Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-02-04
TREATY SNAG,
Controversy in the Senate Takes
Acute Turn
VOTE ON THE RESOLUTIONS,
Effort TO Make the Time Therefor
To-Day Fails.
TOO LATE, SAY TREATY OPPONENTS
ManifcstIy Impossible Now To Sc
cure Expression of the House
ou The UesoIutions, us Desired
Charges of Bad Faith.

WASHINGTON. February 3.-The con-
troversy in the Senate over the vote upon
the various resolutions interpretive 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 with
out compromise. Those who apparently
were then willing that a vote should be
taken to-day held an opposite view and
absolutely refused to agree to time for
taking a vote.
The contest took place in the executive
session. which was not entered into until
quarter past 8 o'clock. The next hour
and a quarter were spent in a vain en-
deavor, on the one side, to get an agree
ment to a date for a vote upon the reso-
Iutions and on the other, in a more sue
cessfu effort to bring the days session
to close without allowing anything 10
be accomplished i'm that direction.
The gallery doors had no sooner been
| locked than Senator Davis. who had
taken his position at Senator Frye's seat
Immediately I'm front Of the Chair. prefer
red the request of the treaty supporters
for unanimous consent. naming tomorrow
as the day for Il vote. He said that the
desire on his side of the chamber was
| that there should be an opportunity TO
vote upon all the resolutions of a decla-
ratory nature, all of which had been
offered by senators who were opposed to
the treaty without a modification.
SOME EXCITEMENT.
| The opposition were prepared for the
| request but ii did not fail to create some
| excitement. Simultaneous objection was
made from three or four sources. but as
| if by comment consent 20 Senator Cor
| man was left the task of making the
| principal statement Of the reasons, for
| the opposition. His main objection was
| based upon the brief time that must i'm
| terYene between the time of taking the
! vote on the resolutions and the time fix
| Cd for voting on the treaty-3 o'clock next
| Monday. An essential part OF the de-
mand Of those who desired a modification
| Of the expressions of the treaty vas that
| the House as well as the Senate must act
| upon the resolutions Manifestly ii was
| too late to secure a vote in the House.
| even If the action Of the Senate should
| be favorable, hence the absurdity of the
| proposition. He for one would object.
| and he had 10 doubt that others would
| also.
| Senators Coclrell and Bacon also avow-
| ed their opposition TO agreeing 20 fix
| time for a vote. placing their opposition
on grounds practically the same as those
| of AIR. German. Each was inclined TO
| charge bad faith. Senator Cockrel gave
notice that he would resist any effort for
a vote upon the resolutions up 10 3 o'clock
| Monday. when the vote on the treaty
| must be taken.
| The friends of the treaty declared that
| they were acting in perfect good faith.
| They charged that that opposition were
| afraid Ia allow an opportunity TO vote
| upon their resolutions. because of their
| apprehension that some Of the resOlu-
| tions would be agreed 10. and the chance
| of the ratification Of treaty thus .m-
| proved. This meant. as they regarded H.
that they did not want any treaty rati-
fled.
OBJECTORS FIRM.
The obiectors stood firm. however 10
the last. refusing to yield. Their objec-
| tions We're 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 a recess until 10 o'clock to-
| morrow. He was met with a motion by
Senator German TO adjourn. and or this
| motion the yeas and nays Were ordered.
| Mr. Davis and his co-workers resisted the
! adjournment motion. and IL was defeated.
| but by margin of only one vote, the
| ballot resulting q ayes and p nays.
\ vote was Immediately ordered on ;he
| motion for "A recess until 10 o'clock to-
| morrow. On this motion a number OF the
members Of the opposition refrained from
| voting and the rOll-call developed the
absence of a quorum. The hands Of the
Senate clock then indicated $50 None
of the senators had had their dinners,
hence Senator Davis himself moved an
| adjournment. which motion was carried
without a division.
NOT A TEST.
The vote on adjournment was not con-
| sidered In any way a test, as many or
/ the senator's and especially oi those sup
| porting the treaty. had LEFT the chamber
| before the ballot was taken.
The opponents claim thirty-three votes,
which they say cannot be shaken, while
The leaders of the affirmative side claim
TO have won over two Of those thirty
| three to-day. and to have fair promise
Of getting others The supporters Of the
| treaty stu count confidently upon having
| the requisite number Of votes when the
| time comes even though no modifying
resolution be adopted