The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-04-02
ARBITRATION TREATY DEBATE.
Several amendments Discussed. but
Only Two Adopted.

WASHINGTON. April 1.-The Senate to-
day In executive session concluded its con-
sideration of all amendments 10 the arbi-
tration treaty The voting on additional
amendments began at 4 O'Clock. after three
hours Of general debate. and in the
hour and a half which followed
about a dozen propositions were passed on
Two only were adopted. except some maxi
ing verbal changes. OF those adopted one.
offered by Senator Bacon. exempts the
claims against Southern States from the
operations OF the treaty and the other. in
PRODUCED by Senator Morgan, eliminates
Article $ OF the treaty. Much of the debate
OF the day turned on these amendments.
Their supporters contended hat under the
Constitution state claims could not be made
subject of negotiation under a treaty. The
point was also made that the claims against
the Southern States were contracted during
the period of reconstruction and were not
legitimate obligations. IL was held. on the
other hand, that under the amendment al
ready adopted it would be impossible to
hold the Southern claims subject to the
treaty. Senators Gray and Lindsay pre-
scented the latter view. Many of the amend
ments voted down were directed 10 putting
limitations on the first article PROPOSE
tons of this character were made Dy SEN
ators Butler, Chiffon and Bacon. and all
were rejected by the uniform majority OF
nve This was the result OF a precoacerted
move TO sustain the on Foreign
relations, which took a position against
further amending this article
specimen of others offered 10 this article.
He moved TO add the words treaty or con-
xention to the article, making II preNlde
Tor the submission 10 arbitration or af
questions in difference incapable of settle
ment by diplomatic negotiation. treaty OF
convention. Mr.. Butler explained his pur-
pose 10 ne 10 avoid "A construction of tha
language of the treaty as IL now stands,
which would permit the settlement of all
international disputes by diplomatic nego-
tiations, any saying that a willful chief ex-
ecutive might refuse 10 bring any Internal
Slonai c3ntroversy 20 .ne a,eehuoh . me
clause should be modified i'm some manner
as his amendment provided. When the
point was made that this was a strained
construction, the North Carolina senator
called attention to the claim set up for Mr..
Cleveland in the matter OF cuban independ-
exclusively with the executive. He warned
the Senate against leaving any openings
for the extension OF executive power.
Senator Chambers refusal to agree to a
final vote on the treaty to-day. He called
attention to the dispatches in regard TO the
situation i'm Crete. and said hat he did not
feel disposed to enter into negotiations with
any power whose guns were trained on a
community of Christians struggling to
throw off the yoke of Moslemism- He also
spoke of England's conduct towards the
Beers of the Transvaal as deserving OF con-
demnation and a cause for hesitation in the
present negotiations. He said he would
probably in the end vote for the treaty. but
that he was not I'm the mood for IL to-day.
Senator Hale ridiculed this view as sem
timental. He said that England's relations
TO other powers. We're not involved In the
negotiations of the United States with Eng
land and commended that in international
affairs il was necessary 10 take broad
grounds. and also that IL was sometimes
necessary for nations to adopt policies
which would not suit every mans opinions
or conform 10 our views of what Is proper
and right I'm individual conduct. No day
was fixed for a final vote.