The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1899-02-04
No DAY YET
FIXED FOR VOTE
On the Paramount Treaty Of PeaCs With
Spain.
A SENSATIONAL SESSION
Adverse Vote Not Regarded as a DaClS-
i've Test.
THE OPPOSITION IS FRIGHTENED
And the Friends of the Treaty Are Con-
fdent of Favorable Action After
the Wind-Bags Have Emp
tied Themselves.
He OPPOSITION IS FRIGHTENED

Washington, February 3-The controver-
sy in the senate over the vote on the reso-
lutions interpretative of the treaty took an
acute form late today. The opposition to
vote first came from the friends of the
treaty, who held to the theory that it could
be ratified without compromise. Those who
APPARENTLY were wiling that a vote should
be taken, today held an opposite view and
absolutely refused to agree to time for TAX
ing a vote The contest occurred in the ex-
ecutive session and an hour and quarter
was spent in a vain endeavor on the one
sido to get an agreement for date for a
vote upon the resolution, and on the other
in a more successful effort to bring the
days work to a close without such an
agreement being reached.
Objection to Vote
The gallery doors had no sooner been
locked than Senator Davis proffered the
request of the treaty supporters for unani-
nous consent naming tomorrow as the day
for vote. He said that the desire on his
side of the chamber was that there should
be an opportunity to vote upon all the reso-
lutions of a declaratory nature, all of which
had been offered by senators who were OPP
posed to the treaty without mobilization.
The opposition was prepared for the re-
quest but it did not fail to create some ex-
element. Simultaneous objection was made
from three or four sources, but, as if by
common consent, to Senator German was
left the task of making the principal state
ment of the reasons for the opposition
German Has Fling
Gorman's main objection was based upon
the brief time that must intervene between
the time of taking the vote on the resolu-
tons and the time fixed for voting on the
treaty-3 O. clock next Monday. An essen
tial part of the demand of those who de-
sired modification of the expression in the
treaty was that the house as we'll as the
senate must act upon the resolution. Man
ifestly 1t was too late to secure a vote by
the house even If the action of the senate
should be favorable. Hence the absurd
ity of the proposition. He for one would
object and he had no doubt that others
wuld 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 oppose the treaty in its pres
ent form made no opposition But the con-
sent to a vote at this late hour after a
delay of SO many days would create the
impression that the opponents of the treaty
had been posing for effect and had allowed
themselves to be tricked either ignorantly
or knowingly.
C1ckre1l and Bacon Oppose
Senators Cockrell and Bacon also avowed
their opposition on grounds practically the
same as those of Mr.. German. Each was
inclined to charge bad faith. Senator Cock
rell gave notice that he would resist any ef-
fort for a vote upon the resolutions up to
8 O'Clock Monday, when the vote on the
could have been 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 per-
forming duties under the orders or consent
41..r 10 hot ham hnd mi xxrff h
in that period been time when the vote
could have bee ntaken.
Opposition Afraid
They charged that the opposition was
afraid to allow an opportunity to vote on
the resolutions because IL their apprehen-
sions that some of the resolutions would be
agreed to and the chances of the ratification
oil the treaty thus improved. Those meant
as they regarded it that they did not want
any treaty ratified. The objectors stood
firm, however, to the last, refusing to yield.
An Adverse Vote
These objections were, of course, effective
and the treaty supporters turned their at
tention to longer daily sessions of the sem
ate with the hope of exhausting debate and
thus forcing action on the resolutions with
out unanimous consent being given. Sena-
tor Davis therefore moved that the senate
take a recess until 10 o'clock tomorrow.
He was met with a motion by Mr.. German
to adjourn, and on this motion the yeas
anu nays were ordered Mr.. Davis and his
co-workerS resisted the adjournment mo-
ton and it was defeated by a margin CT
one vote, the ballot resulting "a ayes 10
% noes.
A vote was Immediately ordered on the
motion for a recess until 10 o'clock tomor-
row. On this motion number OF the MEM
berS of the opposition refra1ned from vot-
ing and the roll call developed the absence
ha han on
clock then indicated $3.50. None of the SEN
ators had had their dinners Hence, Sena-
tor Davis himself moved an adjournment
which motion carried without division.
Not a Test
The vote on adjournment was not con-
sidered In any sense a test, as many of the
senator's, and especially of the supporters
of the treaty had left the chamber before
the ballot was taken. If the objection to
taking a vote on the resolutions is main
tained by its opponents, they will be able
to accomplish 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.
Friends of Treaty Confident
The day was full of conferences and the
three or four senators who have not yet
positively decided on which side to cast
their votes were Inch sought by both the
supporters and the opponents of the
treaty. The opponents claim thirty-three
votes which they say connot be shaken,
while the leaders of the affirmative side
claim to have won over two of those thir-
ty-three today and to have a fair promise
of getting others. The supporters of the
treaty stiil count confidently upon having
the requisite pumber of votes when the
time comes, even though no modifying
resolution be adopted.