The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-03-25
TREATYS FATE HARD TO TELL.
COMMITTEE WOULDN'T BE SUR
PRISED AT ITS DEFEAT.

vote 10 lie Taken Next Wednesday
on the Amendments Then Pending.
Amendments OHered Subsequent
TO That Time to he Voted on the
Next Day-The Final Vote Not
Likely to he Long Postponed After
the Amendments Are ont of the
way.
Washington March 2i.-An agreement
was reached in executive session this aft
ernoon on an hour for voting on the amend-
ments TO the general 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 viii be taken on
the amendments then pending and the
treaty IN It's then shape is to be printed
for the use Of the Senate the next day. At
4 o'clock of Thursday following. the vote
is to be taken upon all amendments that
may be offered in the meantime and this
will be the last Of the votes on the pro-
posed amendments. From that time the
debate win proceed on the treaty proper.
Senator Davis made a persistent effort
to secure an agreement for an hour for
the final vote, but was confronted with
objections that made such an agreement
impossible. II is thought, however, that
with all the amendments out of the way,
the final vote cannot long be postponed.
What the ultimate outcome will be can
hardly be foreshadowed. The opponents
of the treaty profess TO have the requisite
thirty votes necessary to compass the de-
feat of the treaty, and say they have sew
eral of the new senators on their list.
The questions asked by these new sena-
tors indicate a lively interest in the con-
ventlon. and a determination TO under
stand the subject thoroughly before cast
ing their votes. IL would not come a a
surprise to the committee to have the
treaty rejected.
Senator Morgan took the floor imme-
diately after the doors were closed and
spoke for an hour or more in advocacy OF
the Chiffon amendment, reterating, how
ever, his opposition to the treaty as
whole The Chiffon amendment, makes
very important change In the tenor Of
the first article of the treaty. Under that
article both the contracting parties agree
to submit to arbitration under this general
treaty, "all questions in difference be-
tween them which they may fail TO adjust
by diplomatic negotiation" MIR. Chtltons
amendment modihes this reading so as to
agrees to submit all questions which the
Senate (Which is part of our treaty-mak-
ing power shall decide to be subjects 1T
for arbitration"
The members OF the committee and sem
ators 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
amendment is unnecessary.
The advocates of the Chiffon amend
ment contend on the other hand, that IL
this is the construction placed upon the
text by the Senate and the committee, no
harm can come from the adoption OF an
amendment that makes plain what now
appears TO be somewhat doubtful.
II was also stated to-day that the COM
ments of the English press, with respect
to the committee amendments, which
were agreed to the other day, make 1t
mperatively the duty OF the Senate to so
frame the treaty that there can be TO
possible doubt about the intention of the
Senate.
Mr.. Morgan was one OF these. He
thought the Chiffon amendment essential
and vital. If the treaty was to be rati-
fled, he wanted 1t safeguarded In every
possible manner and warned the Senate
that however Il might be protected, Great
Britain would find a loophole through
which that government would evade her
duties under that instrument II her in
terests demanded that she so escape them.
Mr.. Morgan was replied to by Mr..
Lodge, who declared his belief that the
treaty, as reported to the Senate, was
amply protective for the United states
government. To further amend 1t. would
but compcate the language of the con-
vention. Mr. Lodge made a short speech
IN favor Of arbitration as a principle, and
eulogstic Of the pending treaty as a prop
er expression of the extent to which
this government was ready to go In that
direction.
Chairman Davis and Mr.. Hoar also
spoke briefly in advocacy of the treaty
as amended by the committee and against
the amendment proposed my the senator
from Texas.
Mr.. Spooner one OF the new men, In
sisted that the Chiffon amendment was
not ill-timed, for the reason that II 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 opinion
that the Chiffon amendment should pre-
vail
Mr.. Davis will tomorrow move another
executive session, at as early an hour
as possible, for the purpose of permitting
discussion on several amendments that
have uot vcf boqn formally submitted.