Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-03-30
DULL, SPIR|TLESS DEBATE
On the Arbitration Treaty by
Senators.
FINAL VOTE THIS WEEK
Is What Chairman Davis Hopes for-House
Still Wrestling With the Tarif-Re-
lief for Flood Sufferers.

Washington, March 29.-The senate to-
day spent about an hour in open session.
and about two hours and half in secred
session discussing the arbitration treaty.
During the open session a remonstrance
against the treaty was presented from
the Monroe doctrine club of Philadelphia,
which characterizes it as "craftily con-
trived to advance the interests of Eng
land and to coerce the United States into
the adoption of a reciprocity treaty with
Canada"
Mr.. Morgan presented his minority re-.
port in the Pacific railroad matter, which
was ordered printed. -.,-
Mr.. Hoar reported from the judicial
committee a bill to prohibit the produc-
tion in the District of Columbia and
territories by kaleidoscope or kindred de-
vices, of pugilistic encounters and fights;
and it was placed on the calendar.
Mr.. Caffery, from the committee on
commerce. reported joint resolution APP
propriating $250,000 to be made imme-
diately available, for the Improvement
of the Mississippi from the head of the
passes to the mouth of the Ohio river.
The sum is to be taken out of the $2,500,-
600 appropriated in the last river and
harbor bill. The preamble states that
the expenditure is necessary to relieve
the flood sufferers and to preserve the
lives and property of citizens and the
government works on the river. The
joint resolution was passed. '--
Mr.. Allen, populist. of Nebraska, Of
fered a resolution declaring that the con-
gress is not possessed of constitutional
power 10 impose taxes on articles of daily
consumption by the people, for the ex-
press and avoWed purpose of increasing
the private fortunes of any class of its
citizens at the expense of the masses.
The resolution was laid on the table, Mr..
Allen stating that he desired to speak on
1t tomorrow.
Mr.. Pettigrew, silver, of South Dakota,
offered a resolution which was agreed to,
calling on the civil service commission
for a statement of the reasons why Ia
borers and workmen in the government
printing Office and in other departments
of the government are required to sub
nit themselves to competitive examina-
tion, contrary to the provisions of the
civil service law.
Mr.. Berry, democrat of Arkansas, from
the committee on public lands, reported,
and the senate passed bill to approve
a compromise and settlement between
the United States and the state of Ar
kansas.
The bill approves and gives the full
effect of law to the compromise and set
tlement effected Feb. 23, 1895, between
Secretaries Carlisle and Smith and Gov.
Clarke, of Arkansas, in regard to debts
due from Arkansas to the United States
and claims of the state against the
United States. The agreement is to
the effect, that upon the payment by the
state of Arkansas to the United States
of the sum of $572 in money and the pay
ment of 100 81. 200 bonds of the state held
by the United Stat tes, the state to pay in
all the sum of $160,572 all claims and de-
mands of the United States against the
state of Arkansas and all claims of the
state against the United States are to be
cancelled and finally settled
iWaehington March 29.-IThe debate on
the arbitration treaty in the senate to-
day was dull and spiIitless and of short
duration. Mr. Bacon. of Georgia, spoke
in favor of such amendments to the con-
vention as should effectualy eliminate
certain questions from arbitration under
the terms of the treaty. He thought it
was essential to either adopt the amend
ment of Mr.. Chiffon, which leaves the
senate to act upon and approve any and
all propositions proposed to be submitted
to arbitration or to eliminate the great
questions involving the Monroe docrine
matters of foreign or domestic policy
and kindred subjeots,e by name. Three
denied that Lord Salisbury would be
justified in rejecting the treaty, as was
reported in some of the press dispatches.
If it were so amended or If it were made
applicable to pecuniary claims only. He
would be stopped from such rejection by
his own attitude when the treaty was be-
time insisted that only such matters
should be included
Senator Turpie. of Indiana, followed in
a brief speech in advocacy of the ratif-
cation of the treaty as 1T stood with the
committee amendments which have here
tofore been agreed to. These, he be-
lieved, covered every point that has been
made in criticism of the instrument and
protected the United States completely.
The vote on the various amendments
1.nxr ~ hA keIr
Wednesday afternoon at o'clock. and If
amy anne ndments are subsequently offered
the vote on them is TO be taken the next
day at O'Clock. After that no amend
ments are to be received, and the debate
will be directed against the treaty as
amended by these votes. Chairman Davis
hopes to get the final vote this week
At 3:15, Immediately at the close of the
executive session, the senate adjourned
until tomorrow.