The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-02-14
TREATY WON'T GO THROUGH.
IT'S RATIFICATION At THIS SESSION
IMPROBABLE.

OF It's Opponents Who Voted
For the Amendmcnt-In the Execu-
tive Session OF the senate Mr.. Wills
Attacks the Principle Involved in
the Treaty.
Washington. Feb 13.-The meeting OF the
Senate committee on foreign relations this
morning made it apparent that no agree
ment could be reached on the general
treaty of arbitration with Great Britain
that would bring the oontending factions
either in committee or in the Senate to-
gether. While Senator Sherman was not
told so in exact words the inference to
be drawn from what Senators Morgan,
Daniel and Cameron said was that under
no circumstances could this treaty be rat
ified at the present session of the Senate.
1t is believed that with the executive
session of this afternoon Senator Sher-
man will cease to press consideration Of
the convention and permit other legls-
lative business to have the right of way.
After an hour and half the commit
tee this morning framed an amendment
along the lines indicated in the dispatches
of the Southern Associated Press. Ii is
based upon an amendment of which Mr..
Morgan gave notice, and puts into Ian
guage the Interpretation placed upon the
convention by Europe. 1t provides that
all subjects 10 be submitted to arbitration
under the general treaty must be submit
ted after the manner and in the form
provided for the submission and ratitica-
ton of treaties originally. This removed
objections aimed at the treaty by Mr..
Morgan and others to the effect that the
submission Of all subjects to arbitration
under the treaty as now worded would be
LETT entirely to the President II IL IS
amended as suggested by the committees
action of this morning, only such matters
as have been agreed to by the fun treaty
m a Af ha a
President and Senate acting jointly-can
be submitted to arbitration. The power
10 negotiate and conclude treaties in
Great Britain is lodged entirely in the
crown and is exercised for the crown by
the premier. There has been no sugges-
ton that the British treaty making pow
treaty, and Mr.. Turpie's contention was
that in like manner the full treaty making
power of the United States was to sit in
judgment upon all subjects that were
sought TO be taken before this high tri-
bunal of arbitration The senate did not
agree with Mr.. Turpie in his intefpreta-
ton, but found the easiest way 70 a pos
sible solution of the problem confronting
It, in giving expression TO that interpreted
ton in the text of the convention.
The action OF the commiutee in
adopting the amendment did not
bring about harmony. on the con-
trary, the more the whole subject was as
cussed, the more eVeident it became that
the differences were irreCOncilable. MeSSrs.
Morgan, Daniel Mills and Cameron refus-
ed to consider the treaty in a favorable
light, even after they had voted for the
amendment. They opposed the convention
on general grounds, ana SAID II was m
possible for them TO believe that the
country would be benefited by its ratih-
cation at the present time, at least. They
refused TO listen TO the pleading of Mr.
Sherman and his associates, and declined
TO even admit that the amendment had
accomplished what had been sought.
The committee adjourned with the ma
jority feeling anything but comfortable
over the outlook. Mr.. Sherman notified
his colleagues that he should move an
executive session early in the day for the
purpose Of testing the sense of the Sen
ate, and animated, as he did on the floor
last evening that if there was no posi-
bility of a speedy vote, he would not fur
ther press the consideration of the treaty.
Mr. Sherman made his demand for an
executive session few minutes after the
Senate convened, refusing to yield to any
thing but the most routine of the morn
ing business.
Early in the executive session Mr.
chandler offered an amendment to the
convention in the shape of an additional
article, which is in fact a declaration. II
STATES that Dotn the contracting parties
IN making this treaty do il for the pur-
pose or enunciating their belief in the
principle of international arbitration, and
TO bring about, if possible. the policy of
general disarmament among the nations
1t is further declared that each of the
contracting parties express their wiling
ness and intention of making similar
treaties with other nations, including not
only those that are strong and able to de-
TEND themselves and who have large mil
ltary establishments, but also with the
smaller families of nations with whom diff
ferences, similar to those covered by this
treaty, might arise.
Mr.. Teller of Colorado was one of the
nrst speakers. He advocated the post
ponement of the consideration of the treaty
until after the 4th of March, when the
senate would be in extra session with am
pie time to look into the instrument
The debate of the afternoon revolved
aabout question of the proper interpreta-
htr fha f4
tee in its new amendment, which pro-
vides that all matters for arbitration
snail flrst be submitted to the Senate for
It's approval. What was meant by the
word approval was the question generally
asked, and to which no satisfactory an
swer appears to have been given. There
was also a wide difference of opinion
among the senators as to whether under
THIS amendment such approval would
by majority only. Some contended that
tnasmuch as the whole congress had to
appropriate the money to meet the ex-
penses of the arbitration the congress
might have voice in the settlement of
the matters to be submitted.
There was no regular debate on this
subject. 1t consisted entirely of questions
and cross-questions with absolutely no
conclusion being reached. Senators Gray
Turple, Lodge, sherman, Daniel, Davis
Lindsay, Caffery and Hoar participated.
Mr. Caffery, who, to-day for the first time
discussed the treaty, came out strongly
for 1t, and advocated its speedy ratifca-
Mr.. Mills finally got the floor and made
the only set speech of the day. Mr.. Mills
is at all times an impetuous and vehement
speaker He was unusually free to-day,
and being unrestrained by the galleries he
unbosomed himself in a way that left no
doubt about the depth Of his opposition
20 the treaty. He opposed 1t on general
grounds, for the reason that it not only
went too far, but was bad in principle
He did not believe IL right that this Sem
ate should by any general arrangement
restrict the power Of the Senate TO act in
the future whenever treaties came before
II. There were but few things, MIR. Mills
said, that ought ever 10 be submitted to
arbitration, and about the only thing he
could recall was the question of pecuniary
claims. Questions involving the life, the
integrity, the development of nation;
matters Affecting the honor of the nation,
Its flag and the protection of its citizens
should never be arbitrated. nation that
had any standing among the peoples of
the earth ought ever TO be ready to pro-
tect Its territory, to uphold Its honor and
defend its citizens wherever they might
be, against the oppression of the FOREIGNER
and the tyranny Of other governments
War was frequently justihable and that
was one reason why he did not believe the
United States should bind itself In any
general treaty OF arbitration. The United
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