch Hoar. Gallinger, Hale, Teller
Stewart and others
T..r. was an intimation that officers
.r-.. Senate had been guilty Of violation
of .te rules by giving away executive se-
r..s but this was combated, notably by
1rr Hi who said that everybody knew
th.t executive matters were told by
Senator's and no one else. The discussion
disclosed the fact that senators recog-
uzel the accuracy Of the newspaper re-
ports. and had made up their minds to
stop the leak. il possible There was
some talk OF appointing a committee TO
investigate the subject after the fashion
o. the committee appointed several years
ago. which resulted in the dismissal Of an
executive clerk. charged with having told
raWsnoper-men executive secrets. but
against whom no evidence had been Sc
cured. Some senators took the ground
that such a proceeding would have no
beneficial result. and the debate finally
cllmel down. after some OF the older
senator's sc0lded their junior brethren for
The supposed offence of talking about
things which We're forbidden.
The men who had made the fight yester-
day for an open session found in the
subject under discussion additional rea-
sons why their motion should prevail
anl urged the Senate TO reconsider the
subject but this was not done.
OPPOSITION TO SECRECY.
Mr. Teller declared his opposition 10
the secret performance in which the Sen
Gta was engaging The country. he said,
was interested in the arbitration treaty.
The text Of that treaty, with the amend
n.rfs. had been made public. and the
people were talking about il. They had
been pettioning Congress to ratify the
treaty. II there were good reasons why
tre treaty should be ratified. they were
entitled TO know them and if senators had
reasons for voting against the treaty the
public ought 10 be permitted to know
which senators took such action. The at
tempt al secrecy was a mockery. and
Nr Teller said ne did not believe the
senate could maintain IT,
Af-er the discussion had ceased seve-
r.I amendments were offered. and with
oar being read. went oyer 10 be printed
Srator Morgan had several, and Senator
Stewart. OF Nevada. sent a handful to
r-. Clerks desk There will be innu-
merable amendments before the discussion
is over.
Conservative senators to-day said that
r was apparent this debate was 10 be
kent up for some time. and the chances
were that no action could pe hau uhul
after the 4th OF MaSch. From the 4th or
March until the extra session is con-
vrr the Senate will be in session con-
sfafng the nominations, and If the
t-.ar rv has not been disposed OF by that
time 70 will probably be discussed every
d.v To viii not be withdrawn by MT.
Mckinley. and Mr.. Sherman. as secretary
q. State VIII be as jealous IN securing lts
ratification as he now is as senator IN
charge of the convention.
THE TREATY PROPER.
is was late i'm the afternoon when the
discussion was turned 10 the treaty pro-
rtr Mr. Stewart made short speech
ae.irst the instrument. and repeated some
of the arguments he advanced yesterday
when discussing the motion 10 open the
DOORS In brief Mr. Stewart believes IL
1 aa "a good thing 10 reject the treaty,
because Great Britain wants H. lie ls
suspicious OF that country. and beheVes
that her intentions are not what they
plrport 10 be.
senator Morgan consumed the re-
uaIrier of the afternoon i'm a continue
ton of bis speech begun yesterday. The
Il..c.r0ns are that he will not conclude
f0r several days He read freely TINS
afternoon from the reports Of the state
Department. and Of the Senate Committee
cr tle Nlcaraguan Canal. and the cay
t.u-EuIuer treaty. and quoted copiously
from the State Department correspond
once with our ministers abroad on the
same subject. Mr.. Morgan said IT Woulo
he necessary for this government before
binding itself en- a general treaty OF arDi-
trat9n 20 settle the question or the
vitality OF the Clayton -Bulwer treaty
all s.ertain in what light Great Britain
views that ancient and much discussed
convention. which Mr Morgan CONTENDS
ought never TO have been negotiated out
once negotiated, ought never 20 have Deen
ratified by the Senate. He then onered
tn amendment providing for the aDroga
Ton of the Clayton-Bulwer treaty anu
advocated 10 az some length.
Mr Morgan has always been opposed
10 OBJ. treaty. and to-day he said the
conditions lhat appeared 10 make II ne
caary when 10 was agreed 10 no longer
existed. The treaty was obsolete, ana
t1 ar ns Er were concerned, unnecessary
although Great Britain would seize every
opportunity to make 10 answer her puT-
inees iic called attention 10 the lact
that whenever Congress had discusseu
ite proposed construction Of the Mica
relan canal. this treaty had been USED
as club 20 stop the United States
There could bc no doubt, Mr. Morgan
fH That Great Britain would make ms
general treaty OF arbitration serve her
e. ass she had the Clayton-BulWer
treaty
BRITISH AGGRESSIONS.
in the further course Of mis- speech
Nr Morgan called attention TO the az
f Ions OF Great Britain in the MOS
QUITO country al Belize, etc. TO snow
itt sne had time and again violated the
provisions OF that compact. and by her
Violations practically nullihed the treaty
United States had never taken
0h..a tlou, and no time was so op-