The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-03-25

Washington, March 24-An agreement
was reached in executive session this af-
ternoon on an hour for voting on the
amendments to the general treaty of ar
bitration between the United States and
Great Britain, bat consent to an agree
ment for the final vote was refused.
AT ? o'clock next Wednesday afternoon
a vote win be taken on the amendments
and the treaty in it's then shape is to be
printed for the use of the senate the next
day.
At o'clock the Thursday following,
the vote is to be taken upon all amend
ments that may be offered in the mean
time. and this will be the last OF the
votes on the proposed amendments. From
that time the debate will proceed on
the treaty proper.
Senator Davis made a persistent effort
TO secure an agreement for an hour for
the final vote but was confronted with
objections that made such an agreement
impossible. 1t is thought, however, that
with all the amendments out of the way
the final vote cannot long be postponed.
What tEe ultimate outcome will be can
hardly be foreshadowed. The opponents
OF the treaty profess to nave the requl-
site 80 votes necessary to compass the
defeat Of the treaty and say they have
several of the new senators on their list.
The questions asked by these new SEN
ators indicate lively interest in the con-
vention. and q determination to under
stand the subject thoroughly before cast
ing their votes. 1t would not come as a
surprise TO the committee to have the
treaty rejected.
Senator Morgan took the floor imme-
diately after the doors were closed. and
spoke for an hour or more in advocacy
of the Chiffon amendment, reiterating.
however, his opposition to the treaty as
a whole. The Chiffon amendments. as
has been stated in these dispatches,
make very important change in the
tenor of the first article of the treaty.
Under that article. both the contracting
parties agree to submit to arbitration I'M
der this general treaty 'ail questions in
difference between them which they fail
TO adjust by diplomatic negotiation.
Mr.. ChiltonS amendment modifieS this
reading so as 10 make it read that the
United States agrees to submit all ques-
tions which the senate (Which is part of
our treaty power) shall decide to be sub
jects 1T for arbitration.
The members of the committee and
senators opposed to any amendments
other than those made by the committee
contend that this is the only construc-
ton that can be placed upon the text
of the treaty, and for that reason they
hold that the amendment is unnecessary.
The advocates of the Chiffon amendment
contend, on the other hand. that if the
strict construction be placed upon the
text by the senate and the committee, no
harm can come from the adoption of an
amendment that makes plain what now
appears to be somewhat doubtful. II was
also stated today that the comments OF
committee amendments, which were
agreed to the other day, make it
imperatively the duty of the senate to so
frame the treaty that there can be no
possible doubt about the intention of the
senate
Mr. Morgan was one of these He
thought the Chiffon amendment essen
tial and vital. If the treaty was to be
ratified, he wanted it safeguarded in
every possible manner. and warned the
senate that however it might be pro-
Iected. Great Britain would find a loop
hole through which that government
would evade her duties under that in
strument. If her interests demanded that
she SO escape them.
Mr.. Morgan was replied to by Mr..
Lodge. who declared his belief that the
treaty as reported to the senate was am
ply protective for the United States gov
eminent. To further amend it would be
to complcate the language of the con- /
in favor of arbitration as principle and |
eulogistic of the pending treaty as a !
proper expression of the extent to which !
this government was ready to go in thar |
direction.
Chairman Davis and Senator Hoar also I
spoke briefly in advocacy of the treaty |
as amended by the committee ano |
against the amendment DfU-,useu by the
senator from Texas.
Mr. Spooner insisted that the Chiffon |
Was not ill-timed. for ii made 1
clear what appeared to be the admitted |
intention of the senate. Mr.. Thurston |
was of the same view.
The debates showed that some of the !
best lawyers in, the senate thought that |
the Chiffon amendment should prevail.
Mr.. Davis, tomorrow, will move an
other executive session at as early an |
hour as possible. for the purpose of adj
mittin@ discussion on several amend
ments that have not yet been formally