Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-01-13
How Shall the Senate Discuss
the Peace Treaty.
Warm Discussion in Execution Session
--0pponents mastering Forces.
Hale and Hoas OpsaIy Declare hat They viii
Vote Against n.

TIE Sendle Hdu tueIT IjTst GDuleSt OSel
that document. today. in executive sea.
sion. While the debate technically was
| upon Senator Berry's motion providing
for the consideration Of the resolution
of ratification in open session, the en-
tire question at issue was over to Q
considerable extent. The discussion
continued from a few minutes past
to about 4 o'clock, when the Senate ad-
journed for the day without having d
vote On the Berry motion.
II was running debate. in which
Seniors Berry. White. Hale. Hoar. Vest
and others in opposition to the treaty
met Senators Davis. Frye, Teller. Gray
and others in advocacy of it. Probably
20 senators spoke, but many of them
did but little more than as questions.
Still speeches of some length were
made by Messrs. Teller and Frye on
the one hand and by Messrs. Hale AMI
Hoar on the other. There were many
animated colloquys between senators
and for time an exceptional degree of
feeling was shown.
The proceedings opened with a speech
by Senator Berry supporting his motion
for open sessions and he was replied tn
Senator Vest later supporting and Sem
ator Teller opposing the motion. The
discussion over the point hinged entire
~ o1 the contention on the one hand
that the public was entitled to know
what was taking place in the disposi-
ton of so important a question as the
ratification Of the peace treaty and on
the other that the debate was sure to
develop facts and call forth utterances
which should not be given TO other na-
tons.
1t was argued by those favoring the
motion that no harm would be done b.
taking the public into the Senate's con-
fidence. while those opposed stated tina.
vast international questions were in
volved which could be considered in :,
far more judicial and calm manner b.
hind closed doors than with the whole
world invited TO listen. Suppose it was
important that the matter be kept pri-
vate. said Senator Vest, no one sup
posed that this result could be secured
The Senates executive secrets so call
ed. were invariably known to the world.
Senator White thought it safe TO say
that the important points at least
would all go to the public.
The senators who had acted as MEM
bers of the Paris commission, Messrs.
Davis. Frye and Gray. all antagonizei
the motion for open doors. They stated
from their experience in the negotia-
ton of the treaty. many questions in
volving grave international controver- |
sizes were liable to be raised and all |
argued the preservation Of the custom
of closed doors. Senator Teller sus-
tained them in this position. stating
that he considered the present compli-
cation too grave and the present. of al |
times. the most inoppOrtune for a
change of the custom.
Senator Hoar. for the first time in his
life. advocated open sessions, declar-
ing that no fact could be developed in
connection with the treaty too import
ant for the American people to know.
1t was these peoples affair said White.
and the people should be invited at
least to listen to the discussion Of the
question. He said that If the commits
sloners VINO were present in the Senate
had any great secrets they should
forthwith give them to the Senate.
These circumstances led to a renewal of
the discussion of the wisdom and good
policy of appointing senators as members
of the peace commission. Naturally. too.
the Senate drifted into discussion of the
treaty itself and the intentions of this
government towards the Filipinos. much
being said on the lines of Senator Fora
ker's open session speech of yesterday.
Senators Gray. Frye and Teller talked
upon those matters. the speeches being
on the same general lines as those made
in support of expansion in open session.
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. Still
there could be no two opinions on the
general question of surrendering the
islands back to Spain. and with this
question disposed of in the negative. it
| only remained for the United States to
take at least temporary control Of the
| islands He had no doubt that the United
States would deal fairly with the natives
of the islands.
Senator Teller's speech was more
sovereignty in the islands and was
Jealous plea for the recognition of our
right as a nation to make conquest and
h9'd the cS%ntry ,hn taken ssr ne too
but he would leave no doubt in their
minds that they were subjects of the
United States.
An Interesting point bearing upon the
treaty was brought out in connection
with the confirmation of Gen. Wherry.
Senator Hawley asked for action upon
the nomination, saying that it was urgent
because it was designed that Gen. Wherry
should go to the Philippines and that he
should proceed there as soon as .practi..
cable. The opposition senators criticized
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 senators intimated that this policy,
in connection with speeches made in the
Senate. was calculated. il not intended.
to excite the Filipinos to acts of hostility.
Senators Hale and Hoar announced
openly that they were determined to vote
against the treaty, and while the discus
sion was in progress a number of Demo-
cratic senators held conference for the
purpose of deciding upon a course of an
tagonism calculated to secure its defeat.
While confessing that they are not yet
able to count enough senator's to insure
this result, they profess to be very hope
lful as a result of the work SO far done.
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