The herald., 1898-12-28
TREATY RATIFICATION
NAY POSSIBLY REQUIRE AN
EXTRA SESSION
ABIe MINORITY IN THE SENATE
Makes the Majority Little Timid
About Forcing the Question
to a Vote
Special Correspondence to The Herald.

Special Correspondence " Ahe ANS-
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-The admins
tration is striving with all its might to
prevent an extra session of congress, and 1t
NAV be taken for granted that nothing but
the necessity of ratifying the treaty with
Spain and passing the necessary appropria-
tion bill to settle the bargain will induce
President Mckinley to agree to call one.
The efforts of the currency reformers to
obtain one in order to put their peculiar
plans into effect have been a failure. EX-
cent for few fanatics, who regard green
backs as criminal, the Republicans have no
real desire to medde with the currency.
They are perfectly willing to let things go
as they are as long as they can, forgetful OF
their pledges. All the ordinary legislation
will certainly be passed in good time, and
no extra session will be needed on tins
score. Both parties are quite wiling TO
let foreign legislation go until the next reg
ular session, by which time peoples minds
will be better made up in regard to the new
nroblems and some Of the fractures in the
parties may be headed. At present, what
with Bailey, Bryan, Hoar, Carnegie, Nor
rill and Pulitzer on one side, and Morgan
LINDSAY, Teller, Allen and Gormam on the
other. party lines would seem to be in
dangerous condition.
The question then is whether the treaty
can be ratified at the present session. There
is little doubt that it can be if vote can
be had, but on this latter point there Is
good deal of doubt. There exists very
respectable minority in the senate which is
bitterly opposed to any treaty chat gives US
the Philippines. and another section that
opposes the acquisition of any territory. To-
gether these two portions amount to nearly
one-third or the senate. Will they obstruct
d vote?
The situation so far as votes is concerned
is almost exactly the same that obtained
last spring when the Hawaiian treaty came
up. Just about onethird of the senate was
opposed to it, while about two-thirds IA
vored it. Yet even with the pressure of the
Spanish war and the absolute necessity OF
those islands as refreshing station for
our troops, the effort to pass it through
the senate had to be abandoned and the
islands annexed by resolution of both
houses. That treaty was debated Tor days
in the senate and was at last allowed to go
over, not because vote could not have
been reached if the majority had insisted
upon it, but because the majority feared that
it might not have the requisite two-thirds
after all when it came to the showdown
To all intents and purposes that is the SIT
ton now There are a good many doubt
ful voters on this treaty, voters that change
their minds almost daily and that cannot be
positively counted one way or the other
until they have actually cast their votes.
On question so close as this for the ma
iority to try to force a vote might easily
be to ALLEVIATE the very half dozen men whom
they need to carry their point. For in
stance. Mr. Perkins of California is very
doubtful, and says that he thinks that he
shall vote against the treaty unless the leg
islature of his state instructs him to do
otherwise.
In any event, it will take long time for
the debate to be concluded in the senate,
and when this is done both houses must ap-
propriate the S20000,000 called for by it.
There is, of course little doubt that congress
will ultimately appropriate for this purpose,
but there is a good deal of eloquencei that
must be given vent to first. Even in the
house, where Mr.. Reed can pass things in
very few minutes, some time for debate will
be given, especially as Reed himself is under
stood to be opposed to it. Then the reso-
luton will go back to the senate and tor
rents of eloquence will flow there. Bear in
mind that the treaty will almost certainly be
discussed in executive session and that all
the talk there will be wasted. Bear in mind
also that there are some senators who will
vote for the treaty, but who will talk against
the appropriation, and it is evident that
much time will be consumed before the tote
is taken.
Moreover, unless both houses pass this
appropriation, both will have to be called in
extra session in order to do So the action of !.
one only becoming absolutely void. while
the money must be paid within three months
after ratification.
In view of all these facts, it really seems
impossible that absolutely necessary treaty
legislation can be completed in the bare
sixty days that will remain after the hoii.
days are over
CRITTENDEN MARRIOTT.