Evening star., 1898-01-11
AGAINST OPEN SESSIONS
The Hawaiian Treaty to Be Discussed Be
hind Closed Doors.
AnneNatiOnIsts Now Claim Fifty-Nfne
EcteS. Lacking Only One of the
Number Necessary to Ratify.

III iHr tAttullNe session OF inc senate
yesterday afternoon after the disposal of
the routine morning business the entire
remainder o. the days session. except the
time given II confirmation of nominations
was devoted to the consideration of the
question to whether the Hawaiian treaty
should he considered in open session or be-
f:Dd closed doors in executive sees on. After
a debate of almost two hours upon this 20; MT
an informal vote was taken. the ayes and
noes not being demanded. The decision VS.
overwhelmingly against an open session.
The motion fer open sessions was made
by Senator Gray of Delaware who pre-
sented his reasons in speech of about five
minutes length. urging that the question
was one Of public concern, Involving no
entangling complications with other ma
tiCns and one which it was therefore emf
nently proper should be considered before
the pIblic gaze.
Senator Davis replied to MIR. Gray con-
tending for the Observance of precedents
In this matter. and objectfng quite strenu-
ously though in calm and moderate Ian
GRACE. to the proposition that the Senate
should take the public into its confidence
III considering the treaty. He tCok issue
with Mr.. Gray on the proposition that
there were no general questions involved
affect ng our dipl- matte relations with other
countries. and predicted that the discus
sion would take d wide range before it's
conclusion.
Speeches in favor of the Gray resolution
were made by SeTatCIs Caffery, White
Mason and Morrill,. and in opposition by
Senators Morgan, Hoar. Spooner and
others.
Senator Morgan was the principal op-
ponent OF the Gray proposition. He talked
at length upon the Importance of observing
the Senate rules in discussing this dues-
ton. contending that as the Senate was
acting only IN an advisory capacity to the
Nslf he on o.r of ha1 fois n
for it TO throw open the doors to the pub
lie. He said that no would think of
asking the President and the cabinet to
take Up treaty in the presence of the
general pubic. and he contended that for
this reason the obligation of secrecy was
greater upon the Senate than it would be
upon the executive branch of the govern
ment.
POSITION to open sessions referred to the
probability that the action of the European
powers ill their evident purpose of parti-
tIoning the territory of China would form
the basis of much of the debate on the
question of Hawaiian annexation. All who
referred to this phase of the question man.
nt stcd disposition to regard it as deli
cate and complicated one, and one which It
were better should be ventilated behind
closed doors It was also intimated that
the Monroe doctrine would core III for d
fair share of discussion before the close of
the debate. and it was asserted that this
was a question which could he more freely
discussed in executive than in open session.
Senator White was among those who re-
Piled to these statements. He spoke spir-
itedly and in sarcastic vein of the folly
of attempting TO keep executive secrets
within the control of the Senate. He made
reply to the suggestion that the control
of the publicity in regard to treaties should
be left to the executive. saying that the
Treaty itself had been made public, as had
also the Presidents message upon the
subject Senator Morrill, contended that
the question of annexation was one of
much public interest, and said that on
this account the public should be fully
informed of the reasons for and against
annexation. He spoke very briefly.
Senator Mason took advantage of the
opportunity to make speech directed gen
orally against executive sessions. He an
nOunced his intention to support the mo-
ton for an open session, and said that he
would take advantage of all such open
the senatorial rule for secret sessions. He
asserted shat the rule was out of date, out
of keeping with the progressive tendency
of the times. moss grown and obsolete,
and argued that it should be abolished
If, as many people believed, the Senate
was out of sympathy with the public, the
requirement of the discussion of so many
important questions in executive session
was. more than any other reason. re-
spJnsibe for this condition of affairs. He
hoped that not only the Hawaiian treaty,
but all other questions in which the pub
lie was interested, would be discussed in
the presence of the American public.
Senator Davis announced his purpose to
call UP the treaty again today and press
Il as rapidly as possible.
The aTnexa florists now claim - votes
for the treaty. lacking cnly of the
number to ratify it. On the other hand.
the opposition say the ratifiers will fall
short from to votes.