The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-01-11
THE TREATY INTHE N
FRIENDS or HAWAIIAN lNNEIh-
TON GREATLY ENCOURA4ED.
They Hind Tnnt Thss Are IN n Iarre Majority
ana vVithin Two or Three or the Necessary
Two-thtrds Vote - The Senate REFUSES
to Dincuan the Treaty In Omen ee-~,ou.

They Find Tnnt ThsS Are IN n large Majority
ana Within Two or Three or the Necessary
Two-thirds Vote - The Senate REFUSES
to Discuss the Treaty in Opeu Session.
WARRINGTON. Jan. 10.-Advocates of Ha.
waiian annexation drew first blood to-day in
the Senate in the preliminary skirmish Of the
fight for ratification Of tho treaty submitted by
President Mckinley last summer. The con-
test will continue for several days. and per-
haps for several weeks, but the result of to-day's
proceedings behind tho closed doors OF tho
executive session indicates quito clearly that
a change Is taking place in the minds OF the
Senators, and that in tho ond tho friends Of
the treaty may prevail. At the first holiday
session they were induced to forego their In
tsntion Of having the treaty discussed and a vote
taken by the strong opposition to annexation
that made itself felt on both sides Of the cham
Dor. They had practically decided. therefore,
to abandon the treaty and pass the Morgan
Annexation bill instead. as that would require
moroly q majority vote. Tho intervening
time has been utilized by the friends Of tho
treaty for argument with its opponents, and
opportunity has been afforded tho latter to
study tho question and to become informed Of
tho sentiment of their constituents.
The result Is that O poll of the Senate taken to-
day showed the supporters of ratification to be
In o large majority. Indeed, they confidently
assert now that they command within two or
three votes Of tho two.thirds necessary to rati.
f~ication. There aro at present eighty nine
Senators, and sixty votes will therefore be re-
quired to ratify the treaty. and of this num-
Der 1t Is said that Hfty-seven to flfty.nino are
already assured. 1t is not known when q vote
can be taken, as 1t is impossible to determine
what time tho debate win take place or how
long 1t will last.
At today's executive session the treaty itself
WINS not under diScussiOn. hnt during the three
Pettigrew to open tho doors during the debate
on the question OF ratification, the merits OF the
Pcttigrew's motion was eventually lost by a
taken. The supporters Of open session, who
were as a rule opponents Of the treaty, didnot
S wiser i Hst tb for a. 8 ID asS for and q sht tRsS 3, I hands pe woa{S
have been to reveal tho growing weakness OF
Senators PettiErew and White were the prin.
cipal speakers to-day in favor Of open doors.
and Morgan, Gallery. Gray and others argued
tom Of tho Senate Of debating ali treaties in the
secrecy OF executive session. Senator Morgan
made one Of the most effective speeches he eyer
delivered In the Senate, and 1t was remarkable
also as being tho most brief Morgan speech on
record. Generally the erudite Alabama Sena-
minutes, but he was full Of his subject and said
The st opini SsHt that hn 'a al treaties seStS si@ should hp pr eaeTGs'sSs Be
discussed In secret session, owing to the deli
cate questions OF international policy, not only
Of America, but of other Governments as well,
that must necessarily DO referred to, and closed
with an entirely new and somewhat striking
argument for closing the doors. The Senate
custom should be followed, he said, with regard
to the present treaty. for the one reason. II mono
other, that the Senators who should speak and
30 much like felons II the crime of killing tho
treaty should bot committed that they would
not care to have their conduct known to the
world.
The friends of the treaty claim to-day that
their poll Of the Senate shows. that all of the
Senator Morrill,. will vote for ratification, to.
gether with the silver Republicans. except Mr..
Populists and six or seven Democratic, includ.
ing Senator Germans, Morgan, Pettus. Money
and Rawiins.