The age-herald., 1899-01-13
QUESTION OF OPEN SESSION Berry and Vest Advocated Ad- mittance of the o'.hlic.
 < ANTl-RATIFlCATI0NlSs : HOPEFUL # Of Securing EnOpe ddit'Onal Votes to $: It.
 
DISPOSITION OF PHILIPPINES
Is the Point on Which the Fight Hinges The Contest Seems Hopeless, Unless Many Change
 Their Views.

Washington, January 12.-(Special.) )-The
 senate got possession of the treaty in ex- ecutive session today for the first time. The opposition is centering it's fight against | the treaty to amend it. This Is even a more | hopeless fight than to defeat its ratification, l for the reason that it would take only a | one-thrd vote to defeat the treaty, whereas | it will take majority to amend it. The | fight, at best, is hopeless one, and the opposition realizing this will not try to
 delay it's ratification, contenting itself with
 fighting the principle of expansion in the open senate.
 Senator Morgan said today that the treaty would be ratified without any question
 whatever, as the opposition saw the nope lessness of it's position.
 While the debate today technically was upon Senator Berry's motion providing for
 the consideration or ratification in open ses- l sion, the entire question at issue was gone 1 over 10 a considerable extent. The discus 1 sion continued from o'clock until when | the senate adjourned for the day without l reaching a vote upon the Berry motion. There were set speeches in the usual ac- ceptance of that phrase. It was a running | debate in the senate Tn which Senators Berry White, Hale, Hoar Vest and others in opposition to the treaty, met Senators Davis, Frye, Teller, Gray and others in advocacy of it.
 Many Senators Spoke
 Probably twenty senators spoke, but many of them did little more than ask questions. Speeches of some length were made by Messrs. Teller and Frye on the one hand and Messrs Hale and Hoar on the other. There wera many aoima tod eot. loquies between senators and for a time exceptional degree of feeling was shown. The proceedings opened with a speech by Senator Berry in support of his motion for open sessions, and he was replied to briefly by Senators Davis and Frye, Senator Vest coming in later in support of MT. Berry and Senator Teller joining with the force in op- position to the motion. The discussion over this point hinged entirely on the con- tention on the one hand that the public was entitled to know what was taking pace in the disposition of so important a ques- tion as the ratification of the peace treaty and on the other that the debate was sure to develop the facts and call forth utter ance which should not be given to other nations. It was argued by those favoring the motion that harm could come by taking the public into the senates conll- dence, while those opposed stated that vast international questions were involved which could be considered in a far more judicial and calm manner behind closed doors than with the whole world invited to listen. Suppose 1t was important that the matter be kept private, said Senator Vest.
 mo one supposed for moment that this result could be secured" The senates ex- ecutive sessions, so-caled, are invariably known to the world, and for this reason.
 if for other, he could see no benefit in closed doors.
 To the Public at Last
 Senator White thought it safe to count that the importance at last would all go to members of the Paris commission Messrs Davis, Frye and Gray were all present and antagonized the motion for open doors They stated that from their experience in the negotiations for the treaty, many ques- tions involving grave international contro- versies were liable to be raised, and all, speaking from this standpoint urged the preservation of the senatorial custom Of closed doors- Senator Teller sustained them in this position, stating that, while as a rule, he favored open sessions of the seu- ate on all occasions. He considers the present complications too grave and the present of all times the most inopportune for change of the senatorial custom to open doors.
 Senator White said 1t is the peoples af- fair and the people should be invited to listen to the discussion of the question if they could not be given any more exalted privilege in connection with 1t. He then pro- ceeded to say that if the commissioners who are present in the senate had any great secrets they should give thom to the sem ate fohtwth in order that all members of that body should have equal light with those highly favored gentlemen"
 -----------------~~---
 IContinued on Second Page.1