New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-02-10
SENATOR'S ARE INDIGNANT
THEY WANT TO KNOW HOW THEIR
SECRET" PROCEEDINGS LEAK OUT.
HOT DEBATE PRECrPITATED AND AN UNsUc.
CEssFUL SEARCH FOR a sCAPEGoAT MADE
SECOND DAYS DEBATE Of THE AR
BITRATION TREATY - MANY
PROPOSED.

AMENDMENTS PROPOSED.
! Washington Feb 9-For at least half ~ thu
four and a half hours that the Senate in
secret session to-day the press reports Of yester-
DAYS session were the subject Of discussion.
Senators were Indignant that after they had voted
50 overwhelmingly that the doors should be
closed the facts as they occurred in the chamber
should be permitted to reach the public.
The discussion precipitated Immediately
after the consideration Of a few nominations by
Mr. Vest. asking if the treaty was to be consic-
cred in executive session, and adding that IL Il
was If would be well for the Senate to ascer-
tain If it really in secret session. Mr..
Vest continued to comment rather sarcastcally
on the light that had been thrown on the pro-
ceedings but admitted the accuracy Of the press
reports. The discussion waxed warm. and was
participated I'm by Senator'S Hin, Pugh. Hoar,
GaUinger Hale, Teller, Stewart and others
There was an intmation that officers Of the
Senate had been guilty Of violation OF The rules
by giving away executive secrets but this was
conhated. notably 10y Mr.. Hill. who said that
everybody knew executive matters were told
bv Senators. and no one else The discussion
disclcsed the fact that Senators recognized the
accuracy OF the newspaper reports. and had
made I'D their minds 10 stop the leak II pos
sibe There was some talk % appointing a
committee 10 investigate the subject. after the
fashion Of the committee appointed several
wears ago, which resulted In the dismissal Of
executive clerk charged with having disclosed
executive secrets to newspaper men. but
against whom no evidence had been secured.
Some Senators took the ground that such
proceeding would have - beneficial result. and
the debate finally Gained down after some Of
the older Senators had scolded their junior
brethren for the supposed offence OF talking
about things which were forbidden.
The men who had made the fight yesterday
for an open session found In the subject under
discussion additional reasons why their mo-
ton should prevail. ard urged the Senate TO
reconsider the subject but this not done.
Mr. Teller declared his opposition 10 the secret
performance In which the Senate was engaging
The country he said. was interested in the ar
bitration treaty The tcxt of that treaty with
the amendments had been made public. and the
people were talking about II. They had been
petitloning Congress TO ratify the treaty. II
there were good reasons why the treaty should
be ratified they were entitled 10 know them. and
II Senators had reasons for voting against the
treaty the public ought to be permitted TO
know why Senator'S took such action. The at
tempt al secrecy was a mockery and Mr. Teller
said he did not believe the Senate could main
tain IT,
4 FLOOD OF AMENDMENTS
After this discussion had ceased several
amendments were offered. and. without being
read, went to be printed Senator Morgan
had several and Senator Stew art, Of Nevada,