The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1898-01-11
ADVERSE DECISION nearly UAARIH0lsI
Diplomatic Relations Might BaS Gomp!les.;
ted BY Consideration IN Open Ssssla
jealousy OF Japan n Factor 90 nss
Kcekoned with-Apparsnt Es,Ess
pose OF European Nations 40 PaEtisSl
tion China May Figure Prominan
~ in the Debate sennt 81 = MASON j
Takes Ground Against Exeentiye8
Sessions. S.
Wash,nrton = = - !, 4 ! i s'4 3 g, oa,

y
washington, D. c. Jan. 10, 1881 ssass sss
In accordance with his jprevfousf
notice, Senator Davis, chad r11fsan OF fIls 4
senate Committee on Foreign Relags
tions, brought UP the subject OF & 4t]lie 4
ratification Of the Hawaiian y ann
ton treaty In the Senate today. HisF
motion was made soon after fhe ID Is ss s
posh OF the routine morning business
and the entire remadneIr OF the days
session, except the time given to con 4,
iirmation OF nominations, was devoted
'to the consideration OF the ques ton as /
70 whether the treaty should he con
sldered IN open session or behind closed AZ
doors IN executive session. "a Afters agGe Est
pate or almost two hours IS upon /. .tifi nj
point, an Informal vote WIS taken, lie b
ayes and noes not being demand ed dsS
Ihe decision was overwhelmingIy5
against an open session. Il SiSSs
Ille motion for open sessions mad s
py senator Gray, Of Delaware. .asWl5oE
presented his reasons In o. speech 81
about five minutes length; urging that I,
the question was one OF public con-
Germ, involving no erItang Ing complt US
6ifaons with other nations and 8 one 4
which 1t was therefore et1inently prop- IS
er should be considered before the pub sSi
lie gaze S '97E5is y q ar
Senator Davis replied to MI GrSaay Ne
contending for the observance OF Or res e
cedents In this matter and ubjectfn y
qufte strenuously, though In calm and y
moderate language, to the prcposItiDai II
mat the Senate should take the publioH5
into its confidence IN 81 congid deTg s.
Ing the treaty 4. I'D He took
issue with Mr.. Gray en- the propo 81 ttonss
thnt there were no general ques tons &
involved affecting our diplomatic u re-
iNtlons with other countries, ,S and pre r .gs
dicted that the discussion would TAI
wide range before Its conclusio of,: q 4! f;S !:Ss
SPeeches In favor of the Gray reso=
luton were made by Senators CaffereYt
White, Mason and Morrill, and In I % : S.! 81
position by Senators Morgan, IIosr. rssl .SS
Spooner and others. ss3 e ss9 n
Senator Morgan was the princip paIS
opponent OF the Gray proposit:o n. S IIeS
talked at length upon the importanca#
of observing the Senate rules III dis.$l
cussing this question, contending thaf$%
as the Senate was acting only ms a "
ADVISORY capacity to the Executives Sfts
would be an act of bad faith for liz III IL
throw open the doors to the public. n. ss'
Most OF the Senators who spoke EIIifSg
opposition TO open sessions referred TON
the probability that the action of thesSs
european powers In their evident purss
pose Oh partltioning the territory 3 of h
China would form the basis OF n,,1,aiIssf
OF the debate on the question of 49, .ssss
Waiian annexation. ii All who refa ri b
TO this phase of the question ma d f5.SS.s
rested disposition to regard It n q ~
delicate and complicated one and zones
which IT were better should he ~ en-
tiated behind closed doors. III! 81: wa i5;s u &
also intlmated that the Monroe docas
trine would come in for q fair shar
of discussion before the close of . fhaE
debate, and II was asserted 4 that Il ffiiff e
was a question which could 5 be-, rrInfss5.
freely discussed in executives than iISss
open session. ssS4Ss M
Senator Mason took advantages ofS ii i1a i;
opportunity TO make a speech a recfed y
generally against executives sessions. III
He announced his intention t tos ssupporkSas
the motion for an open session. 81 & IA 81
said that he would take adventures pfS
all such openings to exercise mis- III sSss
fuence to break down theR Sefa torffSi isaS
rule for secret sessions. He aSsar sss
that the rule was out of date; ont sSt8Ss
keeping with the progressive terit tiSnevsSf
of the times, moss-grown and Spbs6I
and argued that II should be Sabolis Ed.
IT, as many people believe he SsIssT
public, the requirement. OF the "a isGuss 9
sion Of SO many irnporta il; quest ions
in executive session was IN ors sSsth IA 81
any other reason reSponsib blss Fer sfli iss Il
condition Of affairs. He L hop ed y etsi tsas
not only the Hawaila Ian treaty, hi L Il 4 -
other questions in8 which the: ISibE Il aSS;
was interested, would he dfaptiss ssSd 4, X
the presence &of the Amari ica Il Epsl 6f ffeslSE
Senator Davis announced III II ii SiFnoasS
to call up the treat W. asa I'M toz IfiarTGSvaa
and press It asi rapi dlY Y B as 5pogsIn ntaafs f
He probably Will y ma ke & al spee enii 81
general adyocac cy Of Of 4 he fssa tss
session ri
4 The annexationis IN n ifn
nine votes for the trea
one OF the number TO reti IL "a Il 81 81
the other hand the posi
ratiners Will all
five votes. }ss
II is said that al lIi
nd Isis iia ssI
other city la
90 not etoq t,fiea