The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-09
VIGOROUS ATTACK ON A VETO.
THE SENATE OVERRIDES 1T WITH
ONLY ONE NEGATIVE VOTE.

Spent in Secret Session Consider
ing tho AnEIO-American Arbitra-
ton Treaty-aIr. Hill Declares tbe
secret Session Absurd in View of
the Fact That the Treaty Has Al
ready Been Published.
Washington, Feb. Specifically the
whole of to-day's session of the Senate
took place behind closed doors, the ques-
fion under consideration being the Anglo
American arbitration treaty.
During the morning hour, before the
motion to proceed to executive business
was made by Mr.. Sherman. chairman of
the committee on foreign relations, the
Senate INDUCED in an exhibition of its ut
ter disregard of the reasons assigned by
President Cleveland for Withholding his
approval from a bill passed by both
houses. 1t was a bill creating a new
judicial district in Texas. The Unit
ed States judge, district attorney. mar
shall and clerk had reported to the de-
partment of justice that the proposed leg
islation was not only not necessary, but
that it would be a serious interruption to
the business of the court, and on that
report the President had acted in Vetoing
the bill He was roundly taken to task
ny MI Mills, ueHli Oh lSNdSs LOT ldNlilS
consulted those officials instead of consult
ing the two senators and thirteen repre-
sentatves from the state of Texas. Re
markably enough. however, Mr.. Hoar,
rep, of Massachusetts, found very
strong. good and honest reasons" for the
Presidents action, but still favored the
bill in the interest of the people living
in the counties embraced within the new
district, and when it came to the yea and
nay vote there was only one senator (Mr.
Caffery, dem, of Louisiana) recorded
against the bill, while there were fifty
seven senators voting to pass it, notwith-
standing the Presidents action.
A concurrent resolution for the with
drawal of a bill from the President on
account of the discovery of a substantial
mistake in it, led Mr.. Hill, dem, of New
York, to question the constitutionality of
such proposition; and the matter went
over for further consideration.
In accordance with his notice. Mr. Sher-
man moved an executive session a few
minutes after ! O'Clock, at the conclusion
of the morning business, and the doors
We're closed for the consideration of the
arbitration treaty with Great Britain. Mr..
Hill at once made motion that the doors
be opened and the debate proceed in the
! presence of the public He laid some
stress upon the righteousness of a secret
1
was in possession of the public, not only
the text, but the amendments proposed
by the committee, which were published
in full. despite the refusal of the Senate
| to remove the injunction of secrecy there
| from.
The motion was antagonized, not only
| upon parliamentary grounds, but for the
| reason that it would be against public
policy for such proceedings to be permit
Mr.. Gray of Delaware was the first
| speaker to antagonize the motion of the
| senator from New York.
senator Gray s was followed by Senator ii,.
| wise opposed the motion of Senator Hill.
| Both these members of the foreign rela-
| tons committee took the broad grounds
that such proceeding was against the es-
| tablished precedents of the Senate and il
| 1t was agreed to, could only lead to ill re-
I suits Treaties were solemn cOmpacts with
| other powers, and whatever was said in
| the consideration of their merits or de-
| merits ought to be said behind closed
| ought not to be in public places, where
| the heat of debate might lead TO the ut
| terance of sentiments that might be pre-
| judicial to the friendliness now existing
| between the two nations.
! In the course of his remarks, Mr.. Lodge
said that so far as his personal interests
| were concerned. he would favor an open
| session, for the reason that 1t would ena-
| Bile him to show his constituents and the
| country Just what he desired with respect
| to this treaty; but when he considered the
| subject from the standpoint of what was
| best for the country he saw very clearly
| that a closed session was not only desir-
able but imperative. Open doors meant
| endless debate, and what he wanted was
! action. He did not wish to see this treaty
| debated to death. As amended and report
| ed to the Senate he favored it, and desired
! that such a course might be pursued as
1 would lead to its ratification by the Sen
| ate.
| committee, also antagonized the motion of
| Mr. Hill. He began his speech with the
| statement that he supposed an immediate
| vote would be taken, but fifteen minutes
| after this statement was made there was
| no indication of an approaching conclu-
| sion of the speech of the senator from
| Alabama Mr. Morgan took grounds
| similar to those upon which the preceding
| speakers had stood.
| Senator Stewart of Nevada, made a Wig
/ orous speech in favor of an open session.
| While he did not say so in words. the
| inference was drawn from his remarks
| that he desired such a session for the rea-
son that il would be conducive to the de-
feat of the treaty.
Mr. Hill again took the floor and made a
| brief speech in favor of his motion, and
was replied to by Mr.. Sherman, who made
| a final appeal to the senators not TO open
| the doors on such an important matter
| as was now before the Senate.
| The vote was then taken and resulted
| I'm an overwhelming majority against pub
1 lie debate. The votes cast in favor of an
| open session were by Messrs. Brown of
Utah. Hill of New York, Lindsay of Ken
| lucky, PETER of Kansas, Roach of North
| Dekota, Stewart of Nevada, Tilman OF
South Carolina, and Teller of Colorado.
| The consideration of the treaty on its
| merits was then begun and lasted until
| 5:25 o'clock, when the Senate adjourned
until tomorrow.