The Portland daily press., 1899-01-25
BEHIND CLOSED DOORS.
Senate will Discuss Treaty in Secret
Session.
OPPONENTS DARE SUPPORTERS
TO A VOTE.

Senator Davis Said He Did Not Care Ia
Take the Rssponsibilfty-senat
Frye sharply Critieises Opposing
Senators.
Washington. January a4.-The Senate
resumed consideration OF the peace treaty
In executive session today. The Berry
resolution for the consideration Of the
treaty In open session, was voted down
and there was more or less talk Of taking
q vote, though on this point no definite
conclusion was reached.
The session opened with . STRONG ap-
peal by Senator Berry to open the doors
and allow the world to listen to the do
bates on the subject He said that he de-
sired an opportunity to reply to some Of
the speeches which bad been made on the
treaty In open session, but so long % the
treaty was considered executive business
he did not feel 20 free as others seemed,
70 discuss 10 openly. Brief speeches were
made for and against the open door prop
osition but the motion was finally dis
posed of In the negative without roll
call and by a very large vote. There was
a demand for roll call by the support
ers Of the motion but they withdrew It,
Probably the most significant occur
renoe of the session was the banter upon
the question of final vote upon the
treaty itself. Senators German and Vest.
both Of whom opposed ratification. urged
the importance Of getting vote ae no
very distant day. Senator German, In q
brief but very earnest speech, said that
much had been said by the friends OF rati.
hcation ss to the necessity Of disposing OF
the su bject without any great delay. He
agreed with them ON that point AMI II
they were In earnest he felt that vote
might be reached within ten daye SeDa-
tor Vest Joined in Mr.. Gorman'e appeal
and urged Mr.. Davis 10 name day and
an hour when the vote oouid be taken.
"we want IL undsrstood dist nctly.
he said, THAT we are not holding the
treaty up ct all. Name the day. we Will
agree TO any date that will suit you. II
you have the votes, you can Yattfy yoHP
treaty; II not 1t will be defeated. The
question will be disposed of and the Sem
ate can proceed with other business"
LET us vote now, responded Senator
ber nfter visit to his home In Rhode
Island. "we ought to be ready TO vote
In fifteen minutes.
senator Davis replied, however. that
the q question Of fixing dsy for vote had
not been considered BY the committee on
foreign relations und thar hs would not
feel justified in assuming such respon-
sibtiity upon his own authority uusup-
ported by the action OF his committee.
He promised to bring tho matter to the
attention of the committee at It's next
session.
The principal speeches Of the general
debate were made by Senators Teller and
Frye for the treaty and BY Senator Hoar
in opposition. Senator Frye's remarks
were sharp criticism Of the opposing
Senators and this was SO pointed that 1t
brought Senator Hoar to his feet for a
somewhat acrimonious reply. Mr.. Frye
dwelt at some length upon the condi-
tions on which the tseaty had been formu-
lated and also referred to tho situation In
the Philippines intimating that the op-
position to ratification was the principal
source Of encouragement TO the tilipi1os
In their present attitude towards the
course of the opposition. Disagreeable as
il was he said, to arouse the ill-will of
his brother Senators that condition was
preferable to plunging the country into
q position that might be Of untold conse-
auence to the whole nation.
Mr.. Teller replied to MIR. Hoar saying
that the opposition was responsible for
the oontin nuation of tbs state OF war and
pointing out various probable results In
the way of loss Of prestige and power In
the case the United States should fall 10
take advantage Of the opportuni ty now
afforded TO assert her rightful place as
one of the nations Of the world command
ina permanent Influenza.