The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-01-11
TILE HAW Alan TREATY
Will Be Considered in Executive
Sessions Of the Senate.
EFFORTS FOR OPEN SESSIONS.
Some Senators Wanted the Debate to
Be Open to tho Public, But tho
Proposition Was Overwhelmingly
Defeated When Brought to u Vote.

Be Open to tho Public, But tho
Proposition Was Overwhelmingly
Defeated When Brought to n Vote.
Washington, Jan. 11.-In accordance
with his previous notice. Senator Da-
Wis, chairman Of the senate committee
on foreign relations. brought up the
subject of the ratification Of the Ha-
waiian annexation treaty in the sem
ate yesterday. His motion was made
soon after the disposal OF the routine
morning business, and the /entire re-
mainder Of the days session, except
the time given to the confirmation of
nominations, was devoted to the con-
Bideration of the question as to whether
the treaty should be considered in open
session CT behind closed doors in execu-
tive session After debate of almost
two hours upon this point an informal
vote was taken. and the decision was
Overwhelmingly against an opent ses-
siof
The motion for open sessions was
made by Senator Gray. of Delaware.
who presented his reasons in q speech
Of about Ave minutes length, urging
that the question was one Of public
concern, involving no entangling COM
plications with other nationsssand one
which 1t was therefore eminently proper
should be considered before the public
gaze.
Senator Davis replied to Mr.. Gray,
contending for the observance of pre-
= cedent in this matter and objecting
quite strenuously to the proposition
that the senate should take the public
into It's confidence In considering the
treaty. He took issue with Mr., Gray
on the proposition that there were no
general questions involved affecting
our diplomatic relations with other
countries, and predicted that the dis
cussion would take wide range before
Its conclusion.
Speeches in favor of the Gray resolu
tiOn were made by Senators Caffery
White, Mason and Morrill,, and In op-
position by Senators Morgan. Hoar
Spooner and others. Senator Morgan
was the principal opponent of the Gray
proposition. He talked at length upon
the Importance of observing the sen-
ate rules in discussing this question.
He said that no one would think of
asking the president and the cabinet
TO take up the treaty in the presence
Of the general public, and he contended
that for this reason the obligation of
secrecy was greater upon the senate
than 1t would be upon the executive
branch of the government.
Most of the senators who spoke in
opposition to open sessions referred to
the probability that the action Of the
European powers in their evil purpose
Of partitioning 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 manifested .
disposition to regard it as delicate
and complicated one.
Senator White was among those who
replied to these statements. He spoke
spiritedly and in sarcastic vein of the
folly of attempting to keep executive
secrets within the control Of the SEN
ate. He made reply to the suggestion
that the control of the publicity In re-
gard to treaties should be left to the
executive saying that the treaty it.
ss'f bod hoo" made public, as had also
the presidents message upon the SUD-
9ect' senator Morrlil commenced 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
generally against executive sessions.
He announced his intention to support
Tho motion Tor an open session, and
said that he would take advantage of
all such openings to exercise his in
nuehce to break down the senatorial
rule Tor secret sessions. He asserted
that the rule was out OF date, out of
keeping with the progressive tendency
rf the times, moss grown and obsolete
And argued that 1t should be abolished.
H. az many people believed, the senate