Semi-weekly register. (Brookings, Brookings Co., S.D.) 1894-1898, 1897-05-08
LACKED -FOUR VOTES
Senate Declines to Ratify the
Anglo American Arbi-
tration Treaty.
Vote Was 43 to 20, Less Than
the Necessary Constitu-
tional Majority.
Debate Preceding the Vote of
a Short but Very Spir-
tied Nature.

WASHINGTON, May 6.-The senate,
by the vote of "a to 26, refused to ratify
the general arbitration treaty between
the United States and Great Britain
negotiated by Secretary Olney and Sir
Julian Pauncefote. The rules of the
senate require majority of two.thirds
for the ratification of treaties. Hence
four more affirmative votes would have
been required to secure favorable re.
suit. The vote in detail was as follows:
Yeas Allison, Bacon, Burrows, CAT
fiery, Clay, Cullom, Davis, Deboe, Fair
banks, Faulkner, Foraker, Frye, Gallin-
ger, Gear, Gray, Hale, Hanna, Hawley,
Hoar, Lindsay, Lodge, Mcbride, McEnery,
Mcmillan, Mitchell, Morrill,, Nelson,
Pasco, Perkins, Platt (Conn. }, Platt IN.
W, Pritchard, Proctor Smith, Spooner,
Thurston, Turpie, Vest, Walthall, War
rem, Wellington, Wetmore, Wilson'S.
Nays - Baker Bate, Butler, Carter,
Cockrell, Daniel, Hansbrough Harris
(Kan. }, Harris (Tenn.) Heitfeld, Jones
(Ark.) }, Jones (Nev.), Kyle, Martin, Ma
son, Mills, Morgan, Penrose, Pettigrew,
Pettus, Quay, Rawlins, Roach, Shoup,
Stewart, White-26.
A total of 50 votes was cast, leaving
10 senators who did not respond.
Mills Attacks the Treaty.
The vote was preceded by a short,
spirited debate, introduced by Senator
Mills TEX. }, who made strong APP
peal to the senate against ratifying the
agreement. He asserted that, as
amended, the document was most OBJ
jectionable, not to say contradictory,
in terms. He pointed out especially
the provisions for the settlement Of
controversies in regard to territorial
claims. The first article of the treaty
declared against their inclusion, and
the sixth and eighth articles made pro-
vision for them. He held that as long
as these articles remained unchanged,
England justly could claim that ques-
tions of territorial rights were still in
cluded within the scope of the treaty.
He spoke of the conduct of England in
connection with the Greco Turkish
war and implored the senate to protect
the United States against the proposed
alliance.
Carter Objects to Postponement.
The speech made visible impression
and the opinion was general that the
treaty should be amended so as to REM
edy the inconsistency explained. Sem
ator Tillman asked that time be given
for such amendment. Owing, how
ever, to the fact that the senate was
under agreement to vote at o'clock
there could be no postponement except
by unanimous consent. Senator Car.
ter, who from the first has been one Of
the most active and effective opponents
of the treaty, interposed objection. He
advised the senate to let we'll enough
alone. Senator Hoar replied briefly,
going over the general agreement in
favor of the treaty and contending es-
pecially that the objection of inconsis-
tency in regard to territorial claims
was not we'll founded The remainder
of the debate was of running charac-
ter. The vote was then taken, result
ing as given above.
Reasons for It's Defeat.
some seudUOrS WHO were recorded
among the yeas spoke quite openly of
Objectionable features, confessing that
they had cast their votes in the affirma.
tive in Difference to public opinion.
Senator Davis, chairman of the COM
mittee on foreign relations, declined to
express an opinion for publication, but
talked freely with his friends. To
1n <,ih h,.% %nl lof1
feeling of dissatisfaction at England's
course in the struggle of the Greeks to
iberate the Island of Crete from Otto
man dominion and in the Armenian
massacres and with the "evident" de-
signs of Great Britain upon the Trans
vaal. At the conclusion of the pro-
ceedings, all Of which were in execu-
tive session the senate refused to An.