Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-01-11
WAIIAN TREATY.
ANNEXATION OF THE ISLANDS con-
sIDERED IN COMMITTEE.
OPEN OR EXECUTIVE SESSION.
This Question Decentralization in
Favor of secrecy-Anncxation
Within One Vote, They Say. of Num-
Der Necessary for Ratification.

WASHINGTON. January 1O.-In accord
ance with his previous notice, Senator
Davis of the Senate Committee on
Foreign Relations, brought up the sub
ject of the ratification of the Hawaiian
annexation treaty in the Senate to-day.
His motion was made soon after the dis
posal of the routine morning business,
and the remainder Of the days session,
except the time given to confirmation Of
nominations, was devoted to con-
sideration Of the question as to
whether the treaty should be con-
sidered in open session or behind
closed doors in executive session. After
a debate Of almost two hours upon this
point, an informal vote was taken the
ayes and noes not being demanded, and the
decision was overwhelmingly against an
oDen session.
The motion for open sessions was made
by Senator Gray, of Delaware who pre-
sented his reasons in a speech of five
minutes length, urging that the question
was one of public concern, involving no
entangling complications with any other
T.
eminenJly proper should be considered
before the public gaze.
Senator Davis replied to Mr.. Gray, con-
tending for the observance of precedent
in this matter, though in calm and mode
rate language. and stating that the SEN
ate had taken the public into its con-
tidence in considering the treaty He
took issue with Mr.. Gray on the PROPOSE
ton that there were no general questions
involved, affecting our diplomatic rela-
tions with other countries and predicted
that the discussion would take a wide
range before its conclusion.
Speeches in favor of the Gray resolu-
ton were made by Senator'S Caffrey.
White, Mason, and Morrill,, and in opposi-
ton 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 i'm discussing
the Hawaiian question. and said that as
the Senate was acting only in a capacity
advisory to the Executive, it would be
an act of bad faith for It to throw open
the doors to the public.
PARTITION OF CHINA.
Most Of the senators who spoke in op-
position TO open sessions referred to the
probability that the action of the Eu-
ropean Powers in their evident purpose
Of partitioning the territory Of China
would form the basis of much debate on
this phase of the question Of Hawaiian
annexation. All who referred 10 this
question manifested a disposition to re-
gard 1t as delicate and complicated one.
and one which it were better should be
ventilated behind closed doors.
1t was also intimated that the Monroe
doctrine would come in for a fair share
OF discussion before the close of the de-
bate, and 1t was asserted that this was a
question which could be moro freely dis
cussed In executive than in open session.
Senator Mason took advantage of the
opportunity to make q speech generally
against executive sessions. He announced
mis- intention to support the motion for
an open session, and said that he would
take advantage or all such openings TO
exercise his influence TO break down the
senatorial rule providing for secret ses
sions. He asserted that the rule was out
OF date, out Of keeping with the progress
sive tendency of the times, moss-grown.
and obsolete and he argued that il should
be abolished. IL. as many people be-
lieyed the Senate was one of sympathy
with the public, the requirement of the
discussion OF so many important ques-
tons in executive session was more than
anything else responsible for this condi-
ton of AFFAIRS He hoped that not only
the Hawaiian treaty, but all other, cues
ton in which the public was interested
would be discussed in the presence OF the
American public
Senator Davis announced his purpose 10
call up the resolution again tomorrow
and press II as earnestly as possible. He
will probably make a speech in general
sessions.
The annexation is to now claim fifty
nine votes for the treaty. lacking only one
of the number TO ratify IL. On the other
hand, tho opposition say the ratifiers will |
fall short from three to five votes