The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1899-02-04
The Controversy in the Senate
Takes an Acute Turn.
Efforts to Set a Time for a Vote on Pend
Ing Resolutions Blocked.
Opponents OF Ratification Of the
Treaty Refuse to Agree Upon q
Date Before the Time Set for
Voting ON the Treaty Itself, 3
O'clock Next Monday.

Voting ON the Treaty Itself, 3
O'clock Next Monday.
| WASHINGTON, Feb. 3-The COM
troversy in the Senate over the vote.
upon the various resolutions interpret
tive of the peace treaty took an acute
turn late to-day The opposition to a.
vote first came from the friends of the
treaty, who held to the theory that 10,
could be ratified without compromises
Those who apparently were then willing
that vote should be taken to-day held
an opposite view, and absolutely re- I
fused to agree to a time for taking q
vote.
! The contest occurred in the executive
session, which did not occur until a
quarter after 3 o'clock. The next hour
and quarter was spent in a vain en-
deavor on the one side to get an agree
ment to date for q vote upon the res
olutions, and on the other in a more
successful effort to bring the day's SEES
sion to a close without allowing any
thing to be accomplished in that direc-
| ton
The gallery doors had no sooner been
locked than Davis, who had taken his
position at Frye's seat, Immediately in
front of the chair proffered the re-
quest of the treaty, supporters for ull-
animous consent, naming tomorrow as
the date for voting. He said that the
desire on his side of the chamber was
that there should be an opportunity to
vote upon the resolutions of declara-
tory manner, all of which had been Of
fered by Senators who We're opposed
to the treaty without a modification.
The opposition were prepared for the
request, but it did not fail to create
some excitement. simultaneously OBJ
| jections were made from three or four
sources, but, as If by common consent,
to German was left the task of maa1-
ing the principal statement of the reaD-
sons for the opposition. His main OBJ
lection was based upon the brief time
that must intervene between the time
of taking the vote on the resolutions
and the time fixed for voting on the
treaty-3 o'clock next Monday. An es-
sential part of the demand. of those
who desired a modification of the ex-
preston in the treaty was that the
! House as well as the Senate must act
upon the resolutions. Manifestly it
was too late to secure vote by the
House, even if the action of the Sem
ate should be favorable. Hence the
absurdity of the proposition. He for
one, would object, and he had no doubt
that others would feel as he did. So
long as there had been any possibility
of securing a vote in both Houses Of
Congress, the members of the Senate
who opposed the treaty in it's present
form had made no opposition But to
consent to vote upon the question at
this late hour, after a delay of so many
days, would create the impression that
the opponents of the treaty bad been
posing for effect. and had allowed them
selves to be tricked, either ignorantly,
or knowingly.
Cockrell and Bacon also avowed their
opposition to agreeing to fixing time
for a vote, placing their opposition on
grounds practically the same as those
of German Each was inclined to
charge bad faith.
Cockrell gave notice that he would
resist any effort for a vote upon the
resolutions up to 3 O'Clock Monday.
when the vote on the treaty must be
taken.
The friends of the treaty declared
that they were acting in perfect good
faith. They cited that all the time of
the Senate for the past week had been
occupied in performing duties under
the orders or consent of the Senate. and
that there had not been within the pc
Rod a time when the vote could have
been taken. They charged that the
opposition We're afraid to allow an ot,-
portunity to vote on the resolutions.
because of the apprehension that some
of the resolutions would be agreed to,
and the chances of the treaty thus inn
proved. This meant. as they regarded
1t, they did not want any treaty rat
fed.
The DIRECTORS stood firm however, to
the last refusing to yield. These OBJ
jections were. of course effective, and
the treaty supporters turned their at
tention to longer daily sessions of the
Senate, with the hope of exhausting de-
bate, and thus forcing action on the
resolutions without unanimous consent
being given
Davis therefore moved that the Sem
ate take recess until 10 o'clock to-
morrow
He was met with motion by Cor
man to adjourn, and on this motion the
yeas and nays We're ordered. Davis
and his co-workers resisted the adj
journment motion, and it was defeated
by margin of only one vote, the ball
lot resulting "a ayes to % nays.
A vote was Immediately ordered for
a motion for recess until II o'clock
Tomorrow A number of the oppo
sition refrained from voting. and the
roll call developed the absence of
quorum.
The hands on the Senate clock then
indicated $50. None of the Senators
had had their dinners. Hence Davis
himself moved an adjournment, which
motion carried without division The
vote on adjournment was not consid-
cred in any sense test, as many OF
the Senators, especially the supporters
of the treaty, had left the chamber be-
fore the ballot was taken
If the objection to taking vote on
the resolution is maintained by it's OPP
ponents. they will be able to accom-
plishs their purpose of forcing the vote
on the original document. They indi-
cate no purpose to change their line Of
action. and say positively that they
will not.