The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-02-16

Washington, Feb. 15.-In the senate to-
day, house bill to prevent forest fires on
the public domain was passed and a
resolution requesting the president to
transmit copies of correspondence with
the German empire in reference to
American insurance companies was intro
duced.
The joint resolution declaring the Clay
ton-Bulwer treaty abrogated was laid be-
fore the senate and Mr.. Morgan spoke
upon it. Before he had finished his first
sentence, he was interrupted by point
of order raised by Mr.. Sherman (Rep.
Ohio that a joint resolution cannot be
taken up in the morning hour except on
regular motion, and the chair decided
that the point was well taken.
Several efforts were made to secure
unanimous consent for Mr.. Morgan to
proceed, but Mr.. Sherman objected every
time.
resolution. and to the surprise of every
one, it prevailed by the close vote of 81
to 81.
Mr.. Morgan was proceeding to discuss
the resolution when Mr.. Hoar suggested
that the subject was executive session
business and the vice-president directed
the sergeant-at-arms to clear the gal
lerieS and close the doors. Mr.. Morgan
had succeeded in side-tracking the gen.
eral arbitration treaty and his action
in calling up the Clayton-Bulwer resolu-
tiOn IN open session created quite Il SELL
sation in the senate The discussion was
continued in secret session.
Immediately after the closing of the
doors. Mr.. Morgan took the floor and
began a speech in favor of his resolution.
He went over the past history of Great
Britain in connection with that treaty.
and showed that on several occasions that
government had committed acts in vio-
lation of the terms of that treaty. He
contended that, despite the opinion of
various secretaries of state. the treaty
was null and void by the very acts OF
one of the contracting powers. and the
proper time had now arrived for the
United States to officially take notice of
what had been done and abrogate the
treaty.
At 2 O'Clock. while Mr.. Morgan was still
speaking on his resolution the matter was
laid aside and the senate went into regu-
lar executive session business for the con-
sideration of the nominations on the
calendar
The doors were opened at 1855 and legis-
lative business was resumed. the bank
ruptcy bill coming up as the unfinished
business.
The senate substitute for the bill was
read in full and a substitute for the 10
sections was offered by Mr.. Nelson Rep
Mimi. 1t was not read. The bill was
A conference report on the senate bill
to provide time and places for holding
terms of the United States courts in Utah
was presented and agreed to. The
house amendments are concurred in.
A conference report on the legislative.
executive and judicial appropriation bill
was presented and agreed to.
A conference was ordered on the agri-
cultural bill
The private pension bills on the cal
endar. numbering "a, were taken up and
passed.
Mr.. Quay Rep. Pa.) gave. notice that
on Thursday next he would move to
take uD house bill authorizing the ap
pointment of a, non-partisan commission
to collect information and consider and
recommend legislation to meet the prob
lem presented by labor, agriculture and
capital.
Senate bill for the revision and codifica-
ton of the criminal and penal laws of the
United States was passed.
At 5:15 p. m the senate adjourned until
tomorrow