Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-01-11
WILL TALK IN SECRET
Hawaiian Treaty Not To Be Dis
cussed in the Open Sessions
Of the Senate.
CLAIM OF SO FOR RATIFICATION
Wade by the eAnnexationist,,N While the Antis
Seem Confident Of Defeating .he Treaty
Postmaster General sends In Lot of Pro-
posed "Esempts" from Civil Service Rules
Turkey Objects to Paying Our Dnl of
Darnages-House PROCEEDINGS.

washington. Jan. lin accordance
with the previous notice Davis, chair
man Of the senate committee on foreign
relations. brought up the subject of the
ratification Of the Hawaiian annexation
treaty in the senate yesterday. His
motion was made soon after the dis
posdl OF the routine morning business,
and the entire remainder of the DAYS
session except the time given to the
confirmation of nominations was de-
voted to the consideration of the uues-
tion as TO whether the treaty should
be considered 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.
Inc decision was overwhelmingly
against an open session. The motion
for open sessions was made by GRAY.
who presented his reasons in a speech
or about five minutes length urging
that the question was Of public con-
cern, involving no entangling compuca-
lions with other nations. and one which
II was eminently proper should be con-
sidered before the public gaze
Davis Opposes Public Discussion.
Davis replied to Gray, contending for
the observance of precedents in this
matter and objecting quite strenuously
to the proposition that the senate
should take the public into its conf
dence in considering the treaty. But
Morgan was the principal opponent OF
the Gray proposition. He talked at
length. Most of the senators who spoke
In opposition to open sessions referred
TO the probability that the action of the
European powers in their evident pur-
pose of partitioning the territory of China
would form the basis of much of the
debate on the question of Hawaiian
annexation. 1t was also intimated that
the Monroe doctrine would come in for
fair share of discussion before the
close of the debate.
White Touches Tender spot.
White was among those who replied
to these statements. He spoke spirited
ly 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
'oAtiol OF lne puDAclty IN regard to
treaties should be left TO the executive.
saying that the treaty itself had been
made public as also the presidents
message upon the subject. Morrill, con-
tended 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.
Mason for Permanent Publicity.
Mason took advantage Of the oppor-
tunity to make a speech directed gen.
orally against executive sessions. He
said he would take advantage Of ali
such openings to exercise his influence
10 break down the senatorial rule for
secret sessions. He asserted that the
rule was out Of date, out of keeping
with the progressive tendency of the
times" moss-grown and obsolete. ani
argued that it should be abolished
The annexationists now claim 5gvotes
for the treaty. lacking only one of the
number To ratify il. on the other hand
the opposition says the ratifers will fall
short from three to five votes.