Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-04-03
THE TREATY DEBATE.
Two important Amendments Adopted
by Senate in Executive Session.
One Exempis Claims Against Southern States
Other Cuts Out Article 8.

! Washington. April 1.-The Senate
| Thursday. In executive session cohciaoe y
, the arbitration treaty. The voting on me
| amendments began at o'clock. aiter
| three hours of general debate, ana IN the
| hour and n half which followed about q
, dozen propositions were passed on. Iwo
| only We're adopted. except some niahlls
| verbal changes. OF those adopted, one
offered by Senator Bacon, exempts the
, claims against the Southern states from
| the operations of the treaty, and the otner
| introduced by Senator Morgan. eliminates
| article s of the treaty.
! Much of the debate of the day turned
upon these amendments. Their support
| ers contended that under the constitution
state claims could not be made the SUD
| ject of negotiations under treaty; Inc
point was also made that the claims
against the Southern states were con-
tracted during the period of re-construc-
| ton and were not legal obligations. IL
was held on the other hand that under
the amendments already adopted 1t would
be impossible to hold the Southern claims
subject to the treaty. Senator'S Gray
and Lindsay presented the latter view.
Many of the amendments voted down
were directed to putting limitations upon
the first article. Senator Buffers amend
mcnt Is II fair specimen of the others Of
fered on this article. He moved to ada
the words treaty or convention to the
article. making II provide for the SUBJ
| mission to arbitrate of all questions In
difference incapable of settlement by dip
Mr. Butler explained his purpose to be
TO avoid construction of the language
of the treaty as. 1t now stands. which
would permit the settlement OF all inter-
national disputes by diplomatic negotia-
tons and saying that Wiifui Chtef
Executive might refuse to bring any In
tornational controversy to the attention
of the Senate for its cooperation. unless
the clause should be MODIFIED in some
such manner as his amendment provided.
When the point was made that this was
strained construction the North Caro-
lima senator called attention to the claim
set up for Mr. Cleveland in the matter
of Cuban independence that the power
of recognition rested exclusively with the
Executive. He warned the Senate against
leaving any opening for the extension of
Executive power.
An interesting incident Of session was
Senator Chambers refusal To agree TO "A
final vote on the treaty. today. He called
attention to The Associated Press dis
patches in regard to the situation in Crete.
ard said that he did not feel disposed to
enter into negotiations with any power
whose guns were trained upon COM
munity of Christians struggling 10 throw
OFF the yoke of Moslemism. He also spoke
of England's conduct towards the Beers
of the Transvaal as deserving of condem-
nation and cause for hesitation in the
present negotiations. He said he would
probably vote for the treaty. but that he
was not in the mood for IL, today.
Senator Hale ridiculed this show as
sentimental. He said that Englands re
lations to other Powers were not involved
in the negotiations OF the United States
with England. and contended that In in
ternational issues IL was necessary to
take broad grounds and that it was some
times necessary for nations to adopt poll
teal policies which would not suit every
mans opinions or conform to our views
of what is proper and right in individual
conduct. No day was tixcd for a final
vote.