The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-02-04
TO
a VOTE ON THE
PEACE TREATY

WASHINGTON. Feb 3.-The con-
troversy in the Senate over the vote
upon the various resolutions interpr>
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 it
could be ratified without compromise.
Those who apparently were then will
ing that vote should be taken to-day
held an opposite view and absolutely
refused to agree to a time for taking a
vote.
The contest occurred in the executive
session, which did not occur until quarter
after o'clock. The next hour and a
quarter was spent in a vain endeavor on
the one side to get an agreement to date
for a vote upon the resolutions and on
the other in a more successful effort to
bring the days session to close without
allowing anything to be accomplished in
that direction.
The gallery doors had no sooner been
locked than Senator Davis, who had
taken his position at Senator Frye's seat.
Immediately in front of the chair, prof
fered the request of the treaty support
ers for unanimous consent, naming to-
morrow as the date of voting. He said
that the desire on his side of the cham
Der was that there should be an oppor-
tunity to vote upon the resolutions of a
declaratory nature all of which had been
offered by Senators who were opposed to
the treaty without a modification.
The opposition were prepared for the re-
quest but it did not fail to create some
excitement. Simultaneous objections were
made from three or four sources. but, as
II by common consent, to Senator German
was left the task of making the principal
statement of the reasons for the opposi-
ton His main objection was based upon
the brief time that must intervene be-
tween the time of taking the vote on the
on the treaty-3 O'Clock next Monday. An
essential part of the demand of those
who desired a modification OF the express
sion in the treaty was that the House as
well as the Senate must act upon the
resolution. Manifestly it was too late to
secure vote by the House. even If the
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 vote in both houses of Con-
gress the members of the Senate who OPP
posed the treaty in its present form had
vote upon the question at this late hour
would create the impression that the OPP
ponents of the treaty had been posing Tor
effect and had allowed themselves TO be
rricked either ignorantly or knowingly.
Senators Cockrell and Bacon also
avowed their opposition 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. Senator Cockrell gave notice
that he would resist any effort for vote
upon the resolutions up to o'clock Mon
day. when the vote on the treaty must be
taken.
The friends of the treaty declared that
they were acting in perfect good faith.
The DIRECTORS stood firm, however, to
the last. refusing to yield. These objec-
lions were. of course, effective, and the
treaty supporters turned their attention
to longer daily sessions of the Senate.
with the hope of exhausting debate and
thus forcing action on the resolutions
without unanimous consent being given.
Senator Davis therefore moved that the
Senate take recess until 10 o'clock to-
morrow He was met with a motion by
Senator German to adjourn, and on this
motion the ayes and noes were ordered.
Mr.. Davis and his coworkers resisted
the adjournment motion, and 1t was de-
-feated by a margin of only one vote, the
ballot resulting "a ayes to Is noes. vote
was Immediately ordered for a motion for