Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-25
THE PEACE PACT.
FINAL VOTE THEREON REGARDED
AS NOT FAR OFF.
THE Chiffon AMENDMENT.
Mr. Morgan Speaks at Length on
This Proposition-Notes on Amend
meuts IN Re Taken wednesday and
Thursday Next.

WASHINGTON, ~ tr NiaiNH -
An agreement was reached I'm executive
session this afternoon on an hour for
voting on the amendments to the gene
raj treaty OF arbitration between the
United States and Great Britain, but
consent to an agreement for the final
vote was refused At O'Clock next
Wednesday the vote will be taken on the
amendments then pending, and the treaty
in its then shape is to be printed for the
use Of the Senate the next day. At 4
O'Clock on Thursday following the vote
is to be taken upon all amendments that
may be offered in the mean time. and
this will be the last Of the votes on pro-
posed amendments. From that time the
debate will proceed on the treaty proper.
Senator Davis made a persistent ef-
fort to secure an agreement for an hour
for the final vote. but was confronted
with objections that made such an agree
ment impossible. 1t is thought. how
ever. that. with all amendments out Of
the way, the final vote cannot long be
postponed.
What the ultimate outcome will be
ponents of the treaty profess to have
the requisite thirty votes necessary to
compass the defeat of the treaty and
say they have several of the new sena-
tors on their list The questions asked
by these new senators indicate lively
interest In the convention, and an en-
deavor 10 understand the situation tho
roughly before casting their votes 1t
would not come as a surprise TO the com
mittee to have the treaty rejected.
Chiffon AMENDMENT
Senator Morgan took the floor as soon
as the doors were closed and spoke FOR
an hour or more i'm advocacy Of the Chill
ton amendment reiterating, however, his
opposition TO the treaty as a whole. The
Chiffon amendment makes very import
ant change i'm the tenor of the first article
of the treaty Under that article both the
contracting parties agree to submit 10 ar
bitratiOn under this general treaty "all
questions I'm difference between the Powers
they may fail to adjust by diplomatic ne
gotiation." Mr. Chilton's amendment
modifes this reading so as TO make 1t
read that the United States agrees 70
submit all questions which the Senate
(Which IS part of our treaty-making
power shall decide 10 be fit subjects Tor
arbitration
The members Of the committee and sena-
tors opposed TO any amendments other
than those made by the committee con-
tend that this IS the only construction
that can be placed upon the text OF the
treaty. and for that reason they hold that
the amendment is unnecessary. The advo-
cafes of the Chiffon amendment contend
on the other hand. that If this is the con-
struction placed upon the text by the Sem
ate and the committee no harm can come
from the adoption Of an amendment that
makes plain what now appears 20 be some
what doubtful.
II was also stated to-day that the COM
ments of the English press with respect
10 the committee amendments which were
agreed to the other day make 1t impera-
tivelv the duty of the Senate 70 so frame
the treaty that there can be no possible
doubt about the intention Of the Senate.
Mr. Morgan thought the Chiffon amend
ment essential and valuable If the treaty
was 10 be ratified. ne wanted it safeguard
ed i'm every possible manner and warned
the Senate that however ii might be pro-
tected Great Britain would find loop
hole through which that government
would evade her duties under that instru-
ment. If her interests demanded that she
so escape them.
LODGE ANSWERS MORGAN
Mr. Morgan was replied TO by MT
Lodge. who declared his belief that the
treaty was amply protected. as reported.
Further amendments would but compli-
cate the language. Of the convention.
Mr.. Lodge made a snort speech in favor
of arbitration. as a principle and eu-
logistic of the pending treaty as a pro
per expression Of the extent to which
this government was ready to go in that
direction.
Mr.. Spooner. one Of the new men, in
sisted that the Chiffon amendment was
not ill-timed. for the reason that 1t made
clear what appeared to be the admitted
intention Of the Senate. Mr. Thurston
was Of the same view.
The debate showed that some Of the
best lawyers in the Senate were Of the
oninion that the Chiffon amendment
should prevail.
Mr. Davis viii tomorrow move another
executive session at as early an hour
as possible. for the purpose Of permitting
discussion on the several amendmCnts
that have not been yet formally sub
mitted.