The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-02-09
Senate in Secret Session TO
Consider Arbitration.
REFUSAL TO ADMIT PUBLIC.
Advocates OF the Treaty Consider Ii
fs Certain of Ratification. bat IL
VIII Be Amended Re-
fatfag to Alaska Boundary Not
sceeptahle-sherma VIII Insist
That the senate Take TIP the
Question and SIT La Out.

WASHINGTON. Fee s-The Anglo
American arbitration treaty was under
consideration BY the senate from o'eloc <
20 SD today. The entire proceeding was
In executive session. and consequently
behind closed doors The first half oF yhe
session was spent in debating a motion
introduced by Hill To consider the treaty
in open session. and the most animated
part OF the days proceedings was based
upon this matter. The debate was oaar-
acteriEed by several sharp passages at
arms between the author Of the motion
and Morgan. Lodge and Sherman. the
three last named conteuding strenuously
for the Observance Of the senatorial GUS
tom or secrecy in dealing with the treaty.
II WAS stated il was the wish OF the sd-
ministrstion that the public should be
excluded from the debates
The only vote OF the day was secured on
the Htll motion. which was defeated.
showing only nine for IL and forty nine
against. The negative vote vas cast by
two gold Democrats. Hill and Lindsay /;
two silver Democrats. Roach and Till
man: two independent silver Republicans.
Teller and Pettigrew: TWO Fopulists.
PETER and Stewart. and one straight Re
publican. Brown. This vas not consld-
cred as In any respect test vote, as
there are known TO be many senators op-
posed 10 the treaty who did not favoT q
departure from the ordinary practice OF
the senate. Stiu. the friends Of the treaty
believe sufficient strength was developed
as 10 the attitude OF the senators 10 JUS
tify the conclusion that the treaty IL Ger
tain OF ratification. II IL can be brought
TO a vote. 1t is claimed the straight ke-
publican vote Is solidly favorable 10 rat
ification. and that fraction at least oi
all the other elements will be found IN
that column when the vote Is announced
l. Ia, ant al
treaty would stand no chance without the
committee amendments.
The supporters OF the agreement are not
so sanguine of early action as OF TaNoF-
able result when vote Is secured. A quite
determined spirit OF delay Was made man
ifest and when Sherman expressed the
hope that consideration could be concluded
at another sitting, Teller told him frankly
that he would be disappointed in this re-
spect, intimating that several more ses-
sions would be necessary 10 the complete
consideration of a matter Of Importance so
great and 50 far-reaching In its results.
With the Hiil motion disposed OF. the
senate took up the treaty upon ITS merits
sherman, chairman OF the committee on
foreign relations. spoke for about an hour
making strong plea for the ratification
of the treaty, which he urged was the real
izaticn of a dream which had long been
cherished in the United States.
Morgan replied TO sherman, speaking in
opposition 10 the treaty. His argument
was largely constitutional In tendency.
He dweit with special emphasis upon It's
sweeping character. claiming that in dele
eating TO the president the right 20 deter
mine for this country the circumstances
under which arbitration shall be Tesorted
to. ii robbed congress OF A prcrogative es-
pecially conferred upon it.
Morgan was speaking when the senate
adjourned. His and Shermans were the
only set speeches made. but there were
many other brief utterances.
Intimations were given Of several amend
merts other than those proposed by the
COMMITTEES on foreign relations. among
others one definitely Withdrawing the
Alaskan boundary as a subject or arbi-
tration. and another modifying the clause
In regaIA 20 the arbitration OF claims af-
fectiug the various states, which some re-
gard as unconstitutional in IFS present
shape Sherman gave notice that he would
ask the senate 10 take up the question to-
morrow and 'to sit il out"