The San Francisco call., 1897-03-26
SESSION
ON ARBITRATION
Senators Engage in Debate
Over Amendments to
the Treaty.
Chiffon Insists That This Coun.
try Shall Settle Certain
Disputes.
In Future the United States Must Not
b Charged With Violating
Treaty Obligations.

WASHINGTON, D. c., March 25.-The
Senate spent two hours and forty minutes
in discussing in secret session the pend
ing amendments to the arbitration treaty.
No special progress was made toward the
final result. Before taking UP that mat
ter the question of acting on the appoint
ment of Senators by Governors OF States
where the State Legislatures should have
elected Senators came up in the case OF
John A. Henderson, appointed by the
Governor of Florida TO fill the vacancy
caused by the expiration of the term OF
Senator Call on the Sd of March.
Hoar (R.) of Massachusetts,, as ranking
memb Der OF the Committee on Privileges
and Elections (there being vacancy in
the chairmanshipl explained that he had
not called a meeting of that committee on
account of the numerous vacancies upon
it; and that was the reason why no action
had been taken in the matter of these ap-
pointments, and he indicated his hope
that very soon the vacancies on all the
standing committees would be filled.
Henderson's credentials were referred
to the Committee on Privileges and Eiec-
tions.
After the executive session the bank
ruptcy bill was taken up and read in full,
and then Nelson of Minnesota offered a
substitute for it which was also read in
full. The reading of the two bills occu-
pied an hour and twenty minutes, and
when it was finished the Senate at 4:20
adjourned until tomorrow.
The debate on the arbitration treaty
this afternoon was of short duration.
Chiffon spoke for almost an hour on his
amendment to tie first article, which
amends that article so as to provide that
only such matters shall be submitted to
arbitration as the Senate then in existence
may deem proper Tor arbitration.
Chiffon advocated his amend ment with
great deal OF warmth, and contended
that ii, as had been asserted, the terms of
the treaty were interpreted as meaning
this, there could be no good objection
raised to the insertion of words that made
that Interpretation unmistakable 1t was
In the interest of clearness and should be
accepted as such by all friends of the
treaty. Without his modification, Chiffon
said, the United States might in the future
be charged with violating it's treaty obi.
cations II it refused to submit certain
questions to arbitration when they arose
| as matters of difference between the two
COUHlIleS. ne QtQ not want fle united
States to be placed in an EN- barrassing DO
sition OF this kind, and deemed it the part
OF prudence to make The text of the con-
ventlon so perfectly plain that there could
be no squibbling over what it meant or
what the Senate had in mind when the
treaty was agreed to, if it should be
agreed to. The debates were secret, and
in the future the cold, hard text of the
treaty will alone be accepted as the ex-
preston of what was intended when the
convention was ratihed and proclaimed TO
the world.
Morgan again spoke in favor of the
amendment and took the occasion to ex-
press his displeasure at any proposed
treaty with Great Britain that had tor its
purpose any general scheme OF arbitra-
ilon. The whole thing is a snare, a pit
fall, but If there were sufficient votes in
the Senate 10 rally the convention
Morgan said be wanted it made as
as nearly perfect as possible.
Gray and Lodge questioned Chiffon
tending to show that his conclusions
were erroneous. They also injected state.
m6nts IN support OF the committee amend
ments which had been agreed to as being
sufficient to cover every possible criticism
that could be made against the treaty.
Gray took the floor in opposition to the
Chiffon amendment after Morgan had
concluded. but on desiring to go On to-day
the Senate came out of executive session
and resumed the consideration of Iegis.
lative business.