The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-03-25
No Date Yet Fixed for
/. Final Action on 1t.
Compromise Effected With
Opponents of Treaty.
Senator Hoar's Plan 10 Vote on
Amendments Was Agreed to.

Washington. March 25.-The senate
session lasted only half an hour yester-
day, and no business was done beyond
the introduction Of bills. Among these
was one by Mr.. Allen (Pop.. Neb.) to re-
peal the civil service laws and TO do
Sway with educational tests as pre-
liminary to entering the public service.
Mr.. Hoar.i tRep., Mass.) presented
bill prohibiting yitascope and kindred
exhibitions OF prize fights in the District
! OF Columbia and the territories. and for
! bidding the shipment of pictures for
these exhibits by mail or through any
interstate means. The bill is aimed
| against vitascope exhibitions OF the
recent Carson fight, although general in
! Its provisions.
In executive session, Senator Davis,
chairman OF the senate committee on for
| eign relations, made determined effort
10 secure unanimous consent To fix day
| when the final vote should be taken on
the arbitration treaty. but only sue
ceded 10 the extent of securing an agree
ment'to time for vote on the miscel-
laneous amendments. Considerable
| time was spent i'm contention over the
effort to secure a time for a vote, and il
| vas only after decided controversy that
| the opponents OF ratification agreed TO
| date for voting on the amendments.
/ They based their opposition on the fact
! that there were good many absentees
| whom they considered IL desirable to
| have in the senate when the vote should
| be taken.
| The understanding as TO the vote on
! the amendments was reached on a plan
that the general discussion on amend
r.ents shall continue until o'clock
| on Wednesday of next week, when vote
is to be taken on those which may be
pending at that time; that I'm case any
| of the amendments are agreed TO, the
treaty as amended shall be printed and
returned TO the senate, and shall still
be opened to amendment, but that the
be open TO amendments, but that the
final vote on the amendments shall be
taken at o'clock the following day,
Thursday.
The main debate of the day was upon
the Chiffon amendment, providing for
submitting all agreements for arbitra-
ton. made under the treaty. to the sem
ate for its approval before entering
upon a course OF settlement. Senator
Morgan supported the amendment. He
announced himself as opposed 10 the
treaty in any shape, but said that IL ii
was TO be ratified at all, the amendment
should by all means be accepted; other
wise the treaty would be subversive of
some Of our most cherished American
ideas.
Senator Lodge made a strong plea for
the treaty without further amendment.
He said that while always a warm ad-
vocate of the principles of arbitration,
he had from the first contended for
amendments which would render the
treaty acceptable to the American pub
lie. He felt satisfied, he said, that the
notifications made I'm committee had
accomplished completely this purpose,
and that the document, as amended, was
one that would commend itself to every
supporter of peaceful methods for the
agreement of disputes, and every friend
OF humanity.
He thought no other amendments were
M cessary He also held that the COM
mittee amendments would, in effect, re-
quire the submission of all agreements
uncer the treaty, to the senate.
Senator'S Davis and Hoar made
brief speeches practically taking the
same ground. II was apparent during
the session that the friends of the treaty
hold that the committee amendment
will accomplish, though in more dip
lomatic phraseology. the end sought &c
be attained by the Chiffon amendment
Several senators, among them Messrs
Thurston and Spooner, asked If this were
the case, why II should not be explicitly
stated as In the Chiffon provision. The!
advanced the idea that the adoption O
this language might have the effect O
preventing future MISUNDERSTANDING.
| aHUENNNtlrNuS