Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-13
A RUNNING DEBATE
Senate Discussed the Berry Peace
Treaty Motion.
NO VOTE BEFORE ADJOURNMENT
Yesterdays Session Entirely Given
Over to Short Speeches.
GU ESTION OFPU BLICITY

q L E ST1 ON 0 T Z Z B LOFTY
The Senate continued consideration of the
peace treaty in sc cret session yesterday
afternoon until o'clock. While the debate
technically was upon Senator Berry's mo-
ton providing for the consideration of the
resolution of ratification in open session,
the entire question at issue was gone over
to {: considerable extent. Finally the Sem
ate adjourned for the day without reaching
a vote upon the Berry motion.
There Were no set speeches. in the usual
acceptance of that phrase. 1t was run
ming debate, in which Senators Berry,
White. Hale, Hoar, Vest and others in op-
position to the treaty met Senators Davis,
Frye. Teller, Gray and others in advocacy
of it. Probably twenty senator's spoke.
but many of thern did little more than ask
questions. Still, speeches of some length
were made by Messrs. Teller and Frye on
the one hand and by Messrs. Hale and
Hoar on the other. There were many am
mated colloquies between senators. and for
Il time an exceptional degree of feeling was
shown.
Senator Rerry's Speech.
The proceedings opened with a speech
by Senator Berry in support of his motion
for open sessions. reported in The Star,
and he was answered briefly by Senators
Davis and Frye, Senator Vest coming in
later in support of Mr.. Berry, and Senator
Teller joining with the forces in opposi-
ton to the motion. The discussion over
this point hinged entirely upon the CON
tention on the one hand that the public
was entitled to know what was taking
place in the disposition of so important a
question as the ratification of the peace
tha nfh N
was sure to develop facts and call forth
uterances which should not be given 10
other nations. 1t was argued by those
favoring the motion that no harm could
come by taking the public into the Sen
ates confidence while those opposed stated
that vast international questions were IN
volved. which could be considered in iar
more judicial and calm manner behina
closed doors than with the Whoie "oriu
invited to listen.
Suppose it was important that the mat
ter be kept private said Senator Fest.
mo one supposed for moment that TINS
result could be secured. The Senate's eX-
ecutive secrets, so called, ara invariably
known to the world For this reason II
for no other he could no benefit in eX-
Guiding the public.
Senator White thought it safe to count
that the important points at least would
all go to the public.
AntagOnized the Motion.
The senators who had acted as members
of the Paris commission, Messrs Davis,
Frye and Gray, were all present and an
tagonized the motion for open doors They
stated that from their experience in the
negotiation of the treaty many questions
involving grave international controversies
were liable to be raised ana all, speaking
from this standpoint, urged the preserVa-
ton of the senatorial custom of closed
doors
Senator Teller sustained them in this po-,
thn INN of he one
ton and stating that while, as rule, he
favored open sessions OF the Senate on all
occasions, he considered the present COM
plication too grave and the present, of all
tines, the most inopportune for a change
of the senatorial custom of open doors.
Senator Hoar on the other hand for the
first time in his life, advocated open ses-
siOns, declaring that no fact could be deVel-
oped III connection with the treaty too i'm
portant for the American public to know
1t is the peoples affair, said Senator
White, and the people should be invited at
least to listen to the discussion of the ques-
ton, if they could not be given any more
exalted privilege in connection with it. He
then proceeded to say that If the commits
sioners, who were present in the Senate
had any great secrets they should give
them to the Senate forthwith in order that
all the members of that body should have
equal light with these highly favored gen.
tiemen."
These circumstances led to a renewal CT
the discussion of the wisdom and good
pCllCy Oh appointing senators as members
of the peace commission, and there was
general passage at arms over this question.
Discussion of the Treaty.
Naturally, too, the Senate drifted into a
discussion of the treaty in itself and the in
tention of this government toward the Fill
pinos, much being said on the lines of
Senator Foraker's open-sessiOn speech of
Wednesday. Senators Gray, Frye and
Teller talked upon these matters and
while the speeches We're on the same gen.
eral lines as those made on the support of
expansion in open session. they We're more
crisp, as none of them had been prepared
in advance.
Senator Gray announced himself as a
supporter of the treaty, admitting how
ever, that at the beginning he had some
misgivings as to the policy involved. For
the future he had no doubt that the United
States would deal fairly and in accordance
with the dictates of honesty with the ma
tives of the islands.
Senator Teller's speech was a more pro-
nounced declaration for American sover-
eighty in the islands. He too, would
award the natives fair treatment but he
would leave no doubt in their minds or the
minds of any one else that they were sub
jects of the United States and that they
were such by right of conquest
An interesting point bearing upon the
treaty, but not connected directly with it.
was brought out in connection with the
confirmation of General Wherry. Senator
Hawley asked for action upon the nominal
ton, saying that it was urgent because it
was designed that General Wherry should
go to the Philippines and that he should
proceed there as practicable.
This remark was seized upon by the oppo-
sition senators as text for criticism of
the policy of sending troops to those islands
at present, Senator Hale leading in this
onslaught. They had supposed, they said,
that this practice would cease with the
signing of the protocol.
Some of the sena tors went so far as to
intimate that the policy in connection with
speeches made in the Senate were calcu-
lated, if not intended, to incite the Fill
pnos to acts of hostility.
Senators Hale and Hoar announced them
selves openly during the session as deter
mined to vote against the treaty and while
the discussion was in progress a number
of democratic senators held a conference
for the purpose of deciding upon course
of antagonism calculated to secure it's de-
feat While confessing that they are not
yet able to count enough senators to in
| sure this result, they profess to be very
| hopeful as result of the work SO far
done.
|